After leaving Dunedin on completion of his PhD, Calum is enjoying the change in weather, the transition from the academic lifestyle to industry and its accompanied change in focus and goals.

At DNAiTECH he is developing molecular diagnostic techniques and assays.

An assay is an investigative (analytic) procedure in laboratory medicine.

“Basically the assays I am working on are tests to detect the presence of pathogens like bacteria or viruses for biomedical, environmental and agritech applications. Our goal to make these so that any untrained user or lay person can carry out rapid tests to improve point of care and in field diagnostics”, says Calum.

“Being involved in the development of molecular tools that benefit both health and primary industries is incredibly exciting.”

“Point-of-care and in-field testing is the next big step for medical diagnostics”, Calum explains. “The move to simple molecular testing will improve diagnostic turnaround time and enable better informed treatments and improved health outcomes. But it’s not just applicable to health; what’s cool is that in-field or on-site testing can benefit many areas such as environmental monitoring and agriculture”, Calum says.

We asked him a few additional questions:

Q: What do you like about living in Marlborough?

A: I enjoy being close to family and the feel of the region. It’s incredibly easy to get out of town to visit wineries or go for a wander around to have a nice breather.

Q: What do you like about working on the MRC campus?

A: The building is in a great spot on the outskirts of Blenheim. I get a great view across the vineyards toward the hills from both the lab and the office which is perfect on a sunny day.

Q: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

A: I enjoy playing video games and reading fantasy books but have also started getting into the garden to grow fruit and veggies. Some of this goes to the table but also to my rabbits and guinea pigs who enjoy the treat.

Read more about DNAiTECH in a previous article here.