Dr Weidong Yin, the man behind Sinovac, was honoured with BioSpectrum Asia Pacific Bioscience Industry Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2011. Sinovac was established in 2001 with a mission of supplying vaccines to eliminate human diseases. Dr Yin has been the chairman, president and CEO of Sinovac since 2003 and is also the general manager of the company's subsidiary Sinovac Biotech (also known as Sinovac Beijing).

Sinovac Biotech produced the Influenza A H1N1 vaccine during swine flu epidemic and marketed it in just 87 days. In 2009, Sinovac was the first company to receive approval for its H1N1 influenza vaccine PANFLU.1. Dr Weidong Yin speaks to BioSpectrum after he won the award. Excerpts from the interview: 

How do you balance your activities as an entrepreneur and a researcher?

Currently, my focus is on company management. The detailed R&D work is conducted by our R&D team. I spend most of my time on macro-control efforts in R&D. I consider the missions of the scientist and entrepreneur are the same, but, ultimately the aim is to achieve the goal of the company.

I am neither a scientist nor entrepreneur, I just do what I think is right.

What are your strategies to overcome stress and pressure at work?