Daria Iskakova (she/her)

I work in a genomics lab that looks at the DNA in animal and plant products. The main focus of my job is to identify plants and animals using a process called DNA barcoding. Most of the samples our lab receives are suspected to come from organisms that aren’t allowed to be brought into Canada. Many are part of legal investigations led by Wildlife Enforcement Officers.  This means these samples are evidence that may be used in a court case.

While working on a case, I perform different types of tests. These include DNA extractions, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification of DNA, and sequencing the DNA to obtain the A/T/C/G nucleotide sequence. After we obtain the sequence, I use software on my computer to piece together the genes we are looking at. Then I compare them to a global database to see what species they match most closely. All these steps involve using specialized equipment and software. This means I also get to do instrument maintenance and troubleshooting if something doesn’t look right.

My favorite part of the job is that I get to see the workflow from start to finish (even though the work is shared between several technicians). I am able to look at a sample when it arrives in our lab. Then I can go all the way through the workflow to finally identifying what plant or animal it came from.

Just like every individual is different, every case that is brought to our lab is unique too. This makes for a very dynamic work environment. Whenever our lab receives something, we haven’t seen before, we come together as a team to discuss how to proceed. We consider new approaches and research other labs have done in the past. This makes for lots of interesting scientific discussions. It also keeps everyone on their toes ready to learn!