The expressed goal of the Ragon Insitute is lofty: to harness the immune system to prevent and cure human disease. But behind every principal investigator publishing a new finding is a team of support staff enabling their research. In the offices, administrative assistants, regulatory staff, and grant administrators manage the office, monitor funding, and ensure that IRB protocols are strictly followed. In the laboratory, research technicians are not only preparing for future scientific careers, they also perform laboratory work crucial to the research of principal investigators.

 

Therefore, the Ragon Institute is pleased to present interviews with these support staff, to learn more about them and the important role that they play at the Ragon Institute.

 

Today we check in with Oluwaseun Ogunbodede, Research Technician with the Walker Laboratory.

 

Where are you from? How long have you been at Ragon?

I am originally from Lagos, Nigeria, known as the business capital of the country. I joined the Ragon Institute in April 2013, and I’ve been here for a year and three months.

 

What do you do at RAGON? What is a typical day like?

I worked in the Processing Lab of the Institute with Toth Ildiko for a year, we were primarily involved with providing and managing cells/cell bank for the institute based researchers and outside collaborators.

 

I recently moved into Bruce walkers’ lab, to work with Srinika Ranasinghe and we are working on two main projects, 1.Characterization of CD4 T helper responses in the peripheral blood of individuals that generate broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs). In particular, we aim to identify the frequency and function of epitope-specific CD4 T-follicular helper (Tfh) cells. 2. Elucidation of a novel subset CD8 T cells that shows unconventional HLA restriction. My work varies significantly day to day; I run many interesting immunology assays including PBMC isolation, cell culturing and maintenance, ELISpot, cell staining, etc.

 

What got you interested in science?

I was always fascinated with science and medicine from a very young age. I read Ben Carson’s book Gifted Hands in high school which was very inspirational to me. Also, I had an opportunity to participate in extensive researches on plants and in immunology as an undergraduate which further ignited my interest in Science.

 

If you weren’t a scientist, what would you be doing?

I’ve always wanted to be a scientist so I can’t imagine doing anything else. I enjoy singing as a hobby even though I am not very good at it.

 

What is your favorite place in Boston/Cambridge to hang out?

I like to try out new places especially restaurants when I have the chance since I am still new to the area. I recently went to the Cambridge Brewing Company and it was a lot of fun.