A day in the life of a Molecular Biologist
A day in the life of a Molecular Biologist
Molecular Biologist, Michael Mullan, was fascinated by science from a young age. For him, it was only natural to progress into a career as a scientist. Being able to use his skills of problem-solving to improve diagnostic technologies leads him to describe a career in science as fascinating, challenging and rewarding. Read what he has to say…
Can you describe a typical working day?
There’s no such thing! Each day varies so much and is usually split up between carrying out laboratory work, and analysing and interpreting data. I work in the Molecular Diagnostics department in Randox Laboratories with a team of Molecular Biologists and Engineers, and we develop DNA-based diagnostic tests that can detect pathogens, genetic mutations and even calculate a patient’s risk of developing certain illnesses.
What has been your educational / career path to this post?
From a young age I was fascinated by science, so I chose to study Triple Award Science at GCSE level and Biology, Chemistry and ICT at A level. Having enjoyed science at school I decided to study Molecular Biology at Queen’s University Belfast and then moved on to a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, because I wanted to use my aptitude for problem-solving to improve the diagnostic technologies which are so important in healthcare. I started on the Graduate Development Program here at Randox where I worked as a Technical Support Specialist before moving into my current position in the Molecular Diagnostics department.
What transferable skills have you used in your various roles that have come from your STEM training?
My time at university prepared me well for my current job as I often research papers and write reports, and have to follow good lab practice. Transferable skills such as these are the building blocks of any career, however those developed through scientific education are highly sought after by all employers, even those outside the science sector. Good communication skills are essential, and my time in Technical Support helped me to develop my ability to communicate with customers and colleagues. Organisational skills are also important to carry out experiments correctly and safely, and to record methods and results in an understandable and clear way.
How does your work as a Molecular Biologist make the world a better place?
Our Molecular Diagnostic tests provide highly specific test results for patients based on their genetic makeup and this opens the door for personalised medicine. The work my team and I do improves the accuracy and speed of patient diagnosis; faster, more informative diagnosis can save lives.
What do you really like about your job?
My favourite thing about my job is that no two days are ever the same. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team who work on a range of different projects takes me completely out of my comfort zone and challenges me to think outside the box.
Can you say anything about the future job prospects in your industry?
The Biotechnology industry is currently expanding at a phenomenal pace. So much so that students in school today who decide to go down a scientific career path will be using technologies that haven’t even been invented yet. That is such an exciting prospect.
How do you balance your career with your personal life?
My working day allows me to have plenty of free time to myself in the evenings and also at weekends. Working in a laboratory environment can be challenging and extremely fast-paced at times so I like to go to the gym and run to let off steam.
Would you recommend Molecular Biology to young people planning their career?
Yes, 100%. If you are a young person with a thirst for knowledge, particularly in science, and want to spend your days doing something you love that really makes a difference, then a career in Molecular Biology is perfect for you.
For information about careers at Randox please visit careers.randox.com.
Support World Kidney Day with Randox Renal Function Tests
World Kidney Day is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health. It aims to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
The main objectives of World Kidney Day are to educate all medical professionals about their key role in detecting and reducing the risk of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), particularly in high risk populations, and to stress the important role of local and national health authorities in controlling the CKD epidemic. On World Kidney Day all governments are encouraged to take action and invest in further kidney screening.
World Kidney Day highlights the need for more accurate kidney function testing for better diagnosis and monitoring of kidney function to assist in the development of appropriate treatment plans. As such, Randox have invested in the development of more sensitive and specific renal function tests such as cystatin C, which may be requested if kidney function is found to be borderline using the more routinely run creatinine test. Doctors may request cystatin C to check for early kidney disease and/or to monitor known impairment over time.
Cystatin C is a particularly useful marker of renal function in patients where creatinine measurements are not suitable e.g. individuals who are obese, malnourished, have liver cirrhosis or reduced muscle mass. Importantly, unlike creatinine, cystatin C does not have a ‘blind area’ – up to 50% of renal function can be lost before significant creatinine elevation occurs. Cystatin C is extremely sensitive to very small changes in GFR and is therefore capable of detecting early stage kidney dysfunction.
