We Are Randox | Tech Trailblazer Margaret Le Roux
Tech Trailblazers: Margaret Le Roux
Sync NI, in celebration of Women in Tech, recently spoke with our IT Operations Team Leader Margaret.
Read on as Margaret share’s her typical day, the favourite thing about her job, and how her specialist role at Randox combines a degree in Biomedical Science with a passion for software development.
Name: Margaret Le Roux
Role: IT Operations Team Leader, Randox Laboratories
Biography:
I graduated from the University of Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe), as a Biomedical Scientist in 1980. My career in South Africa was then predominantly in the clinical laboratory medicine field, and I qualified as a Technical Assessor for clinical laboratories through the South African National Accreditation System. I moved to Belfast in 2014 and started work with Randox.
What does your typical day look like?
I work in an IT Operations role bridging our science and quality control software, which assesses the accuracy and reliability of blood tests, and the machines they are run on, in the likes of hospitals, laboratories, and veterinary clinics. On a typical day, I deal with customer queries about this software, troubleshoot the issues, and drive new developments to improve our systems and applications. I also spend time training Randox staff, mentoring some of my junior colleagues, and speaking at Biomedical Science Conferences to educate others in the industry about the importance of quality control software.
What are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on the specification for our external quality assessment software, which involves a mock blood sample being run in a laboratory’s analyser, and the result being sent back to Randox so that we can independently check that it is performing correctly.
I have also been working on the software project that saw Randox win ‘Project Team of the Year’ at the 2019 Belfast Telegraph IT Awards. This cloud-based quality control technology was specifically designed for ‘Point of Care’ machines which provide finger prick blood tests for conditions like heart disease and diabetes, in pharmacies, GP surgeries and A&E departments.
Did you always want to work in the tech industry?
I have been very lucky that my specialist role at Randox combines my degree in Biomedical Science, and my experience in QC, with my passion for software development. In South Africa, I worked as a Quality Officer for a large private laboratory, with 3 main laboratories and over 100 peripheral sites across 10 African countries. The management of quality control data was a huge job and as such I became interested in a software program that could assist the lab with this task.
What inspired you to join Randox in particular?
Whilst working in South Africa, I was one of Randox’s customers, and made extensive use of their quality control products. Randox has always had a very good reputation in South Africa so when I moved to Belfast it was a natural choice for me.
What’s your favourite part about your work?
It’s a great feeling when we introduce a new release to our software and you know that the customers are going to benefit from it.
What would you say to other people considering a job in the tech industry?
A job in the tech industry is simultaneously exciting and challenging, as each day brings something new. You will continually be making improvements and striving to make something better, which is a good work ethic. It’s really satisfying when you are part of a team which develops a software program that is so well accepted in the market and useful to the customer.
How do you see this technology impacting on our lives?
The technology industry is so fluid and moving at such a fast pace, and there are developments across all industries which are making our lives easier. At Randox in particular, our software is helping a range of healthcare professionals – whether laboratory technicians, clinicians or veterinarians – to achieve our shared goal of saving and improving the lives of patients. It’s rewarding to know we are making a difference.
Who inspired you to work in this field?
In the field of Quality Control, I was inspired by Dr Pandelani Rambau, a Clinical Pathologist from Johannesburg. In IT, it was a colleague Sean Dicks who showed me that there is always a way to get a program to do what you need it to do.
What do you consider to be the most important tech innovation or development in recent years?
The development of communication devices has been incredibly important. They open up the whole world to us and we can access things, both socially and for education, that previously were only available to a few. They have brought so much information to our fingertips.
What tech gadget could you not live without?
I couldn’t live without my phone, because it is so much more than just a phone. It holds all the important things that make up my life, like messages, memories, and my calendar.
To find out more about Randox IT and the vacancies we have in the team, please email recruitment@randox.com
For more We Are Randox stories about our amazing colleagues, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and follow the hashtag #WeAreRandox.
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World-first milk test for cattle herd health developed by Randox scientists
04 March 2020
World-first milk test for cattle herd health developed by Randox scientists
Randox scientists have today revealed a revolutionary new method for Bovine disease testing which will radicalise cattle screening against some of the world’s most prevalent bovine viruses, bacteria and parasites.
