I completed a BSc in Microbiology and Biochemistry, as well as a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry. It was in these fundamental years that my passion for science grew, I committed myself to a research career. During my MSc, my passion for infectious diseases developed as I worked on a HIV protease and membrane permeability studies using various cell lines. This work resulted in an international, peer-reviewed publication. From 2016-2019, I was offered a PhD studentship at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) focusing on bioprocessing and industrial-based scientific solutions. My research was on a multi-disciplinary project involving microbiology, bioprocessing, and animal science. I successfully developed a multi-strain chicken feed probiotic that resulted in a commercialized product that is now sold to the agricultural industry. My PhD resulted in four publications, an international conference, a technology disclosure, and I was awarded the best PhD student in my department. These years of training shaped me into a confident scientist with the ability to work across disciplines and to bridge the gap between research and commercialization, with the ultimate goal to offer a real impact to the end consumer. My PhD studies fostered my interest in animal health and infectious diseases, and as such I accepted a postdoctoral fellowship in veterinary immunology and vaccine design at the University of Pretoria. This project aims to commercialise a tick vaccine specifically targeting the cattle tick, R. microplus. This field challenge me as a researcher as it addresses the design, evaluation and safety issues concerning vaccine development. But, it also expose me to the pipeline, regulations, and interactions with industry that are required for getting a vaccine to market.