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A summer internship at Atlas Antibodies

 

Every year Atlas Antibodies welcomes a handful of summer students who help us keep things going at full speed when the annual vacation period comes along. They are an excellent resource for us, and at the same time, we can provide them with valuable opportunities for learning new skills beneficial to their careers and personal growth.

With the 2022 summer vacation just around the corner, we wanted to look back at last year and thank our previous summer students for their efforts. We do this by taking a closer look at Najma Mire's experience at our company, diving a bit deeper into what working at Atlas Antibodies can look like. Keep reading to meet Najma and learn about her story.

 

Q1: Hi Najma, thank you for being us with. Can we start by asking you to list five hashtags that describe you as a person?

Najma: Yes, of course, they would be #curious #student #seriesjunkie #explorer #detailoriented

 

Q2: What is your field of study?

Najma: I am currently studying the bachelor's program in Biomedicine at the Karolinska Institute.

 

Q3: What was your title during your employment at Atlas Antibodies?

Najma: I was a Laboratory technician. 

 

 

Q4: What made you want to come and work for Atlas Antibodies?

Najma: It was the best fit for my studies, and it gave me a chance to explore the Life Science industry as well as gain practical experience at the same time. It was also the result of curiosity, as most of the products used in lab assays we carried at school came from Atlas Antibodies. So for me, this turned into my behind-the-scenes moment.

 

Q5: Can you tell us about your role at the company? What were your main tasks?

Najma: Sure, my main tasks were the sub-culturing of cell lines needed for the QC and R&D departments, seeding plates according to the week's needs, and staining said plates for immunocytochemistry. There was also the occasional Cell Lysate production. 

 

Q6: What could a typical day look like at the company?

Najma: A typical day would start with checking incoming messages and emails, routine checks, and inventory at the cell lab, followed by morning meetings. Depending on the day, it was either followed by sub-culturing of cells until noon or preparing and staining the seeded plate; usually, both procedures were carried on after lunch, so I was usually done with them just after 2 pm. The rest of the afternoon was usually more flexible; it could be used for catching up and reading documents, placing orders, freezer maintenance, topping up the cell bank if nitrogen was ordered and delivered, going over to service and lending a hand, and of course, let's not forget ...Fika.

Q7: What would you say was challenging about your role?

Najma: I would say time sensitivity in certain aspects of the procedures was the most challenging part for me. It meant that it did not leave room for unplanned interruptions. While it was resolvable, it led to a couple of intense minutes in the beginning.

Q8: What would you say that you have learned during your employment?

Najma: I would say that it allowed me to hone the previously mentioned roles and combine them in one setting. It also gave me several opportunities to learn procedures that were new to me, such as Western blot and ELISA. I also shadowed some of my coworkers as they did quality analysis work, which I appreciated.

Q9: What are your thoughts on Atlas Antibodies as a workplace?

Najma: I liked the mix of routine and new tasks each day which provided an overall, very conducive work environment.

Q10: How would you say that you experienced the culture at the company?

Najma: I would say that it was a warm and welcoming culture. Different departments gathered during lunch and teatime, and the conversation kept on flowing. There was always a helping hand be it directing you to the inventory closet or showing you the tea drawer or at the lab bench. 

Q11: One last question, Najma. Would you like to return in the future as an employee?

Najma: Yes, I would. It was a good experience overall, and the work aligned with my interests.

Thank you, Najma.

We appreciate you sharing your experience with us.