Megan is interviewed here by Hannah, one of the UK DRI Project Officers. Hannah joined the UK DRI in December 2019. She supports staff on outreach and engagment projects, coordinates recruitment and leads on grant application costings. 

 Interview conducted January 2023

Megan Winterbotham has worked as a lab manager with the UK DRI since 2019. She has coordinated the transition period of moving into the new Sir Michael Uren Hub and was instrumental in helping necessary lab work continue throughout the coronavirus pandemic. She is now based in the Uren building 4 days a week and ensures health and safety, training and researech runs smoothly across the UK DRI. 

Hannah: Thank you for meeting with me today. To start can you please give me a background on your career and what lead you to be a lab manager?

Megan: I completed my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science in Australia, which led me to my first role working in industry, and then diagnostic labs.

I started an MSc course in Biotechnology back home, but after wanting to travel, and deciding to stay in the UK, this wasn’t feasible to continue as an over-sea’s student.  I continued to work for a while longer in diagnostic labs before eventually moving into research.

When I was working in a research lab, I found myself managing our CL3 lab, and it turned out I was very organised and good at the role. When a lab manager position became available, I took the opportunity to change roles, and I have been a lab manager ever since.

Hannah: As a lab manager you need to have knowledge of a lot of equipment and substances. How do you manage to stay up to date and involved in all of the research happening here?

Megan: Lab Managers regularly meet with reps who keep us up to date with new equipment and substances. If I had more time I would love to attend the labs meetings too, but really my knowledge comes from being in and out of the labs every day. I have to review the risk assessments and SOPs (standard operating procedures) so I know what people are up to. It’s hard for a lab manager to be an expert in all areas, but my microbiology background helps me with my lab knowledge too. I can default back to the group leaders when I need to double check procedures. I cover 3 different floors and the variation in the modernness of the equipment and knowing how often they require attention and servicing comes from experience too.

Hannah: We’re definitely all grateful that you’re so on top of all of that! Can you describe a typical working day?

Megan: What I like best about this role is that no two days are the same and there is so much variation in what I do. Yesterday I spent a lot of time giving inductions to new staff and running training, catching up on emails, organising the lab clean rota and meeting with an engineer. I never spend a full day at my desk, and I go in the lab to check safety procedures and refill stock regularly. Being present and available in the lab is really important and it’s how I stay informed on what’s going on.

Hannah: What is a common misconception about your role?

Megan: Because a big part of the role is safety, I think there can be a misconception that Lab Managers are there to hinder the work or slow down research with red tape but really we’re professional support staff who are there to help the researchers and support them with their risk assessments, SOPs etc. and to make sure they’re working safely. I’m always happy to sit down with people to go through forms with them and repeat training when needed, but research can’t go ahead unless it’s safe. 

Hannah: What have you found most exciting about working at the UK DRI at Imperial?

Megan: One thing I have found really interesting is the new living labs on level 9, and the non-invasive brain stimulation equipment being developed by working with dementia patients. I have only ever worked in wet labs before this and being able to see a more tangible outcome of the research and who it will eventually be helping is very rewarding. It’s exciting to not just have variety in my role, but for there to be a variety in the research I am supporting too. Dementia Research is so extremely important given our aging population and increased prevalence of dementia in the UK.

Hannah: What do you think is the most important quality in a lab manager?

Megan: You have to be very organised, and you have to be able to communicate with a wide variety of people as you work with engineers, academics, other support staff and students. Problem solving is an important part of the role, you need to be able to solve problems quickly and effectively while remaining calm under pressure.  You learn that things don’t always go to plan so you need to stay calm and try to find a solution.  I’m always thinking ahead and planning where possible, but you also learn with experience that unexpected and urgent queries will always come up and being flexible about your working day to accommodate those things is important.