Tadej Čepeljnik
Photo: Tadej Bernik, Text: Kaja Stradovnik

Čepeljnik Tadej

Graduate of the Biotechnical Faculty, employed as head of quality control at Lek, a member of the Sandoz Group. His unit, Biological Active Ingredients, analyses active ingredients and products for release onto the markets of the EU, USA and elsewhere.

 Dr Tadej Čepeljnik enjoyed success as a student, as can be seen in the pile of awards he received. He received two Krka Prizes, a Jesenko Prize and a university Prešeren Prize. After postgraduate studies, he performed research and teaching work at the Biotechnical Faculty in the field of enzymatics and microbial biotechnology. He also trained abroad at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen, Scotland, and in 2005 gained his doctorate at the Biotechnical Faculty with research on the xylanolytic systems P. xylanivorans.

In 2007 he joined Lek’s Biopharmaceuticals in Mengeš as a researcher in analytics, where he and his colleagues published a notable article in Nature magazine on the topic of the acceptable variability of manufacturing biopharmaceuticals. Since 2010 he has been employed in management positions, first in development and then in quality. He is also involved in research projects as a development councillor. Alongside his profession, he is socially active and shares his knowledge by giving invited lectures. He is also a mentor to students from various faculties, and as a member of the Slovenian Microbiology Society he regularly attends various expert meetings.