How to Answer: In the scenario where your laboratory finds contamination, what troubleshooting step would you take?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Microbiologist job interview.
12. In the scenario where your laboratory finds contamination, what troubleshooting step would you take?
How to Answer
Don't ask what type of contamination! It's irrelevant since the interviewer wants to know if you have experience dealing with contamination (most laboratory professionals do) and how you were able to control it. Reflect on a time when you might've dealt with contamination in the lab. If you are early in your career, then think about experience with this as a student and what you might've learned from instructors and other professionals.
Written by Clara Canon on October 7th, 2020
Answer Example
"In several PCR runs, I noticed the internal control was unusually positive in all samples. What was especially alarming is that it was positive in the negative control samples as well. This occurred on several runs on all of the machines leading me to believe it was a contamination issue rather than a specific failure related to reagents, equipment, or human error. I implemented the addition of Uracil-DNA Glycosylase (UNG) to the PCR assay to prevent carryover contamination between PCRs. This technique proved to be successful in future runs."
Written by Clara Canon on October 7th, 2020
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