connection

 

My work is a 
story of microbiome.

 

Examining bacteria to save lives.

Madhuri | Molecular Biology Scientist III


As an R&D scientist at Thermo Fisher, I’ve worked on several projects, including the liquid biopsy cell free DNA assays for NGS (next-generation sequencing) solutions, and advanced Cells-to-Ct kit, but our human microbiome research project has been the most inspiring for me to be a part of. Human Microbiome is an exciting and rapidly expanding field of research, aimed at studying “good” bacteria, fungi and viruses densely populating in our bodies. My work focuses on the microbes of the gut – the largest and most diverse ecosystem of the human body. Our team developed a new workflow, automated on KingFisher (to be launched soon!) allowing extraction of both DNA and RNA from stool samples towards in-depth analysis of the gut microbiome. By examining the intestinal microbiota of healthy and sick donors, we can determine how they correlate to various disease phenotypes. This eventually leads to diagnostics and therapies targeting the microbiome to treat a plethora of diseases including Crohn’s, Inflammatory Bowel disease, obesity, ulcerative colitis, cancer, autism and allergies, thereby impacting the lives of millions of patients around the world.

The collaboration and support I’ve experienced from my colleagues, on projects, has been incredibly motivating. I’m grateful I can use my background and expertise in biochemistry, genomics, and molecular biology fields to help research succeed.

When you’re ready to move forward in your career, you’ll discover that at Thermo Fisher Scientific, each one of our extraordinary minds has a unique story to tell. And we all contribute to a singular Mission—to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.