A nurse, an interpreter, and now a member of LG Chem’s PV (Pharmacovigilance) team — they may seem like entirely different paths, but all these experiences lead to one goal: safeguarding patients’ lives. Behind countless data lie the lives of patients and their families. Ahn Soobin never loses sight of this purpose and strives to protect the safety of every individual.

Today, we spoke with Ahn Soobin, Senior Researcher at LG Chem’s Clinical Development Division, Medical Affairs PV Team, about how her diverse career paths and experiences have come together toward one purpose — safeguarding patients and customers.

Q. Hello! Please introduce yourself.

Ahn Soobin : Hello, I’m Ahn Soobin from LG Chem’s Clinical Development Division, Medical Affairs PV Team. I’m responsible for continuously monitoring the safety of our products so that patients can use them with confidence. My role also involves detecting and responding to unexpected side effects or risks at an early stage. Although it’s a position that often remains behind the scenes, our team’s mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of every patient.

Q. Could you tell us a bit about your career journey?

Ahn Soobin : Back in my second year of high school, my grandfather was hospitalized after suffering a stroke. The nurses I met at the hospital gave my family great comfort and strength, and that experience became a turning point in shaping my career path. Wanting to become a bridge between patients and their families, I decided to study nursing. As a nurse at a university hospital, I found deep fulfillment in caring for patients directly. However, over time, I began to wonder if I could contribute to healthcare from a broader perspective. Around nine months after joining the hospital, I started to explore a new direction for my career.

During my clinical practicum, I often served as an interpreter as the number of foreign patients increased. This experience opened the door to a new career path in interpretation. When I entered graduate school for translation and interpretation, I initially struggled due to my limited background knowledge in current affairs. Still, with determination, I persevered — even memorizing an entire dictionary to overcome my challenges. As I later worked as a professional interpreter, I frequently encountered projects related to the pharmaceutical industry. One case left a deep impression on me: a single vaccine that helped reduce the mortality rate in parts of Africa to zero. That experience made me realize I wanted to do more than just convey others’ words — I wanted to contribute directly. Drawn by LG Chem’s wide range of healthcare products and its mission, I decided to make the transition into the pharmaceutical field.

Q. What are your main responsibilities in LG Chem’s PV Team?

Ahn Soobin : The PV (Pharmacovigilance) Team is responsible for collecting and analyzing information related to drug safety, and reporting it to health authorities in Korea and abroad. In my role, I design safety evaluation plans during the clinical trial phase. I review in advance the possible side effects that may occur during drug administration and design the overall protocol*, including how to respond when patients suffer from side effects.

For example, there was a case of severe skin rash among patients who had taken a certain antibiotic for an extended period of time. Through data analysis, we found that when taken beyond a certain duration, the immune system recognized the drug as a foreign substance, causing the rash. Based on this finding, we added a statement to the product instructions: “Taking the medication beyond the prescribed period does not enhance its effect, so please discontinue use.” As a result, the number of adverse cases decreased significantly, and patients’ discomfort was reduced. It was deeply rewarding to realize that even a single line of text can directly impact patient safety.

*Protocol: A defined rule or procedure.

Q. Any memorable moments from communicating with a patient or guardian?

Ahn Soobin : Recently, more medications require long-term administration rather than short-term treatment. Pharmaceuticals are no longer just a means of therapy, but have become reliable companions that help protect patients’ lives. As many of LG Chem’s products are designed for long-term use, building trust is essential so that both patients and healthcare professionals can use them with confidence.

I felt most rewarded when I heard someone in the field say, “We can use the products with greater confidence thanks to the safe provision and management of information.” Supporting patients so they can go about their daily lives with peace of mind — I believe that’s how we truly contribute to our customers’ well-being.

