Kristina Nagy, research associate - (knagy<at>lunenfeld.ca)
By the way, I did it too. It was phenomenal.
Before getting into science, I used to train guide dogs for the blind and as a veterinary assistant in an animal hospital. After spending many years at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory running their Transgenic Facility and later completing a degree in clinical embryology, I came to join the Nagy lab as a research associate.
I spend much of my time assisting others with tissue culture, embryology, dissection and other related topics as well as helping out with manuscript preparations, grant applications other paperwork such as REB applications.
Although less then before, I still have the opportunity to do some wet bench work. I was involved in making the mouse line displays ubiquitous expression of the red fluorescent protein DsRed-MST, as well as a reporter that switch from lacZ to DsRed-MST expression upon Cre recombination. We are now at the final stages of characterizing this mouse in detail.
More recently, the reprogramming bug has infected me like so many others in the lab. This has led to the success in establishing iPS cells from the domestic horse. I am thrilled over the prospects of future applications that these cells could lead to.
Last but not least, I am juggling my profession with two wonderful little people; Daniel and Emily. They keep me constantly reminded of what a gift life is, and the challenge we all have in trying to make it better also for those less fortunate then us.