Rob Moore Email & Phone Number

I currently work as a support technician for the cell and molecular research group at the Marine Biological Association. As well as helping provide a clean, safe and well stocked laboratory I maintain the long-standing algae culture collection and keep a suite of high-end microscopes ready for the 20-30 researchers and PhD students that use our facilties.

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  Cell And Molecular Support Technician

  The Marine Biological Association

  Dec 2022 - Aug 2024 - Plymouth, England, United Kingdom

  I support the researchers of the Cell and Molecular Group at the MBA. Alongside helping to provide a clean, safe and well stocked laboratory I maintain the marine algae culture collection containing some unique strains from a range of sample sites. A key part of my job involved assisting setting up the Marine Microbiome Centre of Excellence (MMCE) after a £4m renovation. My tasks included setting up the different lab rooms for the specific needs of lab users including electrophoresis, PCR/qPCR, cell counting capabilities and several controlled temperature rooms for the growth of algae and fungi that are studied at the MBA. The MMCE also hosts a new clean room for the sensitive extraction of eDNA from water samples. A unique aspect of the MBA is its proximity to the sea which is exploited as the MMCE boasts the capability to provide sterile seawater collected from the L4 sampling site just 12 miles away from the Plymouth. The water is supplied by the MBA's research vessel 'Sepia' which is filtered and sterilized by me for use by the 20-30 researchers and PhD students on site. This adds a reliability to the experiments conducted at the MBA as oppose to the alternative of creating artificial seawater.I worked closely with the transition manager during this period of moving into the labs and am now working towards setting up long term safe practices. This includes creating Safe Working Practices, Risk Assessments, and COSSH form management.Finally, the MBA also is home to the Mary Parke Bioimaging Centre which contains high-end microscopes such as a Mesolens Microscope (one of very few in the country), microscopes that combines both confocal and light sheet microscopy, as well as epifluorescent microscopes capable of live cell imaging. Part of my role includes keeping these microscope rooms clean and prepared for researches but when I can I take images of the culture collection!