An intimate look at Scotland's most nimble genomics facility, where innovation meets remarkable efficiency.
In a modest laboratory at the University of St Andrews, Aleksandra Wcislo quietly demonstrates how a single-person operation can deliver world-class genomics services. As the sole operator of the Single Cell BBSRC Sequencing Platform, she embodies a new model for core facility management.
"I'm everything from the advertisement to technician, administration, and management," Wcislo explains matter-of-factly. It's a Tuesday morning, and she's simultaneously preparing samples while fielding inquiries about sequencing projects ranging from bat genomes to marine organisms.
While the facility processes only a handful of major single cell sequencing experiments annually, the diversity of projects is staggering. The range of work flowing through her laboratory reads like a biological encyclopedia. From investigating viral resistance in placental cells to mapping sexual heterogeneity in fruit flies, the latter proving particularly challenging when dealing with what she diplomatically calls the flies' "sticky" cells. each project demands unique approaches and protocols.
"We work with everything from eDNA sequencing of marine samples to gray seal blubber, drosophila, plants, and human medical samples," she notes. This remarkable variety, combined with meticulous attention to each project's specific needs, has established the platform as an essential resource for researchers across Scotland.
Wcislo's compact operation thrives on strategic collaborations and crystal-clear communication. She's built an intricate support network that includes technical teams from 10x Genomics and Illumina, with the former providing particularly robust assistance. "They plan every single experiment with me," she says. "They've been on-site to run our first experiment as well."
This partnership approach extends to her relationships with other Scottish facilities in Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow, and Aberdeen. She actively cultivates collaboration, sharing resources when possible, such as offering surplus reagents to other labs before they expire. "We're here to make things better for everyone," she explains.
Under the principal oversight of Professor Sonja Vernes, a leading researcher in mammalian vocal communication, and the generous funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Wcislo has developed creative solutions to single-operator challenges. She's pushed technical boundaries, adapting Illumina's pathogen detection panels designed for one platform to work on their NextSeq system, a feat that required months of careful optimization.
Working alone has fostered remarkable innovation. Wcislo has streamlined workflows through careful organization, maintains detailed communication schedules with clients, and leverages external partnerships to fill knowledge gaps. Her approach to new challenges is refreshingly pragmatic. "The PCR machines are my only Trojan horse," she jokes. "You set the temperature and you have to trust it."
Looking ahead, she envisions expanding into spatial transcriptomics and multiomics capabilities, technologies that would complement the facility's current offerings. These additions would further enhance the platform's ability to serve Scotland's diverse research community.
As genomics rapidly evolves, particularly with AI integration, Wcislo maintains a balanced perspective on technological change. "You need to be open to innovation," she reflects. "The industry evolves daily, and we need to evolve with it."
Her facility represents something increasingly rare in modern science: personalized service in an automated world. Where large facilities might process samples with industrial efficiency, Wcislo knows each project intimately, often helping researchers from different disciplines understand how sequencing can answer their specific questions.
"I really enjoy being able to tie up interdisciplinary teams of researchers," she says, describing how sequencing can connect behavioral studies, molecular biology, and genetics into coherent research narratives. "From genes to behavior, that's what I enjoy about it."
In an era dominated by large-scale operations, Aleksandra Wcislo's approach offers an alternative model for core facility management. Her success demonstrates that with the right combination of technical expertise, collaborative spirit, and dedicated service, a single operator can deliver exceptional scientific support.
The BBSRC Single Cell Sequencing Platform at St Andrews may operate with minimal staff, but its impact on Scottish genomics research is substantial. As Wcislo puts it with characteristic understatement: "It always works itself out."
For researchers seeking single-cell sequencing services with personalized attention and technical flexibility, the St Andrews facility offers compelling proof that efficiency and excellence can come in compact packages.
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