🧬 From TB Diagnostics to Genomic Curiosity
How an unexpected lab role changed the way I see public health, data, and diagnostics
After completing my honors degree, I began working in a clinical molecular diagnostics lab, rotating across various diagnostic streams. From virology and STIs to genetics and respiratory pathogens. This grounded me in the fundamentals of molecular lab work and clinical workflows.
My trajectory shifted dramatically when I was assigned to support the tuberculosis diagnostics unit.
A Turning Point
The TB lab needed support, and I stepped in. Not knowing that this temporary shift would become one of the most defining experiences of my early career. Day by day, I became more immersed in TB diagnostics: processing patient samples, interpreting results, and liaising with clinicians & healthcare professionals to help guide treatment decisions.
Over time, I gained the trust and autonomy to operate independently. I wasn’t just running assays, I was contributing to real-world clinical outcomes. And with each case, I began to understand just how deeply tuberculosis affects lives, especially in resource-limited settings.
What began as a technical role evolved into something personal.
When the Questions Started
Some complex cases required external referrals for phenotypic susceptibility testing or genomic sequencing. Tools our lab dedicated specifically for oncology diagnostics. That contrast caught my attention, and sparked a curiousity about the untapped potential of sequencing in infectious disease.
I started spending breaks and weekends reading TB genomics papers, mapping out mutation pathways, and teaching myself about resistance genes like katG, rpoB, and inhA. I came to realize that direct sequencing, bypassing culture altogether, could in some cases drastically cut down diagnostic turnaround time.
And with that, I had unknowingly taken my first step into bioinformatics.
A New Kind of Thinking
No pipette or protocol had prepared me for the world of genomic data, but the curiosity was real. I began understanding how resistance mutations could be detected computationally, and how genomic information could complement traditional diagnostics in powerful ways.
That experience taught me that bioinformatics doesn’t start with code — it starts with questions. My work in that lab connected the dots between diagnostics and data, between biology and computation, and between science and empathy.
What I Took Away
- Confidence through autonomy: I learned to lead, not just follow.
- Purpose in precision: Every sample had a story — and a patient on the other side.
- Curiosity as a compass: Self-teaching wasn’t easy, but it felt necessary.
- Bioinformatics as a mindset: It’s about solving problems, not just writing scripts.
Where It’s Taken Me
Though I’ve since moved into new areas — including microarray data analysis and digital health innovation, this chapter still informs everything I do. It gave me a reason to care, a reason to learn, and a reason to build.
A role in TB diagnostics taught me more than protocols. It taught me to listen to the data, and care about the story behind it. La lutte contre la tuberculose continue.