At The Electrospinning Company (TECL), we are committed to supporting the next generation of scientists and engineers by providing hands-on experience in the development and manufacture of advanced medical technologies. Through placements and internships, students gain exposure not only to electrospinning and materials development, but also to the realities of working within a regulated MedTech environment where quality, reproducibility, and collaboration are central to success.
This year, we welcomed two researchers at different stages of their academic journeys. Zoe Sansum-Wall joined TECL for a year-long placement before returning to university to begin a PhD, while Prarthana Mistry spent two months with the team during her doctoral studies. Although their backgrounds and experiences were different, both gained valuable insights into how scientific ideas are translated into real-world medical technologies.
From University to Industry: Zoe’s Placement Year
Before joining TECL, Zoe had completed an integrated master’s degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, specialising in chemistry. She joined the company to gain industrial experience before pursuing a PhD and was particularly attracted by the opportunity to learn about both electrospinning technology and the development of materials for medical devices.
During her placement year, Zoe worked on 14 projects spanning all four of TECL’s technology platforms. These projects covered a wide range of development activities, from early-stage feasibility studies through to supporting process scale-up and manufacturing development.
In one of these projects, Zoe contributed to the development of a manufacturing process for a new product. During this project, Zoe had the opportunity to attend an event where researchers and clinicians engaged with the product.
“Seeing clinicians and academics engage with a product I had worked on was a highlight of my year at TECL. As day-to-day my focus is on the technical lab work, it was really rewarding to gain awareness of the final application.”
Reflecting on the experience, Zoe found that one of the most valuable aspects was working with colleagues from a variety of technical backgrounds. Alongside TECL’s R&D team, she collaborated with colleagues from Manufacturing and Quality, as well as external customers. This multidisciplinary environment provided a perspective that differs from a university setting and highlighted the importance of balancing technical, quality, and commercial considerations when developing medical technologies.
The placement also enabled Zoe to develop practical problem-solving skills. She contributed to troubleshooting activities, applying structured approaches such as root cause analysis, and supported process improvements across multiple projects. Equally important was learning the documentation practices required within a regulated medical device environment.
“Initially, the emphasis on documentation surprised me. It was my first exposure to the rigorous standards needed to meet medical device regulations, and built my understanding of how scientific work is translated into real products.”
Following a successful year at TECL, Zoe will return to the University of Cambridge this autumn to begin a fully funded PhD with the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sensor Technologies and Applications in an Uncertain World.
Seeing Translational Research First-Hand: Prarthana’s Experience
Prarthana joined TECL during the third year of her PhD through a two-month placement designed to provide exposure to industrial research and development. Having previously encountered electrospinning during her academic studies, she was keen to see how the technology is applied within a commercial and regulated environment.
Working on electrospun materials and dissolution studies, Prarthana found that while the scientific principles were familiar, the mindset was very different from academia. Rather than focusing solely on whether a concept works, she gained insight into the challenges of ensuring a process performs consistently, reliably, and to the standards required for medical products.
One of the most significant aspects of the placement was exposure to the manufacturing environment. Working within cleanroom facilities and observing the quality systems that underpin medical device production provided a perspective that is difficult to gain through academic research alone.
Prarthana was particularly struck by the culture of quality and attention to detail embedded throughout the organisation. Every stage of development, manufacture, and documentation is designed to ensure that products can be produced consistently and safely for their intended application.
“TECL showed me what happens after the research stage. Seeing how scientific ideas are developed into real products gave me a much clearer understanding of translational research and the journey from the laboratory to patient impact.”
Beyond the technical experience, Prarthana highlighted the welcoming and collaborative nature of the team. Being treated as a contributor rather than a visitor allowed her to gain confidence while developing a broader understanding of the MedTech sector and the opportunities available beyond academia.
As she returns to complete her PhD, she does so with a clearer view of how scientific discoveries can progress towards real-world applications and a deeper appreciation of the role that industry plays in that journey.
Looking Ahead
Although Zoe and Prarthana joined TECL at different stages of their careers and for very different lengths of time, both experienced the same core benefit: the opportunity to see how science, engineering, manufacturing, and quality come together to create technologies with real clinical potential.
Their experiences reflect TECL’s commitment to supporting early-career researchers, providing meaningful technical responsibility, and helping bridge the gap between academic research and MedTech innovation. We wish both Zoe and Prarthana every success in the next stages of their careers and look forward to seeing where their journeys take them next.