CV APV Board Member Dr Alena Wieber studied pharmacy at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt (Germany). Following her studies, she completed her doctorate in Pharmaceutical Technology in cooperation with Merck KGaA under the supervision of Prof Dr J. Kreuter. In 2011, she started her career at Merck KGaA, Healthcare R&D business unit, in the formulation development of parenteral drugs. In 2012, Alena Wieber moved internally into the life science sector and took on several roles in innovative R&D formulation development for solid oral, semi-solid and liquid excipient formulations. In 2017, she was offered the global marketing role as Head of Technical Training, where she successfully developed and delivered hands-on customer programmes worldwide. In 2021, Alena Wieber moved into alliance management in the Process Solutions business development area, enabling her to expand her expertise in strategic partnership management and negotiation into innovative portfolio additions. Since the beginning of 2024, she has been working in the global Business Development and Licensing division of Merck Life Science KGaA to establish new (bio)pharmaceutical research and development alliances and merger projects.