Named the Bovine Pathogen Array, the test is designed to facilitate prompt diagnosis and the identification of co-infection, which aids in the reduction of the spread of disease, limits the need for medical intervention and milk withdrawal periods, and also ensures maximum efficiency at the producer level.
The veterinary multiplex IVD immunoassay from global diagnostics company Randox, headquartered in Northern Ireland, is the first of its kind on the market – detecting antibodies against six pathogens simultaneously from a single milk sample, rather than the standard more time-consuming method of singleplex ELISA testing currently required for each individual disease.
David Ferguson, Managing Director, Randox Food Diagnostics, commented;
“Our Bovine Pathogen Array is the first of its kind in the world and has the potential to revolutionise how cattle are diagnosed and how quickly pathogens are spread amongst a herd. Simultaneous detection of the rifest, and most problematic, bovine viruses, bacteria and parasites has not been attempted before, and currently, six to seven separate ELISA tests must be conducted in order to obtain the same results as those delivered by the Bovine Pathogen Array.
“Bringing this product to market has been a priority at Randox Food Diagnostics and we are sure that arming industry professionals with quicker and more accurate diagnostic tools will lead to increased yields, increased profit margins for producers and, ultimately, better bovine health.”
The new Bovine Pathogen test, which is conducted on a unique piece of testing technology called the Biochip, generates results in approximately 2.5 hours, allowing faster diagnosis and identification of infected cattle. Milk samples are collected from the herd, added to a Biochip, and then placed in the corresponding analyser (called the Evidence Investigator) which runs tests for multiple diseases – Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD), Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR), Paratuberculosis (Johne’s Disease), Leptospirosis, Neospora Caninum and Fasciola Hepatica (Liver Fluke) – all at once.
Highly contagious and, in many cases, untreatable, there has been much concern regarding outbreaks of these dangerous pathogens in the past number of years. With a global economic impact, high mortality rates, increased premature culling, decreased reproductive performance and reduced milk yield as direct losses, vital research has been long awaited in order to tackle these dangerous conditions faster and more effectively.
David continued;
“The Randox Bovine Pathogen Array contains a range of well-established antigens complemented by additional select novel analytes for BVD and Neospora Caninum. It can also differentiate between IBR vaccinated and naturally infected animals (DIVA capacity) when used in conjunction with selected vaccines. This comprehensive test menu will significantly contribute to advances in disease research and add to scientific knowledge already available with regards to coinfection, surveillance, vaccine performance and risk factors associated with disease outbreaks.
“We are proud to be able to provide reassurance for dairy producers, enabling them to get to the root of the issue before contamination occurs across the herd.”
The new Bovine Pathogen Array was recognised as most innovative assay at the recent IDF World Dairy Summit, receiving 1st prize in the poster competition. It is now available from Randox Food Diagnostics.
Please email enquiries@randoxfooddiagnostics.com for further information.
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The use of antibiotics in the dairy industry
27 February 2020
The use of antibiotics in the dairy industry
The use of antibiotics in the dairy industry
In this month’s Randox Food Diagnostics blog, we look at the dairy industry and their use of antibiotics.
Antibiotics are used in the dairy industry routinely for pure preventative purposes. Due to poor conditions and hygiene, it is common that cattle will become infected which results in loss of milk yield and beef. Antibiotics are used to alleviate and prevent further suffering from potential zoonotic diseases.
Antibiotics are administered to cattle through a blanket use practice, within a herd to ensure all are treated. Once administered to the animal they must be given a ‘dry’ period when the dairy cattle are allowed to rest between lactations. This lasts roughly around 60 days in which a herd cannot be milked to ensure the antibiotics are out of the cattle’s milk. This however is at a cost to the farmer and cattle cannot be rushed back into milking too soon after administration.
To support the global dairy industry, and to help dairy processors monitor their use of antibiotics, Randox Food have developed the most comprehensive testing methods for milk.
The InfiniPlex for Milk Array is the world’s first screening technology that allows users to test for 130+ contaminants in milk in under 22 minutes. In addition to testing for antibiotics, InfiniPlex can detect anti-parasitic, non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory and anti-parasitic drug residues from a single sample using patented Biochip Array Technology.
Available on both the Evidence Investigator, a semi-automated system, capable of analysing up to 48 samples in under 2 hours and the Evidence MultiSTAT, a fully automated system that delivers results from a single neat sample of milk in under 22 minutes.
