Bioinformatics career story: Alba Machado-Lopez
Dr. Alba Machado-Lopez is a passionate bioinformatician driven by a love for continuous learning and opportunity to make a tangible impact on people’s lives. We had the pleasure of welcoming her to our team in early 2024. But how did she find her way to bioinformatics and Genevia Technologies, and what has her first year as our Scientific Project Manager been like?
Dr. Alba Machado-Lopez
Making an impact with bioinformatics
Dr. Alba Machado-Lopez joins a video call from La Manga, a small, sunny beach town in Spain, to share her career story. She explains that, despite how cheesy it might sound, her motivation for pursuing a career in health sciences has always been clear: she wants to help people. The most obvious option—studying medicine—was ruled out early due to a practical issue: she gets dizzy at the sight of blood. Biochemistry, however, seemed like a promising alternative.
Already during her Bachelor’s studies, Alba was introduced to next-generation sequencing technologies and became fascinated by the idea of working with huge amounts of data, but she felt she was watching bioinformatics from a distance. Curiosity led her to pursue a Master’s degree in genomics and genetics, and her PhD ultimately closed the gap.
For her PhD, Alba studied tumors in the muscular layer of the uterus, particularly leiomyomas. She explains that although leiomyomas are extremely common and benign, they significantly affect many women’s lives, causing pain, bleeding, and fertility issues. In some cases, they are even mistaken for rare, highly aggressive malignant tumors with similar appearances. Alba’s PhD research focused on characterizing leiomyomas and developing molecular tools to differentiate these tumors. It was also her first opportunity to work with single-cell transcriptomics and proteomics.
– I was very lucky to do my PhD at a non-profit organization that collaborated closely with a company focused on reproductive health and assisted reproductive technologies. The company had its own team of bioinformaticians, but understandably their top priority was always product development for the company’s clients rather than anything related to my PhD. So, I had two options: either wait for them to deliver the results or learn to do the analysis myself, she explains.
Alba started doing bioinformatics as a complete amateur, and soon realized that she really enjoyed it. Simultaneously with her PhD, she began writing her second Master’s thesis, this time in bioinformatics.
– In the end, my PhD resulted in a very comprehensive multi-omic map of leiomyomas. The lab I worked at is continuing research on the topic; they now have a broad understanding of why the tumors are like they are, and they hope to use this knowledge to develop faster and better diagnostics—potentially even treatments that could improve the lives of people suffering from these tumors, Alba says.
Her PhD work involved both wet lab experiments and data analysis, and Alba values the experience she gained on the data generation side. However, she ultimately felt more comfortable on the computational side than in the lab. Towards the end of her PhD, she also started to feel frustrated with certain limitations in academia, particularly the bureaucracy that often obscured the sense of making a real impact.
– As I was finishing my PhD, I knew I wanted to find a job in bioinformatics. I believed that transitioning to industry would not only provide me better work conditions but also allow me to see the real-world impact of my work more clearly, and work with more people to learn from. That’s when I found Genevia – and the rest is history, Alba says with a smile.
Life as a Genevian
Alba works remotely from Spain, aligning her schedule with Finnish office hours. Her alarm is set for 6:30 AM, and by 7:00 AM, she’s sipping coffee and turning on the computer. As a highly organized person, she likes to start her days by making a to-do list.
– It helps me feel like I’m making progress: with clear objectives for the day, it is easy to just start working through them step by step, she explains.
One of Alba’s favorite aspects of working at Genevia is the variety of projects and data types she gets to work with—or, as she puts it, “all the opportunities the company offers.” She highlights one project in particular that she has especially enjoyed:
– I started working with my biggest client very early on after joining Genevia in January 2024. At the time, they were a very small startup developing a diagnostic test to differentiate a type of cancer from a non-cancer condition affecting the same tissue. They had some data and wanted to identify biomarkers; we found the markers, and now they’re applying them to develop the test. I can already start to see the potential impact this could have once the test is fully developed. It’s been amazing to see everything come together, and I’m so happy that I’ve been part of the process. The project involves transcriptomics and proteomics, which are my specialties, so it’s been a great match.
Beyond client projects, Alba appreciates the time dedicated to self-development, which she thinks is essential in such a rapidly evolving field. Her day also includes internal meetings, which she sees as valuable opportunities to learn from colleagues.
– To be honest, as a very social person, I was a little nervous about working fully remotely. But luckily, it has worked out really well. We have such a great team – everyone is so nice that I can feel it even through Slack messages. We also have plenty of video calls, so I still get that social interaction despite working remotely. There aren’t many opportunities in my field where I live, so I’m really grateful that remote work allows me to stay close to my partner and family.
Around midday, she takes a break for a cup of tea and some breakfast, before tackling the rest of her tasks. At the end of the day, Alba reviews her to-do list and summarizes the tasks she managed to accomplish. Since she works on Finnish time, her workday typically ends around 3 PM in Spain – perfect timing for lunch, and the rest of the afternoon free for herself.
Alba says she is very happy with the ever-important work-life balance. In her free time, she loves visiting her parents and grandmother, as well as spending time with friends and family, often over a shared meal.
– I love reading fantasy novels, playing video games, and hiking with my partner. I don’t have fancy hobbies; I just enjoy the simple things, she says.
How to become a good bioinformatician
When asked what advice she would give to a junior bioinformatician, Alba takes a moment to think. In her current role, she has found communication skills to be particularly important:
– The term “communication” doesn’t say a lot, but what I mean is the ability to understand your clients’ needs, and present the results in a way they can understand. For us bioinformaticians, it’s easy to get super specific with the technical details, but we have to consider our audience: many of our clients are not familiar with bioinformatics.
– Of course, you need basic coding and statistical skills. But if there are areas where you’re not as strong, you can always ask for help. There have been many times that I’ve had to ask my colleagues for guidance first, and then, once I understand, I can explain it to the client too.
Most importantly, Alba emphasizes the value of continuous learning and being open to new challenges.
– It’s very easy to get fixated on what you already know, but even if you become an expert in a specific area, it’s very enriching to explore new data types and methodologies, just out of curiosity. For me, that’s how I stay motivated and up-to-date. It also brings new perspectives to the work I already do. Sometimes it can be scary, but just go for it—what’s the worst thing that can happen? Maybe you break your computer, but even that’s unlikely, she says, laughing.
Alba concludes with greetings to those reading Genevia’s website:
– Hire us! she laughs.
– I can see firsthand how well the work here is done—so much that I have even recommended the service to my friends from my previous lab. Genevia is a great place to work and a great place to receive service from.
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