Anya Kosogorin joined Cellomatics Biosciences one year ago as a Laboratory Assistant and on Friday she completes her first career milestone, a year as an intern. In September she returns to education heading to the University of Edinburgh to study Chemistry.
From learning the ropes in both the lab and the office to championing sustainability at Cellomatics, it is safe to say that for her first ever job, Anya has had a very memorable experience.
After successfully completing her A levels, Anya was keen to take a gap year before attending university, using it to pick up valuable skills and allowing her to continue to explore her passion for science. After learning about Cellomatics and the potential impact its work has on society, Anya was keen to join the team.
During her year at Cellomatics Anya has been involved in maintaining standards in the lab, updating inventory and working closely with Procurement Manager Carina Furtado to ensure the scientists are never short of supplies and equipment.
She has been able to experience both office and lab settings and has gained valuable skills in professionalism, teamwork and being someone others can rely on. Having such a varied role has allowed Anya to make the most out of her short experience at Cellomatics and has given her a broader perspective of the roles she may wish to consider after leaving university.
Anya joined Cellomatics shortly after the company moved into its purpose-built lab facilities in Colwick and was asked to explore how the company could improve sustainability and ensure social responsibility on their new premises. She was tasked with attending the Sustainability Community Lab run by Nottingham Trent University and creating a sustainability proposal for the company. The sustainability proposal, presented to the entire Cellomatics team, was informed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and included short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals that the company should employ in order to be more sustainable. These included implementing an energy-saving switch-off policy, local community outreach, and becoming My Green Lab certified.
This sustainability work has been a highlight of Anya’s experience at Cellomatics as it is a passion of hers and something she thinks every company should be heavily focused on. She encouraged Cellomatics to get its carbon footprint calculated and wrote up an environmental policy for the company, which highlights how committed the business is to continue this focus on sustainability even after she leaves.
When asked the advice she would give to someone following in her footsteps, Anya said: “I think the best advice would be to take it day by day, the role is so varied that no two days are the same, but everyone is there to help and provide support wherever needed.
Also, I would encourage anyone in the same situation as me to just go for it and seize any opportunities they can. Cellomatics is an incredibly supportive company and I have had the best experience working here for the last year, the role has prepared me for the future and has given me a wealth of valuable experience.”
If you are interested in joining the team at Cellomatics Biosciences, visit our Careers page to find out more.