If you are a centralised laboratory, internal surveillance programme, low throughput laboratory or a dairy processor we have the perfect solution for your testing needs.
For more information on the antibiotic screening arrays available, contact info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com to find out how Randox Food can simplify your screening practices today.
Want to know more?
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We Are Randox | Sean Mills named Randox Employee of the Year at 2020 Manufacturing Awards Dinner
Randox Freeze Drying Production Supervisor Sean Mills has been named Randox Employee of the Year.
Sean’s award was announced on Friday 7th February 2020, when all Randox manufacturing departments gathered together at The Hilton Hotel in Templepatrick, to connect with colleagues and celebrate the success of their teams at the annual Randox Manufacturing Awards Dinner.
Pauline Bradley, Operations Manager began the evening with an 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.”
An overview of the year’s manufacturing successes were shared, and everyone looked forward to the activities for the year ahead.
A selection of awards that were announced on the night are included below;
- Newcomer of the Year was awarded to Katarzyna Bronisz by Manager Debbie Moses
- Adherence to company procedure was awarded to Kyle Westwater by Manager Eamon Morris
- Excellence under pressure was awarded to AJ Gorman by Manager Pauline Bradley
Following the presentation of these awards, all attention turned to Operations Manager Pauline Bradley to announce the prestigious Employee of the Year Award.
We are delighted to be able to share that this award went to Sean Mills of our Freeze Drying Production Department.
Sean commented;
“I’m really proud to be able to say that I am Randox Employee of the Year. I work in such a talented and hard-working team at Randox, so I know there must have been fierce competition. It was a real pleasure to be able to receive this award surrounded by my colleagues and friends as we enjoyed a lovely evening together and I would like to thank everybody who has congratulated me over the past number of days. All the work we do at Randox is truly a team effort and so my award is as much for my team members within the Freeze Drying Department as it is for me. I wouldn’t be able to do my job without them.”
Sean’s Manager Eamon Morris closed the night by congratulating Sean, and saying;
“I am delighted that Sean’s efforts and excellence were recognised on the night of the Manufacturing Awards. I know of nobody who has a dissenting word about him and I think that speaks volumes about the way he conducts himself at work – very professional and always with a smile. He absolutely epitomises someone who ‘goes the extra mile’ and over the years has proved to be a real asset to the Production team. He has a fantastic work ethic and strives daily to learn and improve.”
For more information about the Manufacturing Awards please contact Randox PR by email: randoxpr@randox.com or phone 028 9442 2413
Why is testing for Tartaric Acid important in winemaking?
31 January 2020
Tartaric Acid testing in winemaking
Why is testing for Tartaric Acid important in winemaking?
Tartaric Acid is a unique acid that is not commonly found in fruit, however it is a primary acid component in grapes. It is one key acid that is monitored during the fermentation process as it plays a vital role in the stability of the wine and its pH levels.
Tartaric acid combines with Potassium to create Potassium Titrate which then precipitate and causes the acidity to drop and the pH levels to rise. It is found in significant concentrations in grapes, but this can vary based on factors including the variety of grape and the vineyard soil content.
Tartaric acid plays a key role in the stability of wines and influences the taste, colour and odour of the final product. A high tartaric content in a final bottled wine is indicative of the wine being unstable, due to this, it is important for winemakers to monitor the levels of this acid present in wine.
Generally, it has been recognised that between 0.5-10 g/l is the average acceptable level and the Randox Food Diagnostics kit for measuring tartaric acid allows winemakers to measure between to this range.
Randox Food Diagnostics offer multiple tests for wine analysis including Tartaric Acid on both the RX misano and the RX monaco.
| Method | No. of Tests | Catalogue No. | Sensitivity | Linearity |
| Manual | 50 | TK4060 | N/A | N/A |
| RX misano | 100 | TK4060 | 0.51 g/l | 10.00 g/l |
| RX Monaco | N/A | TK4060 | On request | On request |
For more information on wine and other food testing please contact us at: info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com
Want to know more?
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We Are Randox | Staff Newsletter July-December 2019 Edition
Staff Newsletter January - March 2019 Edition
We are delighted to be able to share with you the Q3/4 2019 edition of our We Are Randox staff newsletter!
