From the bench to Big Pharma \ Elisabeth Stes is R&D Communication Manager at J&J
- Liesbeth Aerts
- Jun 27
- 5 min read
When Elisabeth Stes stepped away from the lab, she did not walk away from science. A trained biotechnologist with a PhD, she carried her research mindset with her and built a new career in science communication, first at a public research institute, and now at a leading pharmaceutical company.
As R&D Communication Manager at J&J, Elisabeth translates complex research into clear, impactful narratives. Her journey from academia to industry offers valuable insights into the different roles of science communicators, and how ethics and strategy shape their work.
On discovering her strength
“I always enjoyed doing research,” Stes says. “But the part that gave me the most energy was talking about it: writing abstracts, presenting posters, communicating results.”
She began to notice a pattern: abstracts she submitted were often accepted for talks, her presentations regularly won awards, and her posters stood out.
