Biotech Career Profile: Daria McCallum

Daria McCallum, New England Biolabs

New England Biolabs is a world leader in the discovery and production of enzymes for molecular biology applications. Daria has played several roles at New England Biolabs, including more than six years working on protein production with a focus on purifying restriction endonucleases.

What education or training did you complete to pursue your career?
I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Pennsylvania State University and completed several internships at New England Biolabs as a high school student and while I was in college. I can’t overstate how pivotal internships have been in my professional and career development. My top piece of advice for students interested in a biotech career is to get an internship in a lab. No class I took (labs included) remotely compared to the learning experience of my internships.

What does your job involve?
My team determines the ideal conditions for the purification of individual proteins, studies enzyme biochemistry, helps meet specific customer requirements, and troubleshoots product issues.

What do you love about your job?
I love that every day is different. No two proteins I work on follow the same path. This motivates me to be engaged and excited about work, and I am constantly learning, changing my ways of thinking, and challenging myself.

Is there other advice you have for biotech students?
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. We’re all human! I’ve made every mistake in the book. To name just a few, I’ve messed up basic dilution calculations, knocked over bottles of purified enzyme, and set up reactions with missing components. Mistakes are valuable learning experiences! Ask your supervisor, mentor, or colleagues questions to learn from your mistakes. Can you help me determine where my error occurred? Can I shadow you next time you go through this procedure? Do you have any tips or tricks that help you with this protocol?