Matthew Arno on supporting genomic technologies

Please tell us about your research project, research interests and how your work involves genomics or makes use of genomic technologies 

My work involves helping other researchers to access and use genomics technology at the university; I don’t have my own personal research projects as such. I have always seen the value in having local experts who can hand-hold a new PhD student, for example, through the genomics minefield (or even more grizzled lecturers and professors who are new to the technology). This is what I do. It’s also particularly helpful to have someone to double check experimental designs and analysis plans when the experiments themselves can cost many tens of thousands of pounds. I have had the privilege and pleasure of working with some very talented scientists over the years with some extremely varied projects and research ideas. A couple of notable examples are finding a gene that regulates appetite in asthmatic cells (and could explain the relationship between asthma and obesity), and analysing the effects of glyphosate pesticides in diet on rats’ livers – there were literally thousands of transcription changes, enough to break some of the fundamental assumptions in genomics analysis. My foundation in genomics was the use of expression microarrays, but over the last 10 years or so, I have focused on DNA sequencing technology like Illumina, PacBio and Oxford Nanopore, and applications like RNAseq and single cell sequencing. 

Please summarise your previous work and career so far.

I have worked in genomics core facilities since around 2003, back when people were printing their own microarrays in the lab – we used to manufacture glass slide arrays for gene expression analysis in zebrafish and mouse studies – that was hard work and a lot of fun! I helped set up the inaugural genomics lab at King’s College London (The Genomics Centre) and ran it for 13 years. Most of the work going through the lab was expression microarrays from Affymetrix, until researchers started to use sequencing technology instead in the latter years. I left that lab in good hands in 2017 and then moved to Edinburgh Genomics at Ashworth Labs. This was a very similar facility but on a much larger scale, where I had a dedicated role as Project Manager. Around 3 years and ~1000 projects later the lab downsized, and I took on the role of Lab Team Leader for another 5 years until the facility itself was merged with the Genetics Core at the Western General Hospital. I now work with Lee Murphy and the Genetics Core team to deal with a rapidly expanding suite of sequencing platforms, and projects. I perform a similar role in helping people to configure sequencing projects alongside other management responsibilities. I hope to stay at the Core and hope to have a part to play in its bright future.

What inspired you to follow your career path?

There was a moment during my post-doc work, when I realised I was no longer interested in any particular academic research theme myself; I was much more driven to make sure any lab work or data generated was done ‘properly’ instead. Most of my experimental time was taken up with validating and testing new protocols rather than using them to generate real results for publications and grant applications. As a post-doc this was not a great fit so I sought out a post where I could use the technology and be the local ‘go-to’ expert for genomics. Since starting at the Genomics Centre at King’s in 2003, the rest is history, and I truly believe I’ve found my calling in academia.

If you could have tea with anyone (alive or dead), who would it be? What would you talk about?

I think it would have to be someone who liked people, had stories to tell, and wouldn’t mind listening too. Without over-thinking this too much, probably Stephen Fry, David Attenborough or Dame Judi Dench. Or all three together, what the hell.

What is the most unusual thing you have done during your career?

During COVID I remember training a technician in the lab to use a sequencer remotely over zoom calls. It was very odd, difficult and when she walked around the lab with the laptop and camera, I would get sea-sick at the other end of the video call! There’s no risk assessment for that.

Do you have any advice for people wanting to pursue a research career? What do you like best about your job? What do you like the least?

I would say a research career is not always for everyone, but you won’t know until you try it. It’s kind of in between a job and a hobby. The most important characteristic to have would be the drive to get results, and not to get too bogged down in the details. Also find a great mentor for leadership and inspiration. And if it doesn’t work out for you there are still plenty of other options – just make sure you can become an expert in something either way. 

How do you spend your time outside of research? Is there anything else you would like to tell us about? 

Outside work/science/research, most of my time is spent playing music: I play bass guitar in a couple of local bands (Side Hustle and The Teeny Tiny Big band) in North Berwick. With Side Hustle, we do live-band mass karaoke shows, where the audience can sing along with lyrics on a big screen, and Teeny Tiny Big Band is just what it says – we play big-band classic brass tunes but down-sized for a 4 or 5 piece band. 

Links

Genetics Core

Matthew Arno LinkedIn page (external link)