Thomas has been interested in life sciences since taking the GCSE History module ‘Medicine in Britain, c.1250 to present day’ where he learnt about the evolution of medical treatments and the individuals who helped to pioneer scientific breakthroughs. He was fascinated by how much our understanding of diseases can change over time, leading to better methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment. This passion for science has stayed with Thomas his whole life and is reflected in his work at Cellomatics.
In our latest meet the team blog we discuss Thomas’ scientific journey and the work he undertakes at Cellomatics since joining in January 2024 as an Associate Scientist.
Gaining experience at University
Thomas joined Cellomatics after he graduated from Warwick University with an MBio in Biological Sciences. He chose this degree for its broad range of module coverage, which provided him with a strong scientific background.
During his second year he chose to focus on immunology, taking modules such as Immunology, Oncology, and Neglected Tropical Diseases, which supported his third year research project aimed at identifying high-risk demographic groups for Syphilis transmission in the UK.
During his fourth year, Thomas was able to carry out an extended research project in which he was involved in the design, analysis, and execution of all the experimental work. His project focused on developing and optimising a cell-based resazurin assay to identify new anti-parasitic drugs against Human African Trypanosomiasis. Not only was it a fantastic opportunity to develop his skills in the lab, but he was also able to have a real life impact on people’s health.
Work at Cellomatics
Since joining Cellomatics, Thomas has learnt and refined many new laboratory and analytical skills which have made him a more confident and accountable scientist. He is particularly involved in molecular biology and has been working on a project focused on identifying and quantifying the intracellular expression of a target protein in different tissue types.
This project has required Thomas to use skills that he developed throughout his degree and career, primarily a technique called Western Blotting. A relatively easy concept to grasp and recreate where proteins are separated and identified by their molecular weights. It requires patience and attention to detail to optimise and troubleshoot for consistent results, which can be very rewarding when done right. There is also the ability to develop his skills further with more advanced techniques such as Co-IP.
While working at Cellomatics, Thomas has worked very closely with one client in particular; a biotechnology company focused on developing drugs to treat Huntington’s Disease. The company has recently announced that it is progressing with a novel small molecule drug candidate, with plans to initiate clinical testing. Thomas feels that being able to help play his part in developing a treatment for this severely debilitating and fatal neurodegenerative disorder with no approved treatments is an honour.
Looking to the future
Thomas would love to continue to develop his technical skills to improve as a scientist as well as his professional skills to improve his communication and adaptability. He is hoping that in the future he will progress to a Scientist role at Cellomatics.
Having recently been vaccinated against HepB, Thomas is now able to work with blood within the lab. This will open up many new techniques for him to learn such as PBMC isolation, which he is eager to get started with.
