What is the most difficult part of the job?
As veterinary pathologists, we are trained to examine tissue in a microscope and provide a definitive diagnosis. Sometimes we are not able to give a definitive diagnosis. Although this aspect may be a little frustrating at times, it is what makes it, in my opinion, an intriguing and life-long learning career.
What is your favorite part about your job?
The most exciting aspect of my job is working with infectious diseases and animal models. At Texas Biomed, we work in BSL2, BSL3, and BSL4. These represent different levels of containment of infectious diseases. There are few places in the world with BSL4 containment laboratories. TxBiomed is one of the few places in the world you can work with infectious agents such as Ebola and Tuberculosis. The best part is there is always something new to learn.
Stephanie, 24, asks:
How did you know this is what you wanted to do? I’m majoring in medical/molecular biology and I haven’t decided what I want to do career wise. There are so many things involved in the world of biology, it makes it hard to pick something.
Hi Stephanie, That is certainly a great question. Number #1 find a mentor by reaching out to your professors. I would highly recommend exploring research opportunities in your local university during the semesters and explore internship opportunities at the center for disease control (CDC) during the summer break. This is time to build your resume and learn new skills that can only be gathered with hands-on experience in the laboratory setting.
From Ilia on Facebook:
I saw in the news that vets are vaccinating primates for Covid-19. What can you tell us about how Covid-19 affects primates? Do you have any experience or have any colleagues in your industry researching if Covid is just as lethal in primates as it is in humans?
Hi Ilia, at Texas Biomed, we have worked with primates as animal models for Covid-19. I can tell you from experience that monkeys get infected with COVID19, but do not tend to develop the lethal outcomes seen in humans. Monkeys were used to test the safety and efficacy of our current Covid-19 vaccines.
From Ilia on Facebook:
Will scientific research ever reach a point when we no longer have to experiment on live animals? (I’m a rabbit rescuer)
Research in animals is a highly regulated industry. All research follows the three Rs, which represent: Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement. The current pandemic has shown how animal models save lives.
Submitted anonymously:
What does a day in your current role look like? Do you get to do the hands-on lab work?
A typical work week consists of performing necropsies at different level containment laboratories, collecting tissues, spending many hours at the microscope, and writing pathology reports. Pathologists are also involved in scientific manuscript write-ups.
What is a piece of advice you would give to a young girl who wants to pursue a career in STEM?
Number #1 and most important step is to find a mentor by reaching out to your teachers or professors. I would highly recommend exploring research opportunities in your local university during the semesters and explore internship opportunities throughout the US or abroad. Your time as an undergraduate student is the perfect time to build your resume and learn new skills that can only be gathered with hands-on experience in the laboratory setting.
You now work at a research institute; did you have prior research experience? Do you have any advice on how to find a research opportunity when in college?
Number #1 and most important step is to find a mentor by reaching out to your teachers or professors. I would highly recommend exploring research opportunities in your local university during the semesters and explore internship opportunities throughout the US or abroad. Your time as an undergraduate student is the perfect time to build your resume and learn new skills that can only be gathered with hands-on experience in the laboratory setting.
Is research at your institute collaborative? Do you have opportunities to publish in journals?
Yes, absolutely. Veterinary pathologists are also involved in scientific manuscript write-ups of research projects. We are also able to pursue our own research interests and publish on those topics.
We have had a rough year dealing with the pandemic and the road to vaccines. What is the most impressive scientific advantage that has come out of it?
The most impressive scientific advances, in my opinion, have been how quickly researchers throughout the world have been able to develop, test and deploy a vaccine for a novel virus in record-breaking time. I think this sets a very positive precedent for the treatment and vaccine development of other infectious diseases.
As veterinary pathologists, we are trained to examine tissue in a microscope and provide a definitive diagnosis. Sometimes we are not able to give a definitive diagnosis. Although this aspect may be a little frustrating at times, it is what makes it, in my opinion, an intriguing and life-long learning career.
What is your favorite part about your job?
The most exciting aspect of my job is working with infectious diseases and animal models. At Texas Biomed, we work in BSL2, BSL3, and BSL4. These represent different levels of containment of infectious diseases. There are few places in the world with BSL4 containment laboratories. TxBiomed is one of the few places in the world you can work with infectious agents such as Ebola and Tuberculosis. The best part is there is always something new to learn.
Stephanie, 24, asks:
How did you know this is what you wanted to do? I’m majoring in medical/molecular biology and I haven’t decided what I want to do career wise. There are so many things involved in the world of biology, it makes it hard to pick something.
Hi Stephanie, That is certainly a great question. Number #1 find a mentor by reaching out to your professors. I would highly recommend exploring research opportunities in your local university during the semesters and explore internship opportunities at the center for disease control (CDC) during the summer break. This is time to build your resume and learn new skills that can only be gathered with hands-on experience in the laboratory setting.
From Ilia on Facebook:
I saw in the news that vets are vaccinating primates for Covid-19. What can you tell us about how Covid-19 affects primates? Do you have any experience or have any colleagues in your industry researching if Covid is just as lethal in primates as it is in humans?
Hi Ilia, at Texas Biomed, we have worked with primates as animal models for Covid-19. I can tell you from experience that monkeys get infected with COVID19, but do not tend to develop the lethal outcomes seen in humans. Monkeys were used to test the safety and efficacy of our current Covid-19 vaccines.
From Ilia on Facebook:
Will scientific research ever reach a point when we no longer have to experiment on live animals? (I’m a rabbit rescuer)
Research in animals is a highly regulated industry. All research follows the three Rs, which represent: Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement. The current pandemic has shown how animal models save lives.
Submitted anonymously:
What does a day in your current role look like? Do you get to do the hands-on lab work?
A typical work week consists of performing necropsies at different level containment laboratories, collecting tissues, spending many hours at the microscope, and writing pathology reports. Pathologists are also involved in scientific manuscript write-ups.
What is a piece of advice you would give to a young girl who wants to pursue a career in STEM?
Number #1 and most important step is to find a mentor by reaching out to your teachers or professors. I would highly recommend exploring research opportunities in your local university during the semesters and explore internship opportunities throughout the US or abroad. Your time as an undergraduate student is the perfect time to build your resume and learn new skills that can only be gathered with hands-on experience in the laboratory setting.
You now work at a research institute; did you have prior research experience? Do you have any advice on how to find a research opportunity when in college?
Number #1 and most important step is to find a mentor by reaching out to your teachers or professors. I would highly recommend exploring research opportunities in your local university during the semesters and explore internship opportunities throughout the US or abroad. Your time as an undergraduate student is the perfect time to build your resume and learn new skills that can only be gathered with hands-on experience in the laboratory setting.
Is research at your institute collaborative? Do you have opportunities to publish in journals?
Yes, absolutely. Veterinary pathologists are also involved in scientific manuscript write-ups of research projects. We are also able to pursue our own research interests and publish on those topics.
We have had a rough year dealing with the pandemic and the road to vaccines. What is the most impressive scientific advantage that has come out of it?
The most impressive scientific advances, in my opinion, have been how quickly researchers throughout the world have been able to develop, test and deploy a vaccine for a novel virus in record-breaking time. I think this sets a very positive precedent for the treatment and vaccine development of other infectious diseases.
RSS Feed
