“In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to complete a degree”
By bike the trip from Kalundborg Collegium to Helix Lab takes less than ten minutes. The morning traffic is quieter than in the larger university cities, and tall buildings have been replaced by the towers of the local industry. Andreas Larsen and Melissa Bahrami Mehr have traded the familiar student life in Aarhus and Copenhagen for six months in Kalundborg, where they are working in a setting that combines theory and practice with new opportunities.
Twenty-eight-year-old Andreas is originally from Aalborg but has lived in Copenhagen since beginning his studies in Environmental Engineering at DTU in Lyngby. This semester, however, he is completing his MSc thesis as a Helix Lab Fellow in collaboration with Unibio, a Kalundborg based company that develops protein production technology. The decision to join Helix Lab came when Andreas became aware of the unique advantages it offered.
“Compared to the university, Helix Lab has newer and more advanced facilities than what is typically available in older university laboratories. I also knew that I would be working closely with experienced laboratory technicians who are always ready to help, whether the challenge is practical or theoretical, which I consider a major benefit,” he says.
Andreas also sees the environment in Kalundborg as a significant advantage. Being part of a close and supportive community with skilled fellow students, teachers, laboratory technicians, and staff helps maintain his motivation and productivity throughout the thesis process.
“On top of that, I work directly with Unibio, which makes the entire experience far more engaging. I gain insights into what the company focuses on and how decisions are made, something you rarely experience when you only work from the university.”
Real-world opportunities
Twenty-four-year-old Melissa Bahrami Mehr was born and raised in Aarhus and studies chemical engineering and biotechnology at Aarhus University. The move to Kalundborg and the collaboration with Novo Nordisk, where she is writing her thesis, has been very positive, she says.
“My experience is that as a Fellow you are taken seriously from day one by both Novo Nordisk and Helix Lab. I have been given significant responsibility at Novo Nordisk and the possibility to drive the project forward while contributing improvements that have potential benefits for production,” Melissa says.
Writing her thesis in a real-world environment has given her knowledge about collaboration, structure, and communication across academic disciplines [NUB(1] [AB2] that she would not otherwise have gained. Her understanding of how complex projects are planned and performed in an industrial setting, and how to bring theory and practice together, has improved greatly, she says.
“Compared to a classic thesis project at the university with only one supervisor, theory and practice are much more closely connected here. You receive ongoing feedback and supervision from both an academic and an industrial perspective, which creates a unified understanding of the project. This makes the work more dynamic and more applicable,” Melissa explains.
The process so far has made it clear to Melissa that she wants a career in the industry, where she can continue to work with development and optimization while remaining focused on research.
“And if I wish to do a PhD in the future, I would prefer to do it in a production company rather than at a university. It would allow me to stay close to practice while continuing research, which really motivates me and gives my work meaning.”
Prepared for the next step
Andreas agrees that his Helix Lab Fellowship is giving him a clearer sense of direction and better preparation for the job market than what the university can offer on its own.
“Like many of my fellow students, I was initially nervous about whether I would be ready for professional life, but through the Fellowship and the close collaboration with Unibio, I am becoming much more confident and better prepared for what comes next,” he says, and continues:
“Being part of a close and supportive community with skilled fellow students, teachers, laboratory technicians, and staff who all contribute to maintaining motivation and productivity throughout the thesis process is a great addition to both my personal and professional development. In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to complete a degree. I gain strong practical experience, valuable insights, and a real sense of readiness to start my career.”