Both World Kidney Day and Randox are working towards improving healthcare worldwide. With a comprehensive panel of high performance reagents, Randox are helping with the detection and characterisation of renal function problems. With early diagnosis it will be possible to keep kidney problems from getting worse, therefore lowering the number of those diagnosed with CKD worldwide.
If you are a clinician or lab interested in running renal function assays, Randox offers a large range of high quality routine and niche assays including: Cystatin C, Creatinine Enzymatic and Jaffe, Microalbumin, Urinary Protein, Urea, Sodium, Potassium, Albumin, Ammonia, β2- Microglobulin, Calcium, Chloride, Glucose, HbA1c, IgG, LDH, Magnesium, Phosphorus (Inorganic), and Uric Acid. These can be run on most automated biochemistry analysers.
For more information, download our Reagents Brochure or email reagents@randox.com.
Global healthcare provider Randox Health to become Official Partner of the Grand National Festival
Global innovative healthcare company, Randox Health, will become the new Official Partner of the world’s greatest race, the Grand National, and the three-day Grand National Festival staged at Aintree Racecourse.
Randox Health is a world leader in healthcare diagnostics; today more than 5% of the world’s population – in excess of 370 million people across 145 countries – receives medical diagnosis using Randox products each year.
Offering the world’s most advanced preventive health screening in their clinics, currently in London and Belfast, Randox Health plans to roll out clinics nationally and internationally over the next 12 months, including in Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin. The Randox Health checks aim to prevent illness and enhance wellbeing by running hundreds of tests from one simple patient sample. These unique tests give an extraordinary insight into every aspect of a person’s health.
Founded in 1982 in County Antrim by leading medical scientist and keen horseman, Dr. Peter FitzGerald CBE, Randox Health is dedicated to improving health and enhancing lives, worldwide. To achieve their goals the company is committed to an extensive research programme, investing more than £220m since 1992. The company currently employs more than 1,400 people of 44 different nationalities.
This research has also led to the establishment of a number of successful subsidiary companies supporting forensic toxicology, food safety and veterinary care, as well as leading developments within the pharmaceutical industry.
With around 9 million people tuning in each year in the UK, the £1 million Grand National currently attracts one of the largest live TV audiences in sport and Channel 4’s largest audience of the year. From 2017, the first year with new partner Randox Health, the race will be broadcast on ITV. Worldwide the event attracts an estimated television audience of around 600 million, with more than 150,000 people enjoying the action live from Aintree Racecourse in Merseyside over the course of the three-day racing festival.
Randox Health also becomes the Official Healthcare Partner of The Jockey Club. Founded in 1750 and today British Racing’s largest commercial group, The Jockey Club runs many of the sport’s most iconic assets which as well as the Grand National Festival include the Cheltenham Festival, The Investec Derby Festival and The National Stud, with all profits going back into the sport thanks to being a company incorporated by Royal Charter.
Crabbie’s, Title Partner for the 2016 Grand National Festival being held 7th to 9th April and the previous two runnings, will retain its association with the Jump Racing spectacular, moving from 2017 to become sponsors of the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle on the Friday’s Ladies Day.
Dr. Peter FitzGerald CBE, Founder and Managing Director of Randox, said:
“The Randox Health team is extremely pleased to partner the world’s greatest race. The Grand National offers us a major public platform to raise awareness of preventative healthcare and to encourage people to take control of their health and wellbeing. We see this partnership as a natural fit, as both organisations invest heavily in the future and we aim to use our partnership to promote a positive lifestyle and to bring enjoyment to millions of people. We care about people’s health and this is the people’s race.
