Inside IDEVAX: Two Interns, Two Perspectives – Part 1
We spoke to two of our interns to learn more about their experiences and their time at IDEVAX. Morgane Thienpont, our R&D Intern, and Elisabed Gelashvili, our QARA Intern, shared insights into their projects, what they learned about MedTech and working in a science company, and what they’re taking with them into their studies and future careers.
What was the focus of your project?
Morgane – R&D Intern
“During my internship I worked with Merel, a PhD student, on her project researching how immune cells behave after intradermal injection with the VAX-ID device.
We started out with ejection experiments, looking at how shear stress affects the phenotype and viability of immune cells after they pass through the VAX-ID.”
Elisabed – QARA Intern
“My internship focused on QARA support activities, specifically supporting Quality & Compliance with technical documentation, validation processes and design controls.
I had the opportunity to see how Quality Management Systems (QMS) operate in practice and how ISO 13485 compliance is embedded into every operational step, from early R&D collaboration to final product release.”
What were some of the insights you learned about MedTech and working in a science company?
Morgane – R&D Intern
“Beyond the lab work itself, I got to shadow other people in the company, which gave me a look into the more business side of things — something I knew nothing about before.
Working at a smaller, growing company like IDEVAX, you also notice people are often involved in more than just their own specialty, taking on different roles depending on what’s needed.
That gave me a much broader view of everything that has to come together before a MedTech product can reach patients. Not just the science, but also things like partnerships, clinical data and regulatory approval.”
Elisabed – QARA Intern
“I gained a huge appreciation for cross-departmental collaboration. It was exciting to see how every single team comes together to drive the bigger picture, following a device’s journey from step one all the way to market delivery.
I learned that compliance isn’t just about filing paperwork; it’s about building safety and repeatable standards into operations from day one while working alongside a fantastic, supportive team.”
What are the next steps – what learnings are you carrying ahead to your studies and future career?
Morgane – R&D Intern
“I think the biggest thing I’m taking with me is a better sense of how to set up and approach research in general.
All the practical stuff you don’t really think about until you’re doing it yourself, like planning an experiment properly, writing out protocols, running preliminary experiments…
I also became better at doing targeted research: searching efficiently for market information, clinical trial data and relevant literature, which will be useful for both my thesis and future scientific writing.”
Elisabed – QARA Intern
“My immediate next step is finishing my thesis defence to complete my Master’s degree while expanding my hands-on experience as a working student at a medical device company.
IDEVAX provided me with a solid baseline for this field, and I’m taking forward a good understanding of QARA fundamentals and the confidence to take on greater responsibilities in the MedTech field.”
A look back at their time at IDEVAX
Although Morgane and Elisabed worked in different areas of IDEVAX, their experiences highlight just how many different skills and teams come together in MedTech.
We’re happy to have had Morgane and Elisabed as part of the team and wish them both the best for their next steps. Big thanks to Morgane and Liza for the great work they did at Idevax and being part of our team. We wish them all the best in their future career.
