At Luminex, a subsidiary of DiaSorin, we strive to understand everything about our clients’ needs so we can develop molecular diagnostics that fit their workflows and provide reliable results when they want them. That’s why we have recruited top talent to our Scientific Affairs team, which consists of PhD-level scientists with clinical laboratory expertise. A great example is Bojana Rodic-Polic, Regional Director of Scientific Affairs at DiaSorin Molecular, who joined the company in 2012 and holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a PhD in immunology from Belgrade University.

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Q: What are your responsibilities at DiaSorin Molecular?

A: I’m privileged to be part of the Scientific Affairs team. Our responsibilities are very broad. They include working on research studies with our clients or with other companies, taking care of our clients’ needs for assay development and implementation, monitoring trends in the clinical laboratory world, supporting internal teams in interactions with laboratory and medical professionals, and establishing a good relationship with laboratories and thought leaders to promote collaboration between their institutions and our company.

Q: How did you get started on this career path?

A: During my undergraduate degree in biochemistry, I fell in love with immunology, especially the mechanisms of innate immunity and the response to infection. After getting my master’s and then my PhD in immunology at the Belgrade University School of Medicine, I came to the U.S. as a postdoctoral fellow. I worked in academic research and then moved into clinical molecular diagnostics at Tricore Reference Laboratories. This was my introduction to assay development and implementation, and I had the opportunity to work with multiple companies on clinical trials. One of the companies I worked with was DiaSorin Molecular, whose team I joined in 2012.

Q: What drew you to the company?

A: DiaSorin’s approach to customer service is aligned with my understanding of how the vendor-client relationship should work. Often, concerns from clinical lab clients are treated as quick to-do items that need to be crossed off lists — this can be frustrating, especially if there is no understanding of the cause of the problem and the consequences. Our goal at DiaSorin is to resolve the issue, but also to secure the best outcome for the client by identifying the source. This really sets DiaSorin apart from other companies.

Q: If you could solve any clinical or genetic challenge, what would it be?

A: A clinical challenge that I would solve is the issue of maternal mortality. The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed nation, and while rates are decreasing worldwide, maternal mortality in the U.S. is rising. I wish it was as easy as developing a medicine to cure it. We are all aware that it is going to take many changes, on many different levels, including improving access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare. Everybody has a mother, and this should hit close to home for all of us.

Q: If you weren’t at DiaSorin Molecular, where would you be?

A: I would like to be a nose! Fragrances are my passion, whether it is perfumes or cooking aromas, and I would love to be a fragrance chemist. I especially love fresh fragrances like citrus, lavender, and bergamot. I think my love of fragrances makes me a good cook too!

Q: What is something about you that no one at DiaSorin Molecular knows?

A: I’m a history buff. This includes all kinds of history: art, food, music, fashion, and more. I love traveling and learning about places through their past. I especially enjoy traveling with my daughter, who is as much a history nerd as I am.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on the weekend?

A: I travel a lot for my job, so when I’m not traveling, I like to enjoy just being in my city. I love to take walks on my favorite beach in St. Petersburg, enjoy a cup of Cuban coffee, do some cooking, and relax at home.

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