Each month we speak to a member of the Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology community and find out more about them.
This month it is Janet Chan, Research Technician in Dr. Karim Mekhail's lab.
If you would like to be featured, or know someone who should be, use the nomination form on our Humans of LMP page.
What is your role and what does it involve?
I am a research technician in Dr. Karim Mekhail’s lab. My job mainly involves assisting with the ongoing research projects, purchasing reagents and supplies, ensuring laboratory safety and compliance with the UofT Biosafety guidelines and regulations, and documentation of biological inventories and purchasing/receiving.
How long have you been at LMP and what was your previous role?
I completed my M.Sc. from the Department of Molecular Genetics at U of T in 2009. After graduation, I started working with Dr. Karim Mekhail at LMP.
What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?
It is my pleasure to be able to work with many outstanding faculty, students, post docs, and staff at UofT.
I am constantly learning a lot from them, and am lucky that I have the opportunities to participate in a lot of challenging yet exciting research projects. Although sometimes it could be stressful, the process to complete a research paper from brainstorming ideas to obtaining good quality data which result in publishing in a good journal with a team of excellent students and scientists is very rewarding.
Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list?
I am always searching for new technologies, tools/techniques, and products that would improve the workflow and/or results of the projects. These advancements might be beneficial by offering a more simplified and user-friendly workflow, less time and labour consuming to perform the experiments, and enhance the quality of the experimental results.
What is your favourite album, film and novel?
Album – classical music, K-pop, J-pop
Film – Beauty and the Beast, Despicable Me/Minions series
Novel – Harry Potter series
What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)?
Why did the M&M go to school? It wanted to be a Smartie.
Who would be your dream dinner guests?
Toronto Raptors, Drake
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t overstress yourself!
What would it surprise people to know about you?
I started piano lessons when I was 5 years old and had been taking the Royal Conservatory of Music exams until I went to university. I was able to play at Performer’s level, but not anymore now though due to the lack of practicing in recent years.