“Crabbie’s sponsorship of the Grand National will be a hard act to follow, but we look forward to rising to the challenge and sharing our vision for Randox Health further once the 2016 Crabbie’s Grand National has drawn to a close and our rights for the world’s greatest race come into effect.”
John Baker, North West Regional Director for Jockey Club Racecourses, who runs Aintree, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Randox Health as our new partner from after the 2016 Crabbie’s Grand National Festival. This is an incredibly exciting time to join forces with Randox because they are highly ambitious as a company and share our aspiration to promote the Grand National to the maximum number of people in the years ahead.
“We are already working closely with Randox Health and are excited both about their plans for the future and how they see the role of our partnership within that. Their vision, people and operation are very impressive, they love their racing and I am confident they will prove fantastic partners for our crown jewel.
“I should also like to thank Crabbie’s brand owner, Halewood International, and in particular Judy Halewood and Peter Eaton, for their very generous and beneficial support of the Crabbie’s Grand National these past three years. I am very pleased they will remain involved and associated with Aintree through sponsorship of the high value Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle and of course before that the important 169th running of the world’s greatest steeplechase in April under their banner.”
For more information contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email nicola.mchugh@randox.com, or amy.mcilwaine@randox.com
For further information on Randox Health, please visit www.randoxhealth.com
Immunoturbidimetry vs nephelometry for protein detection
Immunoturbidimetry methods have become the main technique for performing protein tests. The transition from nephelometry has been cautious but is increasing as laboratories enjoy the comparability and flexibility of immunoturbidimetry.
Immunoturbidimetry and nephelometry both measure the turbidity of a sample to determine the level of an analyte. Upon addition of the assay reagent, antibodies and antigen cluster to form an immune complex that precipitates, increasing the turbidity of the sample. When light is passed through the reaction solution, some light is scattered by the sample, some light is absorbed by the sample and the rest passes through the sample.
Immunoturbidimetry measures the absorbance of the light by the sample, nephelometry measures the light scattered at a fixed angle. The level of analyte is determined by comparison with a calibrator of known concentration.
Immunoturbidimetry is ideal for the detection of proteins, where the analyte concentration is inversely proportional to the transmitted light signal. Historically nephelometry has been more sensitive than conventional immunoturbidimetry. In latex-enhanced immunoturbidimetry, inert microscopic particles enlarge the immune complexes, amplifying the reaction and significantly increasing the sensitivity of the reaction.
Nephelometers are dedicated analysers only capable of performing this type of assay. In addition, they are:
- slow
- have high consumable costs
- require highly trained personnel
Immunoturbidimetric tests are carried out on routine biochemistry analysers that are:
- versatile
- fast
- cost-effective
- offer longer reagent stability
- sensitive
The main advantage of nephelometry was its sensitivity; however latex-enhanced immunoturbidimetry has closed this gap. Immunoturbidimetric tests are an increasingly accepted alternative to nephelometry for specific protein assays, and studies have shown a close correlation between Randox immunoturbidimetric tests and nephelometry.
If you are interested in running your protein assays on a routine biochemistry analyser, Randox offers a large range of high quality routine and niche protein assays that can be run on most automated analysers, including: Alpha-I acid glycoprotein; alpha-I antitrypsin; anti-streptolysin O; apolipoprotein A-I; apolipoprotein A-II; apolipoprotein B; apolipoprotein C-II; apolipoprotein C-III; apolipoprotein E; ceruloplasmin; complement C3; complement C4; CRP; cystatin C; ferritin; haptoglobin; HbA1c; IgA; IgE; IgG; IgM; lipoprotein (a); microalbumin; myoglobin; rheumatoid factor; transferrin and transthyretin (prealbumin). For more information, download our Reagents Brochure or email: reagents@randox.com.
Randox Manufacturing Teams celebrate success at Annual Manufacturing Awards Dinner
On Friday 26th February, over 100 staff from 18 manufacturing departments of Randox gathered together at The Templeton Hotel in Templepatrick, to connect with colleagues, celebrate the success of Randox Manufacturing, and enjoy a delicious meal, at the annual Randox Manufacturing Awards Dinner.
