Where did you go and what did you do?
Over the past three months, I have undertaken a PIPS placement at the York Technology Facility working alongside Senior Research Technicians and Technician Specialists within the Imaging and Cytometry Department. A key aspect of this internship has been providing support for the day-to-day activities of different staff members across state-of-the-art instrumentation. These activities have primarily involved: weekly QC and maintenance of CytoFLEX cytometry machines, setting up and attending TF training courses (HEaTED, confocal and RMS light microscopy), shadowing and providing help for user training on flow cytometers (channel mode and spectral).
A highlight of this PIPS has been an introduction to the use of STEM imaging, a field I had no prior experience with. After receiving samples from external users, I was involved in pre-staining (En Bloc Staining), dehydration of fixed samples (graded series of ethanol) and resin embedding. Followed by ultrathin sectioning of the resin blocks onto grids and subsequent post-staining to enhance the contrast of organelles – ready for STEM imaging.
Alongside sample preparation, an overview of how the recently installed Zeiss GeminiSEM 460 operates was demonstrated, as well as imaging of user samples (mosquito muscle tissue, diatoms and brown algae).
Two overarching projects of this PIPS have included:
- Testing of spectral flow cytometry – an alternative to conventional, channel-mode flow cytometry.
- The use of pre-defined panel (LegendPlex), multiplex immunoassays for the improved throughput of clinical work.
What made you want to do that particular PIPS?
The key reason I wanted to do this particular PIPS was to have the opportunity to be involved with the York Bioscience Technology Facility team. The group here are experts in scientific communication and can translate their knowledge of the facilities to help all fields of research (human, plant, yeast, bacteria). Alongside this, the work performed in the facility is vast, so no working day is the same and, in turn, gave the chance to learn many new technical/personal development skills. Finally, previous feedback from past students and case studies who’d undertaken their PIPS at the Technology Facility was also an influence on my choice.
What skills have you gained from your PIPS?
The most important skills I’ve learned from this PIPS are associated with scientific communication and teamwork/collaboration. Often day-to-day lab work as a PhD student can be very independent– whereas working daily alongside other group members in the TF across a range of different machinery/projects relied on good communication and collaboration with different technical specialists. The projects I was involved with often included working alongside both internal and external collaborators, which gave the opportunity to develop my skills as a team member and in scientific communication. From a technical point of view, I also gained an in-depth knowledge of the technical workings of many different tools used in bioscience imaging and cytometry.
What has been the impact (or likely future impact) of your PIPS?
The opportunity to partake in this PIPS with the York Bioscience Technology Facility has given me insight into the inner workings of what it is like to work in a core facilities unit and as a potential future career path. Outside of this, the key skills I have picked up during this time are both transferrable to my current PhD research and for potential future job opportunities.
How would you sum up your PIPS experience?
Overall, my PIPS experience involved three months of working alongside technical specialists on a wide array of different projects, where I was able to gain a number of new key and transferrable skills. I would highly recommend the York Biosciences Technology Facility as a PIPS host organisation for any PGRs looking for a host.
What advice would you give to other PGRs about PIPS?
My advice to other PGRs would be to look for a PIPS opportunity that is outside your field of interest and use it as a chance to gain experiences/skills you wouldn’t pick up during day-to-day life as a PhD researcher. When discussing PIPS opportunities with a host, outline a plan with the organisation of what you both are looking to achieve with the experience.