Bioinformatics Spotlight: Divya Pandya

19th May 2022
Posted by: Breige McBride
Category: Bioinformatician Spotlights

In the spotlight this month, we have bioinformatician Divya Pandya! Since joining Fios Genomics in 2021, Divya has worked on numerous projects providing bioinformatic analyses for clients. Currently, Divya is part of a secondment in our business development team; she is using her bioinformatics expertise to directly advise our clients about the most suitable analyses to help them reach their research goals.

My Journey to Fios

I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Edinburgh in Molecular Genetics, followed by a Masters degree at the University of Glasgow in Bioinformatics. I was particularly interested in human disease research and keen to get some practical experience in bioinformatics; so I got a job with a research group in Cambridge. They focused on investigating the genetic causes of pulmonary arterial hypertension and ran a large cohort study across the UK and abroad. It was a really interesting role and I got to work with clinical data for the first time. I was keen to diversify my knowledge in bioinformatics so Fios was the perfect next step; I’ve been able to work with so many new data types and disease indications during my time here.

My role

When I started at Fios, I worked primarily as a bioinformatician. This involved conducting data analysis and providing biological interpretation of the results for various projects.

More recently, I have started a secondment in the business development team. It’s been a great introduction to the business side of the company and I’ve been able to work more closely with clients. I’ve enjoyed learning more about new fields in biology, as well as the different areas of research our clients specialise in.

What’s the most challenging aspect of being a bioinformatician?

Our clients often have a variety of different data types and work in highly diverse fields of research. This means we have to quickly learn about areas or tools we might have never worked with before. Fortunately, everyone at Fios comes from different backgrounds and so, there are lots of people who can lend a hand. A lot of the skills you learn as a bioinformatician are highly transferable across different areas – so you can often use the skills you’ve already acquired to problem solve in new areas.

What do you enjoy most about working at Fios?

Even though it can be challenging, I enjoy the diversity of projects that we get at Fios. The variety allows you to get a breadth of scientific knowledge across different areas that you may not get in other roles. It’s also a great way to use different bioinformatics tools and keep up to date with the latest literature in the field.

I also really like the collaborative nature of Fios – everyone is very friendly and approachable. You often work closely with different colleagues, depending on the expertise required on a project. Since joining the business development team, it has been inspiring working closely with women in leadership positions within the company. It’s been great to see them holding senior roles in science; and I’ve been able to learn new skills by working alongside them.