David Martin, Senior Manager Manufacturing began the evening with his opening address, and thanked all attendees for their hard work;
“Each year our manufacturing department grows in strength and this is thanks to the people working in it. I am proud to be standing here to recognise our collective capabilities as a team and to celebrate our hard work – with good food and great company.”
Manufacturing Lean Co-Ordinator, Mark Campbell, then shared an overview of the year’s manufacturing successes, and looked forward to the activities for the year ahead.
On the night, Department of the year 2015 was awarded to the Auto Dispense team, and Zuzana Crossan from the Packing Department won Employee of the Year 2015.
David closed the night by congratulating Zuzana, and the Auto Dispense team;
“I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate our award winners this evening – the Auto Dispense team and Zuzana Crossan – and to thank you all for the important part you play in making Randox a global leader in the diagnostics industry – manufacturing our products that we distribute all over the globe. Let’s look forward to an exciting and prosperous 2016 together, and I hope you enjoy the evening!”
Local Crumlin community enjoy annual Farmers’ Breakfast at Randox
This weekend marked one of the highlights of the Randox Events Calendar – the annual Farmer’s Breakfast, which took place on Saturday 20th February.
Local farmers, friends and neighbours arrived to share a delicious breakfast together in the Randox headquarters in Crumlin.
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Managing Director of Randox Laboratories, commented;
“Our Farmers’ Breakfast is enjoyed every year by members of the local farming community, and this year was no exception. Old friendships were rekindled, and new ones made, as we all enjoyed a hearty breakfast from our headquarters in the beautiful Crumlin countryside. I would like to thank everyone who attended on Saturday, and hope that you enjoyed the morning as much as we did. Same time, same place next year!”
Randox Teoranta sponsors the Wild Atlantic Adventure Race 2016
Randox are proud to announce that Randox Teoranta have once again agreed to be the major sponsor for WAAR 2016, which was launched, on Saturday 20th February.
The Wild Atlantic Adventure Race is a 7.5K Run, 42.5K Cycle, 2K Hike & 1K Kayak which starts and finishes in The Banks, Mullaghdearg, Donegal,Ireland on the 14th of May – as a fundraiser for the Naomh Muire GAA club.
Details of the 2016 Wild Atlantic Adventure Race were revealed in the new Health and Wellbeing room at the CLG Naomh Muire GAA Club, in Mullaghdearg, County Donegal, and the event was launched by Nikki Bradley, a public speaker who draws on her life experience to help people untap their potential.
Nikki was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer at sixteen and the receiver of a second hip replacement at the age of twenty six, she has been on a truly unique journey. So unique in fact, her consultant once told her that she is currently one of less than ten people worldwide to have lived through what she has.
Not only did Nikki come and launch the event but she will compete in the Hike part of WAAR with a team. Nikki’s most recent challenge was to climb Errigal on crutches and she has featured on UTV, TV3, and IrelandAM, and also in national newspapers.
Ciaran Richardson, Head of R&D at Randox Teoranta in Dungloe, commented;
“We are delighted to partner with WAAR in our ongoing work to promote positive physical and mental health in the great Donegal community. The launch for the race was a great success, and we all particularly enjoyed hearing from Nikki on the day – sharing her story of courage, hope and strength in the face of fear. We are all eagerly looking forward to the race in May and encourage you all to get involved. If Nikki can do it, so can we!”
Celebrating a new era of healthcare at The Randox Health Healthcare Awards
The hard work and expertise of Northern Ireland’s leading Healthcare professionals was formally acknowledged at the Clandeboye Lodge Hotel on the evening of Thursday 4th February, where the glamorous black tie Randox Health Healthcare Awards took place.
Following on from the huge success of the inaugural Healthcare Awards last year, the event returned to the atmospheric hotel, for another evening of celebration and entertainment.
