Seizing Opportunities and Staying Humble

07/08/22 • 25 min

In Part 2 of Mauricio and Marcia’s conversation about what they’ve been up to since they left ABI, we get into the details of Mauricio’s job as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist. He explains the science behind the work that he does in the lab where he screens patients to identify if they may have leukemia lymphoma. He also monitors HIV in patients, and helps to detect mutations in patients’ hemoglobin. The role Mauricio plays in the lab helps doctors in medical settings make informed decisions about patient care.

After Mauricio and Marcia demystify the science behind the work that he does, they get into their experiences of higher education at ACC and Texas State. They talk about their unique journeys to discovering their passion for the biosciences, and talk about the exciting frontier of bioscience, which promises new innovations, technologies, and discoveries everyday.

Marcia and Mauricio explain the importance of staying humble and having a growth mindset in the biosciences, emphasizing that everyday is an opportunity to learn and should be treated as such. They talk about the character traits that will aid professional development and the importance of having a genuine passion for bioscience and the work you’re doing.

They close out the conversation with advice about taking advantage of resources like ACC’s Bioscience Incubator and making the most of opportunities that are presented to you, because you never know which opportunity will be a game-changer in your career. They give us a glimpse into the exciting paths you can take in biosciences, which we continue to explore in Season 2 of “Science in the Mall, Y’all.”

Learn more about XBiotech.

Learn more about the CLS Program.

Learn more about ACC Bioscience Incubator.

This is a founding_media podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about XBiotech.

Learn more about the CLS Program.

Learn more about ACC Bioscience Incubator.

This is a founding_media podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Let’s Talk About Antibodies, Baby!

To kick off Season 2 of “Science in the Mall, Y’all,” previous ACC Bioscience Incubator intern Mauricio Tellez is joined by another former ABI intern Marcia McCallum, who you might recognize from season 1. She is back to talk in-depth about the science that she does everyday as a Senior Lead in Upstream Processing at XBiotech. XBiotech develops and manufactures medications using antibodies. Don’t worry, we don’t expect you to understand what that means - listen to the full episode to get a more detailed run-down!

Mauricio and Marcia interned together at ACC’s Bioscience Incubator, so it’s enlightening to hear them reconnect as working scientists and explore how the things they learned about as students and interns apply in the workforce. They reflect on their early days at the incubator and talk about the role that each other and their experiences at ABI has played in their professional development. Marcia shares some of the fun that comes with trial and error in the lab, and they talk about what they love about being working scientists. But it’s not all fun and games - Marcia and Mauricio get into the nitty-gritty of antibodies, proteins, and all of the high level science that they use everyday to contribute to creating life-changing therapeutics in the bioscience field. This is part one of a two-part conversation - tune into the next episode to hear more about Mauricio’s work as a clinical laboratory scientist!

Learn more about XBiotech.

Learn more about the CLS Program.

Learn more about ACC Bioscience Incubator.

This is a founding_media podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Bioscience Careers Galore!

In this episode of “Science in the Mall, Y’all,” we welcome back previous ACC Bioscience Incubator intern Mauricio Tellez, who is joined by Dr. Rodney Rohde. Dr. Rohde and Mauricio met through the Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Program at Texas State University, which Mauricio graduated from in 2021. In addition to being the CLS Program Director and a professor at TX State, Dr. Rohde is also an adjunct at Austin Community College, and has an illustrious career as an infectious disease expert and microbiologist rooted in public health.

Mauricio and Dr. Rohde kick off the conversation by explaining the various connections between ACC, the ACC Bioscience Incubator, TX State, and the CLS Program. Mauricio shares how he leveraged his experiences at ABI once he had transferred to TX State, explaining how his time as an intern gave him laboratory experience that helped him earn entry into the competitive CLS Program.

They get into the importance of viewing education as a means to creating a career path, and talk about how ACC and TX State focus on building people into professionals instead of simply treating them as students. Mauricio and Dr. Rohde talk with Nancy and Dan about how undergraduates interested in science can turn that passion into a profitable, meaningful career, and how using resources like ACC and ABI can help you clarify your goals and save money in the process.

They explain what CLS is and the job opportunities that abound there, even though these roles in the medical and healthcare fields are relatively “invisible” or hidden careers. Medical or clinical laboratory scientists read between the lines of patient care and laboratory medical data to help physicians and healthcare teams make good decisions and avoid critical mistakes - sometimes making the difference between life and death for patients.

Mauricio shares the job outlook and security in the field and how he was able to be guaranteed a job immediately after graduating. They explain it’s an ideal career path for people who want to make a difference but don’t want to be at the bedside the same way that nurses and doctors are.

Stay tuned for part two of this discussion to learn about CLS job opportunities and experiences!

Learn more about Texas State University's CLS Program.

Learn more about Dr. Rohde.

Learn more about ACC Bioscience Incubator.

This is a founding_media podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.