Posing for a photo in the hallway at The Wistar Institute dressed in a white lab coat and smiling at a camera, cellular biologist Michela Perego, Ph.D., shared a little secret: Working as a scientist in a lab isn’t as glamorous as it appears on TV. 

As Perego explained, the long hours spent in the lab can be draining, and the perseverance required to keep moving forward amid setbacks can be frustrating. But despite what Hollywood’s depictions may gloss over, Perego said, in her opinion, working as a scientist in a lab is the best job in the world.

Especially in her role as a cancer research scientist and research assistant professor at The Wistar Institute, located in the heart of Philadelphia’s University City neighborhood. More precisely, Perego said working in the region’s life sciences sector provides unparalleled career and quality of life advantages, compared to elsewhere in the U.S. and abroad.

Perego, a native of the northern Italian province of Monza, just north of Milan, relocated to the United States in 2012 for the job opportunity to work as a scientist at Wistar, currently working in the lab of Wistar’s President and CEO Dr. Dario Altieri, who is also a native of Northern Italy.

Reflecting back to the factors that led to her decision to advance her career in Philadelphia over a decade ago, Perego noted the city’s walkability, access to world-class cultural and entertainment experiences, and lower cost of living than other peer U.S. regions as a top few for livability. She also noted the benefit of being close to the Philadelphia International Airport, which provides her with a direct connection to her second home in Milan, where she returns for an extended visit a few times each year.

When she needs a break from working to find the next scientific breakthrough, she can just step outside of Wistar’s building and wander into a bookstore, boutique, or coffee shop, all within a few blocks. 

Wistar’s location in University City, clustered with world-renowned universities, hospitals, and research institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania and the University City Science Center, creates a dynamic life sciences industry ecosystem hub. The 2025 National Life Sciences Report released earlier this month by the global real estate company Colliers, shows the Greater Philadelphia region maintained its ranking as the #4 U.S. life science market, the same as in 2024.

The region is also ranked as the 6th best U.S. region for life sciences research talent due to its concentration of skilled professionals, low cost of living, and high average wages for biochemists, biomedical engineers, biophysicists, and chemists.

This unique synergy creates an attractive destination for professionals seeking to advance their careers. Last month, Perego was bestowed Wistar’s Independent Research Catalyst Award, which she said “brings me one step closer to establishing myself as an independent investigator in cancer research.” She also shared that while it is sometimes difficult in her field and at her level to find opportunities that support individual career growth, “especially at my stage as a senior scientist, but without an independent lab yet,” the fact that Wistar created an opportunity to both acknowledge and help progress her work by awarding her the independent research catalyst grant is exceptional.

Additional workforce development programs at Wistar include the Wistar Pathway to Independence, which supports the transition of outstanding postdoctoral researchers to independent faculty positions by providing mentorship, professional development opportunities, and the necessary resources and Wistar’s Biomedical Technician Training (BTT) pre-apprenticeship program that trains individuals for specialized roles in the life sciences sector, connecting them to opportunities for career advancement. 

Wistar’s Hubert J.P. Schoemaker Education and Training Center recently announced plans to expand its apprenticeship programs and bolster job opportunities in the life science sector based on a recent $600,000 PASmart Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.

As Perego looks ahead in her career, she said the supportive environment at Wistar, coupled with the vibrant life sciences community in Philadelphia and unique advantages is why she came to Philadelphia in 2012 and why she’s stayed ever since.

Come for Philadelphia. Stay for Philly.

To explore career opportunities in the Greater Philadelphia region’s life science industry, visit The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia new regional talent attraction campaign – Stay for Philly. Developed in partnership with Visit Philadelphia, this initiative aims to provide a bridge to connect top talent and employers and to create opportunities and growth in Greater Philadelphia.