With a high calibre of Northern Ireland’s top businesses and organisations, including Ulster University, The South Eastern Trust, The Belfast Trust, Lloyds Pharmacy, Healthcare Ireland, Boots, Hutchinson Care Homes, Vision Express, and Danske Bank, turning out in their finest to enjoy a drinks reception and dinner, the evening saw those within the industry rewarded for their skills in the wider healthcare sector.
Categories announced and presented by the BBC’s Noel Thompson over the course of the evening included: Optometry Practice of the Year, Dental Practice of the Year, Pharmacist of the Year, The Innovation Award, Training in Healthcare Award, Clinical Excellence Award, Care Home of the Year, Community Nurse of the Year and GP Practice of the Year.
Popular comedian Josh Daniels performed on the evening after a fast-paced Live Charity Auction managed by City Auction Group. All proceeds from the event were donated to Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Katie Coyle, Manager of Randox Health who sponsored the event, said: “We are proud to be sponsoring The Healthcare Awards, and to therefore be able to simultaneously recognise the hard work of healthcare professionals across Northern Ireland, and raise funds for the very worthy cause of Marie Curie Cancer Care. At Randox Health we believe our personalised health check is at the forefront of a new era of healthcare, and we subsequently recognise this dedication and commitment to improving healthcare in our peers who attended last night’s event. Congratulations to everyone who won an award – we are delighted that we were able to share in your success. ”
The awards ceremony paid tribute to healthcare professionals, in both the private sector and across the NHS, who showcase excellence in day-to-day patient care, patient service, innovation, surgery facilities and after-care, and who strive towards improving the quality of healthcare and the health of the region.
The Nurse of the Year Award, recognising the hard work of nurses across Northern Ireland who provide an invaluable 24 hours a day service to patients, was won by Michelle Doggett, acknowledging her high standard of patient care and management to her patients.
Donna Hosking, Event Organiser of The Healthcare Awards, was extremely pleased with how the evening went and emphasised that the competition for each category was fierce: “We are thrilled to have teamed up with Randox Health for this year’s awards to recognise and reward best practice in the healthcare sector, within medicine, pharmacy, nursing, community care, dentistry and research. The awards are now in their second year and have attracted a wide range of applicants from healthcare practices, businesses and consultancies from across Northern Ireland – all of whom are extremely successful healthcare professionals, worthy of winning an award for their hard work and dedication to improving health in Northern Ireland. On behalf of everyone who was involved in The Randox Health Healthcare Awards I would like to congratulate all of our award winners, and thank all of our attendees for supporting the event. To all of our awards applicants I would like to say thank you for your hard work in your respective fields, and I hope you enjoyed the evening!”
Randox Laboratories: Future in the Making
On Friday 15th January 2016, Randox staff from across the UK and Ireland gathered together for a special day to learn the story of our heritage, connect with colleagues across the company, and share our vision for the future.
Almost 1000 Randox employees were invited to the beautiful Spires Assembly Building Conference Centre in Belfast to celebrate our achievements, our diverse workforce, our new product developments, and how far we have come as an organisation – from a small team of scientists to a fast-paced and multifaceted organisation with over 1300 staff globally.
When Randox was founded, almost thirty-four years ago, our objective was to research, develop, manufacture and market highly innovative diagnostic products to improve diagnosis, save lives and increase healthcare efficiency. In doing so we would create employment and provide valuable career opportunities.
Since then we have gone from strength to strength – today we employ some 1300 staff globally and our products are used in over 145 countries, by Hospital Laboratories, A&E Departments, Doctor’s Laboratories, Pharmaceutical Companies, Forensic Laboratories, Food Testing facilities, Veterinary Clinics and for Workplace Drug Testing.
Our people are key to this success, and on Friday we were proud to recognise the collective capabilities of all our staff from across the globe.
