info@biofortuna.com
+44 151 334 0182

Meet the team

Introducing

Charlotte Haskayne 

Charlotte joined us in November 2020 as a Laboratory Scientist. Here she shares what inspired her to become a scientist and what she enjoys most about her role.

Charlotte Haskayne 

Charlotte joined us in November 2020 as a Laboratory Scientist. Here she shares what inspired her to become a scientist and what she enjoys most about her role.

Describe your role and what you do.

I am a Laboratory Scientist within the Genomic Services team here at Biofortuna. Our Company is one of only a handful of Ministry of Justice accredited laboratories and my role centres around DNA relationship testing for legal and immigration cases, as well as for general peace of mind.

 

Why did you decide to become a scientist?

I thought about this question a lot, then I found a diary entry from a 12-year-old me stating quite simply: “Today has been great! We started the day with a science lesson, and I got the highest score in the biology test…”  My reasons for working in science are still the same now, more than 10 years later. I absolutely love it, the work fascinates me and I am good at it – if I dare say so myself!

 

Did you face any barriers as a young woman choosing a career in science?

I can honestly say no. I have been very fortunate in that I have always been encouraged to try everything I wanted to, both at home and at school. I am also grateful that my first science job since leaving university has been with such a diverse and supportive company. I have never felt at a disadvantage for being a woman in science at Biofortuna. We have incredible female senior scientists in our Company who I look up to and who support and encourage me in my career.

However, I appreciate that not everyone will have had the same encouragement and opportunities that I have had, so I think it’s important to support initiatives like The International Day of Women & Girls in Science.

Why did you decide to join Biofortuna?

I had recently graduated from University with a degree in Biochemistry and I was looking for a role which wouldn’t limit me as I was still uncertain on what I wanted to do. I applied for a job as a Laboratory Scientist at Biofortuna because the initial role was so diverse; from working within assay development, manufacturing In vitro diagnostics and being involved in genomic projects. As a new graduate, it was a great opportunity for me to see what I enjoyed doing and what I was actually good at. With the support of my line manager and Senior Scientists, we worked together to determine what I actually wanted to specialise in.

 

What do you like most about your job?

I really enjoy the DNA relationship testing  work we do. For example, when I’m performing hundreds of DNA extractions in the laboratory, I sometimes forget that these are hundreds of people’s lives who are going to be changed by the results I provide. I get so much satisfaction knowing that my work is going to give people the answers they have spent years searching for. Of course at times it is challenging when the answers you provide are not what people expect, but I know that at least I am providing definitive and accurate answers.

What do you like to do away from work?

When I’m not in work I love seeing my friends, we all have such diverse interests and have studied such different degrees at university. I love learning about what they do, from music, literature and politics and sharing my scientific knowledge with them.

 

And finally, would you recommend Biofortuna as a place to work, and if so, why?

I would definitely recommend Biofortuna as a place to work. I have been with the Company for over a year now and just in that time the Company has grown so much but also has given me as a scientist the opportunity to grow.

JOIN THE TEAM

We are a growing company committed to establishing ourselves as one of the world’s leading contract assay developers and manufacturers.

As a direct result of that growth, we are always on the lookout to expand our team with the brightest talent.

Click here to visit our careers page and view our latest opportunities.