Histologist

Name:	Jon
Title:	Histologist
Working area:	Carpinteria Histology group
Department and country:	Histology Department, USA
Employment start-date:	July 2006

Where do you work?
"Carpinteria, USA."

What do you do?
"I am a Histologist in the Carpinteria Histology group. We are a fast paced, efficient group, where everyday we face new challenges with new rewards. I participate in providing finished product for the pharmDx™ kits as well as material to in R&D, QC group, the training and applications group,and others."

What are the requirements of your job?
"The most basic requirementof my job, as a histologist, centers around providing material, in the form tissue sections on slides to different departments with in the company. Getting the tissue onto the slides is very involved. It may include: processing the tissue for specific amounts of time with specific fixatives, embedding the tissue after fixation in paraffin or OCT (frozen specimens), microtomy (either rotary microtome for formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) or cryostat microtomy for frozen sections), cutting of the tissue sections from the tissue block, picking up the tissue onto the slide and then drying appropriately depending on the tissue and reagents to be used for staining.

Staining is also a part of my job. The majority of the staining I perform is for the QC of production material. All products must undergo some form of QC that involves staining in my department,whether it is Incoming QC (IQC) or In-Process QC (IPQC).

I also work for Operations producing control slides for the pharmDx™ kits. Histology is a service group, and as such provides needed service when ever requested.

I am also the supervisor for the lab assistant in charge of the R&D labs in Carpinteria as well as the Training and Applications lab.

Currently I am President of the Employee Recognition Committee as well as serving as a member of the Safety Committee."

Why did you choose to work for Dako?
"I learned about Dako approximately five years before I started working here. I was able to learn about Dako's products and how Dako treats their employees. I was impressed with what I learned. The one thing that stood out the most to me was the products that are made at Dako. Here is a company that produces products that can save someone's life. Who wouldn't want to work for them? Combine a good working environment and a chance to feel good about what you do fora living and that translates into jumping out of bed in the morning because I can't wait to go to work."

What kind of development opportunities do you see at Dako?
"Personally I see many avenues for development here at Dako. My specific plans and goals for my career at Dako seem very attainable. I have great support and encouragement from my manager and feel that I do not have any obstacles standing in my way. Dako is a constantly evolving company, one in which I feel I will be allowed to evolve and develop alongside."

Can you give an example or two of what makes working at Dako special?
"Working at Dako is special in many ways.Just the opportunity to work is such a cutting edge field is exciting and rewarding.The fact that an industry leader such as Dako puts quality first is special.You don't find many industry leaders, where quality is put before quantity.Yet, most every employee would rather produce a few high quality products than produce a quantity of low quality products.

I also feel it is special to work together with such a diverse group of people.The many interactions I have in this company with so many types of people all working together toward common goals continues to fascinate and delight me."