We are Randox: from R&D and Manufacturing to Sales and Marketing, Finance and Human Resources to Dispatch, Logistics and Travel, QA and the Environmental Team to Engineering, IT and Customer Support to Facilities Management and Receptionists, everyone plays an important role and contributes to our global mission of saving and improving lives.
To everyone who attended our Future in the Making event; we hope you enjoyed the afternoon and that you were inspired by the Randox story, by our capabilities and by our exciting plans for the future.
We hope that you look back on the day with fond memories, and take time to reflect on the team effort that is Randox, and of which you are an important part.
Thank you for all your hard work over the years. Let’s look forward to an exciting and prosperous 2016 together.
What was your favourite moment of our Future in the Making event? Did you enjoy seeing colleagues from your team on the big screen? Were you inspired by how far we have come? Please let us know your thoughts by using the hashtag #WeAreRandox.
Randox hosts Health Minister Simon Hamilton at Minister on the Move Event
A focus on pioneering innovation that improves wellbeing and enables preventative healthcare is at the heart of Randox Laboratories ā thatās according to our Managing Director, Dr. Peter FitzGerald, who was speaking at the latest āMinister on the Moveā event held in Crumlin yesterday.
Dr. FitzGerald hosted Health Minister Simon Hamilton, the Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) Ann McGregor and over 60 businesses from across Northern Ireland at the Randox headquarters as part of the business led initiative by NI Chamber in partnership with American Airlines and British Airways.
The āMinister on the Moveā initiative provides businesses with an opportunity to speak directly with Ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive at a number of locations across the province ā whilst also providing them with an opportunity to hear the inspirational success story of a local company, hosted in the companyās facilities.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Managing Director of Randox Laboratories, explained the key to the companyās success:
āWe firmly believe that diagnostics are key to improving healthcare systems around the world. More sensitive, accurate and comprehensive diagnostics enable greater preventative care – improving patient outcomes and reducing the burden on healthcare services. We take our commitment to R&D very seriously and Randox is at the forefront of life-changing research and development in the diagnostics industry. We are proud to say that our innovative diagnostic tests are paving the way for the future of health care.ā
The event also provided an open forum for delegates to share their views with the Health Minister Simon Hamilton, who said:
āIn a week where Health has been in the headlines because of the pressures facing our Emergency Departments, it is clear that my priority as Minister must always be providing high quality health and care services for our people.
āBut in sketching out my vision for a world class Health and Social Care system for Northern Ireland, I have equally indicated that a characteristic of a pioneering Health Service is one that has a productive partnership with industry.
āHealth is a sizeable segment of Northern Irelandās economy. We have around 130 companies with a turnover of close to Ā£1 billion a year, employing approximately 7,500 in the sector. Randox is a genuine world leader and we are proud of what the company has achieved.
āThe Department of Health already makes a major contribution to the Northern Ireland economy and not just in the sense of being an employer of almost 70,000 people, a spender of nearly Ā£5 billion annually, an investor of in excess of Ā£200 million each year in infrastructure projects and the importance of a healthy population to economic prosperity. There are also many outstanding existing examples of our health sector, academia and industry working in a productive partnership to develop and enable new products and speedily translate them into patient care.
āI know that Health is not an economic department in the way that DETI or DEL are but I want the work of my Department to play its fullest role in growing the local economy. We have an impressive record already of working closely with our universities and the business community with some significant success. But I want us to go further.
āIt is my intention to convene a roundtable discussion involving key stakeholders from industry, academia and the public sector to conduct an examination of how Health can do more to encourage economic growth.ā
Commenting on the Minister on the Move initiative, Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of NI Chamber, concluded:
āChambers of Commerce are committed to helping businesses grow and we see āMinister on the Moveā as being an important and mutually beneficial initiative for both business and government. It will create a forum for the open exchange of views leading to a better understanding of the importance of public policy and the economic environment in which we operate. We all have the shared aim of growing the Northern Ireland economy and an initiative such as this one allows us to keep in regular contact along the way.ā