Click here for a range of company and staff news from July to December 2019 – including events, business updates, a range of staff news including weddings and engagements, and of course our annual Christmas Jumper Day and Christmas Raffle – at which we raised a fantastic £3396.
** Please note that this newsletter works most efficiently in your Google Chrome browser**
Randox in Top 10 2019 European Food and Beverage Technology Providers
20 December 2019
Randox in Top 10 Food and Beverage Technology Providers in Europe 2019
Randox in Top 10 Food and Beverage Technology Providers in Europe 2019
Randox Food Diagnostics have been selected as one of the Top 10 Food and Beverage Technology solution providers in Europe for 2019.
The news was announced in an article in the Food and Beverage Technology Review magazine, which highlighted companies at the forefront of technological developments in the food and beverage industry.
The magazine’s editorial board assessed and shortlisted some of the most prominent organisations in the industry that solve challenges by implementing the current technological trends in the space, and nominated Randox in the top 10 in an article entitled; “Randox: Bringing Diagnostics to the Food Industry.”
The article highlights the history of Randox, which was established by our Managing Director Dr Peter FitzGerald in 1982. We traditionally focused on placing our diagnostics technologies in the likes of hospitals, laboratories and veterinary clinics, however in recent years have utilised our expertise in diagnostic technology to diversify into another key area of healthcare – food safety.
Our Randox Food Diagnostics division offers the latest and most comprehensive diagnostic technologies to food producers across a range of industries including meat, seafood, dairy, honey and cereals, to ensure food safety and satisfy customer demand.
Our patented Randox Biochip Array Technology can provide screening of up to 54 food samples providing results for drug residues and toxins within 3 hours, saving both time and money for clients. The Randox Biochip facilitates simultaneous detection of multiple drug residues or pathogens including antibiotic, anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory, growth promoter, and mycotoxin diagnostics.
“With faster, simpler and more efficient testing, Randox Biochip increases efficiency within producer processes and, within the market place, increases consumer confidence, a reason why leading food producers, as well as hospitals, laboratories, toxicology centres, and health clinics, utilise Randox products,” says Dr Peter FitzGerald.
Most recently we unveiled the Randox Infiniplex; a biochip for milk testing which allows milk testing laboratories to carry out multiple tests simultaneously on a single milk sample.
“Our Infiniplex array greatly differs from other milk residue tests as it uses multiplexing technology that reduces our customers’ testing time to four hours and requires a small sample volume (25μl),” says Kerrie McAuley, VP of Marketing, Randox Food Diagnostics.
Randox Food is also working on pesticides arrays for milk and honey, and additionally a Bovine Pathogen Array to branch out into animal health and wellbeing screening in milk for viruses such as bovine diarrhoea.
To find out more about what we offer at Randox Food Diagnostics click here or email enquiries@randoxfooddiagnostics.com.
Want to know more?
Contact us or visit our Randox Food Diagnostics website.
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California announces ban of Chlorpyrifos Pesticide from February 2020
26 November 2019
Chlorpyrifos Pesticide ban in California
California announces ban of Chlorpyrifos Pesticide from February 2020
A recent Forbes article has stated that; “California plans to ban all sales of chlorpyrifos after Feb. 6, 2020, according to an agreement between the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and manufacturers. Growers must use their chlorpyrifos supplies by the end of Dec. 31, 2020, and will not be allowed to own the pesticide after this date.
The DPR cited concerns about chlorpyrifos affecting the health of children, such as causing “impaired brain and neurological development.”
Chlorpyrifos is an agricultural pesticide with a variety of uses, including the ability to kill insects that harm crops. Introduced by the Dow Chemical Company in 1965, chlorpyrifos can eliminate insects by interfering with an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase in their bodies, which breaks up the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
When an insect’s body cannot produce the enzyme, the levels of acetylcholine build up and overstimulate the nervous system until the insect dies. People also have acetylcholinesterase and acetylcholine in their bodies, so there have been ongoing concerns about the pesticide’s impact on human health.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) explained, “In people, short-term oral exposure (one day) to low (milligrams) levels of chlorpyrifos can cause dizziness, fatigue, runny nose or eyes, salivation, nausea, intestinal discomfort, sweating and changes in heart rate. Short-term oral exposure to much higher (grams) levels of chlorpyrifos may cause paralysis, seizures, loss of consciousness and death.”
