Welcome back to Team Insights, where we offer you a chance to get to know a Microbiome Insights team member on a deeper level. For our newest issue of Team Insights, we bring in a new member of our Laboratory team: Kody Fung. We're excited to welcome Kody into the Microbiome Insights team, and we're looking forward to him developing his laboratory skills further.
Hello Kody, it's a pleasure having you on the team - and also getting to talk to you a bit more here. Let's get right into it:
What do you do at Microbiome Insights? Describe your role?
I work in the lab and deal with processing samples to be used for downstream analyses, such as doing DNA extraction, RNA extraction, Short Chain Fatty Acid Analysis amongst many other things! I also make sure to keep the lab clean and ensure supplies and reagents don’t run out.
What were you doing before your time at Microbiome Insights?
I was a full time student! I have been studying Microbiology & Immunology at UBC, so this position truly ticks all the boxes in terms of being in my area of expertise.
What’s the best advice you can give to someone who just got out of university and is looking to start their career on the right foot?
Look for something that you’re passionate about and pursue that field. Start small and build up experience to work towards your goal and dream job. It’s okay if you don’t immediately get into the field/position that you wished for. There’s lots of time to figure things out and gain experience throughout your life; take your time and enjoy it.
What are your passions outside of work?
Playing sports of all kinds! I participate in several intramural sport leagues at UBC and throughout the summer including basketball, volleyball, and ultimate. I also coach the badminton team at my former high school.
What’s a skill that not many people know you have?
Being able to solve a Rubik’s cube in under a minute.
If you could get a new skill in 10 minutes, what would it be?
Learning to be able to play the guitar. I feel like it’s such a nice instrument to pick up play and I would love to learn to do guitar solos!
What’s your favourite music genre?
Definitely Pop. I pretty much find all of my music through listening to the radio when I’m driving or in the morning when I wake up.
What is a book you think everyone should read if they can?
The Harry Potter series! Even if you have watched the movies before, the books are a good pickup.
Thanks for reading!