Q. I’ve heard that your work increasingly involves the use of AI and data.

Ahn Soobin : In the past, we used to receive patient side-effect reports and manually enter them into Excel to identify patterns. Processing thousands of cases took a great deal of time and often led to errors. Now, with the help of algorithms and machine learning*, we can analyze hundreds of thousands of data entries in just a few minutes. For example, we can quickly identify patterns such as “Men over 40 are more likely to develop rashes when taking certain ingredients.”

A data scientist* is responsible for designing analytical models and minimizing errors. My role is to define what data should be entered and what patterns need to be identified. By dividing our responsibilities and working collaboratively, we’re able to apply AI across a wide range of tasks — from exploring potential drug candidates to analyzing side-effect patterns. This not only enhances work efficiency, but also plays a significant role in enabling more precise management of patient safety.

*Machine learning: A field of AI focused on building systems that learn from data and experience to improve performance.
*Data scientist: A specialist who extracts meaningful insights from diverse data sources to support organizational decision-making.

Q. How do you view patients in the course of your work?

Ahn Soobin : The data I handle consists of figures recorded in safety reports — for example, one or two cases of death. But these numbers are not just statistics. Behind each of them are the lives of patients and their families. That’s why I don’t simply look at a figure like “the number of deaths decreased from two to one.” I examine every piece of data carefully, with the determination to prevent even a single loss of life.

Q. What does protecting patient safety mean to you, in one sentence?

Ahn Soobin : When I say “protecting patient safety,” it means helping each and every patient feel secure today and enjoy happiness tomorrow. To me, patient safety is not just about monitoring medications — it’s a fundamental and meaningful responsibility to safeguard patients’ everyday lives and the trust they place in us.

Q. You’ve mentioned how your diverse experiences create a synergy – how would you define your own strengths?

Ahn Soobin : I wouldn’t say I’m particularly exceptional — rather, I’m someone who works with persistent effort. The medical knowledge I gained as a nurse and the communication skills I developed as an interpreter both play a vital role in my work. When coordinating with overseas regulatory authorities, my experience in interpretation becomes especially valuable. And when establishing patient safety measures, my nursing background truly shines. These two seemingly different experiences come together to create a unique synergy in what I do.

Q. When do you find your work at LG Chem most meaningful?

Ahn Soobin : I find my work most meaningful when I develop safety standards for patients around the world and see them actually put into practice. These standards help patients use our medicines with confidence. Whenever I see their quality of life improve and their happiness protected, I feel that my role goes beyond simple monitoring — it truly contributes to people’s health and everyday lives. Helping each patient live a healthy life and enjoy their daily moments is what fulfills me the most at work.

Q. What are your goals and vision for the future?

Ahn Soobin : Recently, I’ve become interested in connecting IT with healthcare. For instance, recruiting candidates for clinical trials usually takes a long time because each condition must be checked manually. However, with the use of algorithms, we can match suitable participants more quickly and accurately. I hope to develop a matching application like this to help bridge the gap between clinical practice and technology. In ten years, I see myself as a leader who creates new culture through convergence. In a world where experts from diverse fields collaborate to discover new solutions, I want to be a bridge-builder who connects them — especially to enhance patient safety.

Senior Researcher Ahn Soobin’s career can be defined by one word, “convergence.” Her experience in nursing, interpretation, and pharmacovigilance (PV) practice all converge toward a single goal — patient safety. For Ahn, numbers are more than just data. They are standards that safeguard life. That is why, even today, she meticulously reviews hundreds of thousands of data points with LG Chem’s PV team to ensure that not a single adverse reaction goes unnoticed. Each small effort to build a safer pharmaceutical environment comes together to form a strong pillar that steadfastly protects patients’ lives.

Ahn Soobin’s journey, built upon diverse experiences, ultimately leads to a single mission — to protect the safety of patients and their families. This mindset is closely aligned with LG Chem’s pursuit of customer value, expanding into a trust that enables customers to feel reassured. Going forward, LG Chem will continue to place patient safety at the heart of everything we do, fulfilling our responsibility as a trusted partner in safeguarding customers’ healthy lives.