In order to help the industry Randox Food Diagnostics have developed Biochip Array Technology. Biochip allows for the detection of multiple pesticides including Chlorpyrifos, from a single honey or milk sample. The platform enables the user to run up to 54 samples on the Evidence Investigator analyser with a short sample preparation, allowing the user to consolidate costs and time.
For further information please contact the Randox Food Diagnostics team by emailing info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com.
Want to know more?
Contact us or visit our Randox Food Diagnostics website.
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Randox IT wins IT Project Team of the Year at Belfast Telegraph IT Awards
Congratulations to the Randox IT department who have been named as the ‘IT Project Team of the Year’ at the Belfast Telegraph IT Awards 2019!
The awards ceremony, which was an inaugural event from the Belfast-based media outlet, was a showcase of the finest that the Northern Ireland IT industry has to offer, with both IT agencies and in-house IT teams vying for the chance to be crowned among the best their respective fields.
Sarah Little, Publishing Director at INM(NI), said on the night that holding the event was a ‘no brainer’ due to the prolific growth of the IT sector in Northern Ireland. In 2018 1 in 9 jobs advertised were in IT.
Prior to the awards event, Randox IT had been shortlisted for both IT Project Team of the Year for their work on RIQAS Point of Care and IT Team of the Year for their work on the Randox Health client portal.
The in-house IT team at Randox comprises of web developers, engineers, customer support staff, web designers, security professionals, software development and software testers spanning ten nationalities, from Indian to Hungarian and Italian to South African.
In the last year Randox IT have worked on a variety of exciting and important projects, including the development of an innovative health portal that assesses the accuracy and reliability of point-of-care machines. These blood testing analysers are increasingly being placed in the likes of pharmacies, GP surgeries, and A&E departments to provide NHS Health Checks and manage long-term conditions.
It was for this work on RIQAS Point of Care that on Friday 8th November, at a glittering awards event in the MAC Belfast, Randox IT were officially named IT Project Team of the Year.
The cloud-based technology developed by Randox IT provides confidence in vital test results for conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Uptake of the scheme has increased considerably since it was launched this year, proving that the system is meeting a need for a quality assurance system for non-laboratory health service staff which was not being met before.
We are delighted that Randox IT have been recognised for this pioneering work in point-of-care software and hope you join us in congratulating them on such a tremendous achievement.
To find out more about Randox IT and the vacancies we have in the team, please email recruitment@randox.com
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We Are Randox | Randox IT is shortlisted in the Belfast Telegraph IT Awards 2019
Congratulations to the Randox IT department who have been shortlisted in two categories at the Belfast Telegraph IT Awards 2019.
This, the inaugural event from the Belfast-based media outlet, is set to be a showcase of the finest that the Northern Ireland IT industry has to offer with both IT agencies and in-house IT teams vying for the chance to be crowned among the best their respective fields.
Randox IT have been shortlisted for IT Project Team of the Year for their work on RIQAS Point of Care and IT Team of the Year for their work on the Randox Health client and staff portal.
See an overview of their applications below;
IT Project Team of the Year
Randox IT have developed an innovative health portal that assesses the accuracy and reliability of blood testing analysers. These blood testing analysers are increasingly being placed in the likes of pharmacies, GP surgeries, and A&E departments to provide NHS Health Checks and manage long term conditions.
Randox IT cloud-based technology provides confidence in vital test results for conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Uptake of the scheme has increased considerably since it was launched this year, proving that the system is meeting a need for a quality assurance system for non-laboratory health service staff which was not being met before.
IT Team of the Year
The in-house IT team at world-leading health diagnostics firm Randox comprises of web developers, engineers, customer support staff, web designers, security professionals, software development and software testers spanning ten nationalities, from Indian to Hungarian and Italian to South African.
In the last year, the Randox IT team have created a fully-automated, fully-functional platform for both healthcare professionals and clients of Randox Health, which generates results for state-of-the-art health checks.
The finals for the Belfast Telegraph IT Awards 2019 will take place on Friday 8th November 2019 in The Mac, Belfast and all finalists can be viewed here.
Good luck to the Randox IT department!
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