Whether it’s complex vehicle repair or a simple renovation around the house, few things carry the pride involved in knowing that you’ve directly – and positively – impacted a job from beginning to end.
Now apply that same scenario to the field of medical treatments.
This is where Amgen British Columbia’s Chris Murawsky finds himself both personally and professionally – and he’s committed to pay those ever-lasting life lessons forward.
As Amgen BC’s director of research, head of domain discovery and immunization, Murawsky’s days are focused on discovery work in the life sciences: troubleshooting, problem solving, people managing and overseeing decisions that impact whether molecules advance or not.
Among the focuses that the Amgen BC team is working on out of its Burnaby research centre are the development of pioneering medical treatments to treat diseases in oncology, inflammation, metabolic and rare diseases.
“I've been lucky enough to have molecules that we've discovered and worked on now treating patients, and that's a very satisfying feeling for sure, but it also just makes you want to do more,” says Murawsky.
It’s something of a full-circle career arc for Murawsky, whose initial spark for science and all things medicine came from his father, who previously worked as a biology teacher and penned several books showing other teachers how to teach in the field or conduct experiments.
Murawsky and his brother were often subjects of those books – and these were the light bulb moments for his future.
“That’s where my interest in science started,” Murawsky says. “I really became fascinated with DNA and the process of how molecules are made and how life has developed, and so I think that that certainly found its roots probably within the enthusiasm that he brought to teaching the subject.”
Fast-forward a few decades, and while Murawsky is studying abroad, his father is diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Through his work first in academia, and now with Amgen BC, Murawsky was able to see what the patient experience was firsthand – and was brought back to the importance of what Amgen BC does.
“Having been here for 10 years, I see how direct the connection is between the things that we work on every day, the problems that we solve, the decisions that we make, and how those decisions directly impact patients like my dad,” Murawsky says.
With his father’s cancer now in remission and with young children of his own, Murawsky now looks to build upon the foundation of mentorship afforded to him by his dad.
Murawsky’s desire to give back began with his involvement with a San Diego chapter of Big Brothers in 2004 and has led to numerous mentorship offerings since: school visits on the Sunshine Coast; partnering with Science World to encourage high school students to pursue S.T.E.A.M. or being a leader in Amgen BC’s own mentorship programs.
“The group of people that I work with are so talented and knowledgeable,” Murawsky says. “A really important part of my job is to make sure that they have what they need, that I understand what troubles them and do everything I can to get all those barriers out of their way.”
Discover more about Chris Murawsky and his work at Amgen BC, visit www.amgen.ca
And to learn more about other People of Amgen BC, read the profile stories on Desiree Lim and Timin Hadi.
