Shairbanu Ashra graduated from the University of Leicester in 2004 with a degree in Medical Biochemistry, and completed an MSc in Pathology and Toxicology the following year. Since 2005 she has worked in the Proteomics division of the Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry Laboratory (PNACL), a support service for scientists at the University.

1. ‘Supporting the Scientists’
College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology
Working as a Research Technician in a
Core Biotechnology Services (CBS)
Core Service Facility
Shairbanu Y Ashra
sya2@le.ac.uk

2. About Me
• 2004: BSc Medical Biochemistry (University of Leicester)
• 2005: MSc Pathology and Toxicology with a Research
placement at AstraZeneca (University of Leicester)
• 2004 – 2005: Biomedical Assistant in the Pathology
Laboratory (University Hospitals of Leicester)
• 2005: Research Technician in Proteomics (University of
Leicester)

3. Protein & Nucleic Acid
CL Chemistry Laboratory
A
PN
• Located in the Hodgkin Building (Lab 204)
• Work in PNACL (The Protein Nucleic Acid Chemistry Laboratory ); which is
core research facility
– PNACL is part of the Centre for Core Biotechnology Services (CBS) @ the university
– Variety of different Core technical service facilities dedicated to supporting research
across the College these include;
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Bioinformatics and Biostatistics (BBASH); Biomedical Joint Workshop; Containment Level 3 Facility; Protein
Expression (PROTEX); NUCLEUS Genomics; ES Cell Facility
We provide DNA sequencing and Proteomics services
Specialized techniques and use highly specialized Mass Spectrometers
Work is submitted to us; we analyse the samples and return the data
Provide different levels of service for both DNA sequencing and proteomics

4. What do I do as a Research Technician?
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Have been in this position since Aug 2005
When I first started it was a 3 year contract
Most technical positions are short term; usually between 1- 3 years
If there is a need for the post and Funding is available then it may be
extended
• PNACL is a self funding lab; No work = No money !!
• Working in a core facility is different than working as a technician in a
research lab;
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Work dependant on other people i.e. the customers
You can’t plan your work in advance
I don’t have a specific project that I work on
Work gets very repetitive
You have a larger base of users to support – Post-docs/scientists, Postgraduates,
Undergraduates, external users (Not just a project supervisor!)

5. About my Job – Day to Day
What do I do as a Research Technician?
• Preparing samples for protein identification or for accurate mass
determination of whole proteins
• Liaising with post-graduate students, researchers and staff
• Provide advice and training on the MALDI-Tof to the users of the facility
• Lab maintenance and management
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Ordering
Maintaining specialised laboratory equipment
Filing accounts to send the accountant
Updated the COSHH forms for the proteomics service
Contact technical support when equipment breaks down
• Liaising with reps
– Find out about latest products
– Check costing of products and secure discounts

6. What is Proteomics?
‘The Identification AND Quantification of the full protein
complement expressed by the genome of an organism at a
particular point in time.’
Identification – what proteins are present?
Quantification – how much of each protein is present?
Which proteins interact with each other, and how?

7. Peptide Mass Fingerprinting - overview
Experimental
Protein
Proteolytic Peptides
[ Ab s .
In t.
*1 0 ^ 3 ]
1 .8
1 .6
Protein Identification
1 .4
1 .2
1 .0
0 .8
0 .6
0 .4
0 .2
0 .0
1000
1500
Mass List
2000
2500
m /z
3000
3500
4000
Database search

8. In-gel Tryptic Digestion
Trypsin cleaves after Lysine (K) and Arginine (R) except when next residue is Proline (P)
Excise Spot
from Gel
Wash in NH4HCO3
to remove stain
Shrink in
ACN
Swell up in DTT
To reduce disulfide
Bonds
Shrink in
ACN
10mM
Peptides diffuse
out of gel
Swell up in Trypsin
Buffered to pH 8.5
Using 50mM NH4HCO3
Shrink in
ACN
Swell up in Iodoacetamide
Reacts with -SH groups stopping
disulfides reforming
100mM
Acidify to inactivate
trypsin
Mass Spectrometry

9. PNACL Equipment
Multiprobe II Liquid Handling Robot
Voyager DE-STR MALDI-ToF mass spectrometer
• No need for repetitive pipetting
• Peptide mass fingerprinting can be automated
• Automation reduces likelihood of keratin
contamination
• High throughput – up to 1 sample per minute

10. Pros and Cons
Cons
• Starting salary depends on grade and experience; average from about
£15,303 - £29,541 (pushing in to management)
• Temporary contracts, between 1-3 years, job stability an issue
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Pros
Don’t have the pressure and demands of grant writing etc.
Meet a lot of people, and can be involved in many different projects
Work has been acknowledged in several research publications
Attend conferences; keep up to date with research and technologies

11. Career Progression
• No set progression route
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework for Technicians
• The university is register with an organisation called HEaTED; Higher
Education & Technician education & development
• These are all ways of acquiring transferable skill that you would be able to
use when searching for a new job

12. Advice
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Work experience – get as much experience in a lab based environment
Check on University websites for jobs
Search engines and Recruitment agencies
Talk to people that are working in the field that you are interested in
– Supervisors
– Post-docs
– Lab technician
• Volunteer
• Enjoy working with people and science!

13. Thank you for listening.
Any Questions?