Meet Jane Jiang: Progress Is Built on the People and Communities We Move With

For Jane Jiang, March was not just a month on the calendar—another time she enjoyed running followed by the familiar mix of tired legs and good energy. Her path, winding through early starts and steady miles, brings a sense of clarity to the races, but also to the people and moments shared along the way.

Based in the UK, Jane works in WuXi AppTec’s Business Development team, helping connect biotech innovators across Europe with integrated discovery, development, and manufacturing capabilities. Her work is rooted in collaboration and long-term partnerships—bridging science, people, and progress. That same sense of connection naturally extends into her personal life, especially through running.

This March, Jane’s journey began—as it often does—with the Cambridge Half Marathon. Running alongside her dear friend Nana, Jane reflected on their shared history. Nana was once mentored by Jane during Jane’s postdoc at the Max Planck Society, when Nana was a master’s student. Now, Nana is a close friend of over 12 years. For the past three years, this race has quietly become their spring tradition. More than simply a run, it’s their annual catch-up, weaving through the historic streets and colleges of Cambridge, discussing life at half-marathon pace.

20260308 Cambridge Half

Running has always been a source of balance for Jane. It clears her head, gives structure to busy weeks, and offers space to think about the bigger picture—both in life and in her role at WuXi AppTec, where she supports customers across the UK and Europe in advancing drug discovery programs.

Over time, what began as a personal practice evolved into a way to bring people together.

Last year, colleagues from WuXi Biology and WuXi STA joined her for the Race for Life. Together with William Spearing and Carlo De Stefanis, they raised £782 for Cancer Research UK, a great reminder of how sport can connect people around something meaningful. “You feel the energy shift when you’re not just running for yourself,” Jane reflects. “You’re running for patients, for families, for the possibility of better treatments. That’s very close to what we do at WuXi AppTec every day.”

20250629, CRUK, Race for Life

For Jane, that alignment matters. In her business development role, she works with biotech founders, scientists, and entrepreneurs who are often racing against time—seeking the right partners, platforms, and expertise to move their therapies toward the clinic. The sense of shared purpose she feels on the racecourse mirrors the collaboration she helps build during the lab-to-clinic journey.

This year, Jane’s journey continued with the Coniston 14, joined by friends from Max Planck visiting from Germany for the first time. They made a full weekend of it—running the 14-mile race and then hiking to waterfalls in the Lake District. Bathed in rare UK sunshine, Jane savored each moment, knowing these shared experiences are the true treasures of life.

Alongside her running, Jane helped deliver the second edition of the Koffiepauze series in Utrecht—a great platform for scientific exchange and strengthening connections within the local biotech ecosystem, which brought together 11 external speakers and a broad local audience.

20260319, 2nd Science KoffiePauze in Utrecht

As a BD manager, Jane sees her role not only as connecting services to projects, but connecting people to possibilities—whether that’s a new platform, a new collaborator, or a new way of thinking about a scientific challenge. “It’s initiatives like these that highlight WuXi AppTec’s commitment to innovation and collaboration,” Jane enthuses. “Reinforcing connections within the scientific community is crucial.”

Since joining WuXi AppTec in 2024, she’s thrown herself into building those networks. As she recalls, “It was a real pleasure connecting with so many brilliant minds—industry peers, innovators, and collaborators alike. Your energy, ideas, and passion made the thing truly special!”

Reflecting on March, Jane acknowledges it was a month rich with movement, both physically and professionally—each run, each conversation, each new connection each inspirational new idea, a strand in the larger tapestry of progress. “At WuXi AppTec, we understand that advancements in science and technology are driven by the collective journeys of individuals working together,” Jane explains. It is also a good reminder that progress is often built not just on individual effort, but on the people and communities we move with.