They juggled their jobs and sacrificed sleep to volunteer at the Cambridge Testing Centre, a collaboration between the University, AstraZeneca and GSK to support the national effort to boost COVID-19 testing. They say they were simply fulfilling their duty as scientists. Meet the volunteers behind the masks.

Dr Iosifina Foskolou, Evelyn Trust Patrick Sissons Fellow, Darwin College, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

I usually work on cancer immunotherapy but during the COVID-19 crisis I joined forces with over 100 University staff and scientists from AstraZeneca and GSK to boost COVID-19 testing.

I volunteered to help my community as much as I could. Providing my expertise in molecular biology felt the best way to do that.

Improving human health is my central career goal, but in my everyday routine I feel far from achieving this target. Helping with COVID-19 testing gave me the opportunity to feel like a valuable scientist for our society.

During this experience I enjoyed meeting people from diverse fields and feeling that we were all working towards the same objective. This transformative experience showed me that in times of political division and polarisation we can leave our differences behind, excel ourselves and work together.

On a more personal note, I found out that I can wake up at 5:00am on a weekend, cycle across town, and work hard if the reason is meaningful and morally important to me.

Dr Krishnaa T Mahbubani, senior study manager and postdoctoral associate for the Cambridge Biorepository for Translational Medicine

I felt a deep sense of responsibility to volunteer; both as a scientist with the relevant skill set and as a member of the human race. I don't think I could have just sat back and watched passively knowing that I had the opportunity to help the country I currently call home.  

It's been an interesting and rare opportunity to work alongside other high calibre colleagues from very different fields, whom I would not necessarily have crossed paths with ordinarily. It’s also been incredibly affirming to meet and talk with such a large group of like-minded people who have a genuine appreciation of humanity.

I’ve enjoyed working in an environment that is pushing boundaries to run a high output facility with new tools and equipment that is being developed (and adapted daily) for greater efficiency. It’s been a wonderful experience to be part of this set-up.

May Yeo, research assistant and lab manager for the group of Edwige Moyroud, Sainsbury Laboratory

Never did I expect that my very niche scientific skill set could ever be useful at a national scale. I wanted to be of help in any way possible during this difficult time. 

As a Canadian living in another country during this situation, I felt like this was my opportunity to give back to the community and country which I now call home. I hope that by testing as many samples as possible, we can help the country get through this crisis. 

For me the best thing about volunteering at the Cambridge Testing Centre has been meeting new people and being proud of what Cambridge scientists can do in such a short amount of time!

Dr Tannia Gracia, senior scientific associate, Cancer Research UK-Cambridge Institute

It would have been impossible for me not to put in to practice the skills I have in this particular area of viral detection. I felt that it was my duty to volunteer and contribute to this amazing effort of testing the general public and all the heroes in the NHS. 

I see testing as a task of great importance towards getting the country back to normal. It gives me great satisfaction that I can significantly contribute to the global efforts of fighting this pandemic by using my scientific skills.

Volunteering at the Cambridge Testing Centre has been one of the most incredible and rewarding experiences of my life. All the members of my team are extremely professional and experienced scientists, and a unique and fun bunch of people to hang out with during this stressful time. All of them wear the brightest smiles and are full of enthusiasm, even if they have to start a shift at 6:00am or finish at midnight. It is soul-stirring.

Dr Mahmud K K Shivji, Senior Scientist, MRC Cancer Unit

My decision to volunteer at the Cambridge Testing Centre was a no-brainer. They use a genetic amplification technique, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to track viral genetic material in swabs from test subjects. It is a test that forms the bedrock of genetics analysis in academic, pharmaceutical and medical research. I have used this technique throughout my career as a research scientist. The lockdown opened up a unique opportunity to use my skill set in PCR, to contribute to a challenge in a very meaningful way.

I am assigned to the PCR team whose task is to screen thousands of samples for the virus and provide vital data to the NHS to either help reassure or protect the community at large. The lab environment has a serious side due to the hazardous nature of our work. However, the PCR team leader has engendered a spirit of co-operation that makes our collective contribution more worthwhile and enables us to function efficiently at our tasks.

My stint at the centre will stay with me for a long time! So much so, I plan to continue to volunteer into Phase 2, hopefully as part of the technological development team. I have developed a newly found enthusiasm for my skill sets, a desire to learn more about infectious diseases and to contribute to this effort as a researcher in the future.

Dr Sam Roberts, postdoctoral research associate, Department of Chemistry

It's been pretty humbling that up until I started at the Cambridge Testing Centre, despite my years of scientific training, I wasn’t able to contribute to the fight against the virus. Our research group spent weeks discussing potential contributions that we could make both in short term and long term. As part of these discussions my supervisor was very encouraging when some of us asked to join the testing efforts.

It has been a real moral boost for me to do something useful. Testing is really important and I’m proud that I can help. It is also great to see something other than the inside of my one bed flat and work with other scientists again. I live on my own so working with like-minded scientists is good for my mental health too.

Working with volunteers from industry has been eye opening. My background is in chemistry, so I’ve had the opportunity to meet lots of people from other disciplines and departments. I’ve also had lots of interesting talks with people highlighting the commonalities and contrast between industry and academia.