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Award Winner (PDA APAC Service Appreciation Award) 2023: Mylinh La, PhD

Mylinh La, PhD

CSIRO

I was at a regulatory conference and saw a stand for PDA. I asked what it was, and someone told me that it was an organization of people who support each other in the pharma industry. I thought, “Okay, I’ll volunteer,” and that was six years ago. After that, I joined the committee and it was quite interesting because in the first few meetings, I sat back and observed, then later on I found my voice a bit more and started offering suggestions. One of the best things about being on the committee was that if I ever had issues or problems that I couldn’t understand, the answer was only a keyboard away, and if they didn’t know they would find someone that did. It didn’t matter what the topic was. It’s really great to have that kind of supportive environment and I’ve learned so much.

It's such an honor to receive this award. Being at the conference is also such a great opportunity to learn because being in Australia we are so isolated and it’s hard to get people to come in and give the same kind of training opportunities.

About Mylinh La, PhD

Dr. Mylinh La, Senior Lab Manager at CSIRO's National Vaccine and Therapeutics Laboratory, brings over 20 years of expertise to academic research and the Biotech industry. Beginning at the University of Melbourne, where she earned her Ph.D. in Pharmacology, her journey includes an Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship in Germany and a Research Fellowship at the William Harvey Research Institution in the UK.

Mylinh's career highlights include diverse roles, from large-scale protein manufacture to Supply Chain Management at Murex Biotech (UK), with firsthand experience in implementing Lean Six Sigma methodologies for process improvement. Joining CSIRO, she was instrumental in the design, establishment, and qualification of new manufacturing clean room suites at CSIRO's cutting-edge National Vaccine and Therapeutics Laboratory — a milestone for Australia's vaccine and therapeutic research capabilities.

Her current focus are on aseptic manufacturing excellence, covering Environmental Monitoring, Contamination Control Strategy, Equipment, Process Validations, and Phase Appropriate Manufacturing. Since 2018, as a committee member of the Parenteral Drug Association (PDA), Australian Chapter, Mylinh actively fosters collaboration, supports education initiatives, and ensures her team stays updated on industry changes, effectively communicating the value of PDA and spreading awareness within her professional community.