From Molecular Biology to Biomanufacturing: How CASTL's Elevate Program Opened New Doors

Mauricio Romero has always had a passion for the sciences, but it’s the biosciences that inspired his career plans. 

“I was very interested in genetics, but then I started learning about immunology and biomanufacturing. It fascinated me,” Mauricio says.

Originally from Columbia, Mauricio came to Canada in 2014 as an international student to study molecular biology at Simon Fraser University. However, after graduating in 2019, he didn’t feel quite ready to pursue his career in earnest.

“My university studies provided plenty of knowledge, but I didn’t feel like I had the practical skills that would get me in the door,” Mauricio explains. “On top of that, I needed to complete the process that would give me permanent residency status.”

Mauricio continued his work as a barista, which he had started during his student days, to fulfill the full-time work criteria needed for his PR application. After achieving that milestone, he was ready to get serious about his future. 

“I didn't necessarily want to go back to school full time because I didn't have the time or the money, and I didn’t want to have to get a loan to pursue further education,” he says. “So, I started looking at shorter certificate programs that would enhance my employability in the biosciences sector.”

While exploring available courses in cell culture at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)—one of CASTL’s post-secondary partners—an instructor there sent him a link to CASTL’s Elevate program and encouraged him to apply.

“It looked like a really cool program,” he says, “and, even better, it was fully funded. It checked all the boxes for me.”

Mauricio enrolled in the Elevate program in February 2024, and even after a five-year hiatus in his studies, he quickly got back into the rhythm.

“As far as the curriculum, I didn’t feel like it was easy, but I also didn’t feel overwhelmed,” he says. “It was delivered at a good pace, so if you were having an off day, you could easily pick it up the next day.”
In addition to the advantages of a flexible online learning schedule, accessible instructors, and small group learning, Mauricio placed a high value on what he was learning: topics that filled the gaps in his formal academic knowledge.

“I was learning about things like documentation,” he says, “something I didn’t learn much about in school but is fundamental in every laboratory setting.”

He considered the in-person component of the program, which he completed at CASTL’s Montreal biomanufacturing training facility, to be especially valuable.

“I'd heard about a chromatography column, for example, in school but I’d never actually seen one,” he says. “The opportunity to see all this equipment and get a basic understanding of its purpose and operation—and to carry out standard biomanufacturing processes on a small scale—is incredibly helpful when you eventually get into a working lab.”

And that’s exactly where Mauricio is today. Just a few months after completing the Elevate program, he was hired as a chemical operations technologist with Phyton Biotech, a global leader in plant cell fermentation technology to produce high-value phytochemicals in a sustainable and commercially scalable way. 

“At this point, I’m learning the purification process for paclitaxel, a chemotherapy agent used to treat a variety of cancers,” he says. “As part of the downstream process, we take the powdery unrefined substance, dissolve it, evaporate it, run through the chromatography column, and then dry it. It’s then sent on to the client for fill and finish.”

And while he’s still learning the ropes of his current role, that hasn’t stopped him from looking ahead to see how CASTL can help him advance his career.

“I love learning, and CASTL offers lots of continuing education opportunities in biomanufacturing,” Mauricio says. “Whether I want specific training to pursue a new position in the company, or to just enhance my own professional knowledge, they provide courses on a variety of topics that will support my development.”

After just six weeks of training in the Elevate program, Mauricio has opened the door to a world of opportunity, and he hopes others will consider the program as a key to unlocking their own career potential.

“Elevate was a very positive experience for me, and it can provide a real edge for anyone who wants to move into the biomanufacturing sector, whether they’re just starting out or considering a second career.”

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This article is part of a series that celebrates some of the many success stories that have emerged from Elevate, CASTL’s national biomanufacturing training program. Designed for young workers, new Canadians, and others seeking out career opportunities in Canada’s biosciences sector, Elevate teaches the technical skills needed to fill entry-level positions in this fast-growing industry. 

Applications to the Elevate program are open, apply here to take part in one of our upcoming cohorts.

The program is made possible through funding from Upskill Canada, powered by Palette Skills, and the Government of Canada.