Oxitec People: Sanjay Basu, Molecular Biology Group Lead, UK
Oxitec People: Sanjay Basu, Molecular Biology Group Lead, UK
Can you tell us about your role at Oxitec and what it entails?
I lead our Molecular Biology Group, managing the team of lab experts working the technical magic, developing the “Friendly” genes for integration into arthropods, and characterising the genetics of Friendly strains after they’re developed. I offer technical expertise to the projects that come into the lab and help design experiments, analyse data and make decisions.
What motivated you to join Oxitec’s mission?
I’ve been working with transgenic insects for 20 years now (!), in a variety of roles and locations. Since 2005, I’ve worked in teams that investigated mosquito biology using transgenics and I really enjoy the work, with all the technical intricacies such as microinjecting DNA into insect eggs, the design of genetic systems, and the genomes of pest species. All those skills are practised here and, as I’ve had some connections with staff (and alumni) here for many years, I was quite confident it would be an interesting challenge. When the position came up, it was the right time for me too.
What do you enjoy about your role?
I love working with my team, we have such a wide range of technical expertise and experience that we work more as a collaborative team rather than purely a top-down structure. My team are friendly, professional and all lovely people! I enjoy seeing the whole range of projects coming through Oxitec, from considerations at the scoping stage, right through to involvement in some of the quality assurance and quality control with mass production of Friendly™ Aedes aegypti. I also enjoy the occasional supporting role in the insectaries too, as I always liked working in that environment, with the pest insects themselves.
What advice would you give to others wanting to pursue your area of work?
It is a technical field, so training through education courses is the most common route. I’ve been lucky enough to experience and enjoy a few different lab environments and I think it gives me good experience in techniques and lab culture, though the moving around can sometimes be difficult. I would advise others to embark upon any research job in their interest area, write to contacts and be pro-active – there’s a lot of luck, but the more times you try, the greater the chance of a successful outcome!