We spoke to alumnus Darius Hughes who is the General Manager of Moderna Biotech UK Ltd, the manufacturer of a vaccine which was instrumental in tackling the coronavirus outbreak
British Science Week is a 10 day national celebration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In honour of the occasion, we’re taking a deep dive into this year’s theme of connections by shining a light on University of Portsmouth graduates who are working within these fields to learn more about their careers, motivations and the connections that have gotten them where they are today.
University of Portsmouth alumnus, Darius Hughes, is an accomplished leader in biotechnology. Today, Darius is UK General Manager of Moderna, a biotechnology company pioneering mRNA vaccines and therapeutics, who you may know as one of the key players in the coronavirus vaccine programme.
Before he joined Moderna he spent seven years as Pfizer’s Head of Vaccines Business Unit UK and Ireland where he engaged government, industry and regulators in supporting the supply of COVID-19 vaccines across the UK. Prior to joining Pfizer, Darius spent fifteen years at Boots the Chemist, where he started his career as a Store Manager. Darius graduated in BSc (Hons) Pharmacy in 1989.
We hear his story below:
In all honesty the University of Portsmouth wasn’t my first choice. I wanted to be a medic but when I didn’t get the A levels I needed I came to Portsmouth to study Pharmacy as a back-up. However my time at Portsmouth was critical in shaping my career and a Pharmacy degree is a great degree to set you up for success, in many different areas of healthcare, science and business.
When I left University I knew I wanted to be a pharmacist. After I graduated, I started my career in the NHS within a hospital, and from there I went on to work in retail pharmacy, spending fifteen years at Boots the Chemist. I then moved into the pharmaceutical industry where I’ve been ever since.
In my current role, I am responsible for all UK operations at Moderna. That entails running the team, delivering vaccines and planning for future success. My days vary hugely, which is why I love the job so much. From one day to the next I could be in external meetings with politicians, scientists or healthcare professionals, or working closely with colleagues planning anything from the colour of a leaflet to the launch of our next vaccine.
Grab every opportunity that comes your way. You have to believe in yourself and what you can achieve.
I love the idea of connections and this theme is really important to me, both personally and professionally, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many people, connections are the thing I missed the most during lockdown, and connections with friends and family are what got me through it.
As government guidance changed, people were suddenly faced with national lockdowns, isolation, and working from home. Many of us turned to technology to stay connected, whether that meant speaking with family over Zoom, holding meetings over Microsoft Teams, or checking in with friends on social media. Staying connected became more important than ever before.
I think good connections are everything in life, and the launch of the Moderna vaccine during the pandemic taught us that if we take a connected approach and work together, we can get things done and achieve incredible things during times of unprecedented adversity.
I am deeply passionate about science and innovation, and how this can be applied to benefit the health of the public on a global scale. The most challenging part of my job is trying to make a difference in such a busy world, but I am driven by positively impacting public health and knowing that my work really means something is hugely rewarding.
My advice to current students and recent graduates who are about to embark on their next steps would be to grab every opportunity that comes your way. You have to believe in yourself and what you can achieve.