Question

With a degree in applied psychology and experience in the social care sector, we seek to discover how Michahaila found herself in the scientific field and what this means as the Director of People and Finance. 

Hypothesis

It’s understood that Michahaila has found herself utilising her skillset in the scientific field due to an understanding of people in the workplace and desire to get things right on their behalf.

Procedure

Research, of course. Much like an assay, we can’t guess the results. Instead, we must experiment and explore until we reach an evidenced conclusion! We’ve sat down and caught up with Michahaila, who explained her pathway from social care to science.

Results

“I suppose I should start by saying I’m certainly no scientist. After all, my skill set doesn’t require a test tube or a pipette but instead a genuine drive to see individuals succeed.  So, how exactly did I go from an area manager in a housing support service to the world of science? Well, let’s say the discipline runs in my family!

“My husband, Andy Upsall, Andrew Baron and I founded Antibody Analytics in 2015, and I’ve been proud to be part of the journey since day one. I’ve always been a big believer in the business and passionate about its success. While it took time for me to find my feet in a field that is so far removed from roots in social care, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how valuable both my past experiences and degree in psychology have been when managing people.

“My role as Director of Finance and People is to essentially oversee both of these departments. Each week is vastly different; from chasing accounts to building staff initiatives, I have my hand in various projects across the organisation. My ultimate goal is to make Antibody Analytics a fantastic place to work. Since joining the team, I’ve helped initiate a social committee, wellness committee, mental health first aiders and various training and development programmes with support from local colleges and universities.”

“While I came into the world of science unsure of what to expect, my understanding five years down the line is that Antibody Analytics doesn’t offer routine work. We’re for the inquisitive scientist and provide excellent opportunities for colleagues to be mentored and cross-trained by some impressive scientists along with various avenues for continued learning and progression.

“Although I’ll probably never quite fully grasp what exactly T Cell Mediated Cytotoxicity means, I’m so pleased to have the chance to put my person-centred approach into practice to play a part in a superb team and a forward-thinking organisation.”

Next Steps

“Antibody Analytics has grown so much since its inception, and we don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. As Director of Finance and People, I envision the future of my role to focus on developing a person-centred organisation. My role was initially focused on finance, but it soon grew to oversee our people – I can’t wait to see where I’ll be in the next couple of years!”

Recommendations

We recommend a role at Antibody Analytics, take a look at our current vacancies on our Careers page.