By Lauren Whitman

We opened our LuminexPLORE Lab several years ago for one reason: to help customers make the most of their xMAP^® Technology platforms. Our scientists have the expertise to build custom assays, perform bead coupling, and test a variety of samples to find the optimal solution. Team member Joanna Dragich, PhD, Scientist III, works closely with customers to get them exactly what they need. She joined Luminex in 2020 and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Carnegie Mellon University and a PhD in neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Q: What are your responsibilities at Luminex?

A: I am a Scientist III, and I work in the LuminexPLORE Lab doing xMAP^® assay design and development. Customers come to us to save time, save money, and use our expertise to build assays. Often, we can build a new assay faster than a customer could if they were starting from scratch. I also guide customers through projects they want to do themselves. Whatever the need, our goal is to make it simpler for them.

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

A: I’ve always been attracted to biology. I started working in a research lab when I was about 19 and I haven’t left since! My background is in molecular and cellular neuroscience. In academia, I focused on how genetics can provide clues into what’s going wrong in neurological disorders.

Q: What drew you to Luminex?

A: I like the translational aspect of the company. The culture is all about being innovative to address clinical needs, and the technology itself is fantastic. Since xMAP is an open platform, people can be creative about how they apply it. I definitely could’ve used this as a graduate student and postdoc!

Q: What is something you wish more people knew about the LuminexPLORE Lab?

A: We’re here to aid customers in their success, and we’re willing to work within their budgets to make their ideas a reality. If xMAP Technology is right for them, we can help them find a way to use it. We’re always happy to jump on a call and point them in the right direction.

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

A: ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. There’s a big unmet need to find biomarkers for ALS and therapeutics to help treat and cure the disease. Tackling this would be a game-changer.

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

A: I love animals and nature, and sometimes I dream about being a farmer or gardener. But I think I was meant to be a scientist.

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

A: I’m a scuba diver, and scuba diving is something that is challenging and amazing. It allows me to be in nature and see what the ocean is like underneath the water. I’ve even done it right here in Austin, at Lake Travis. It’s pretty neat, with lots of underwater structures.

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

A: I’m an outdoorsy person. I love going for a run around Lady Bird Lake — that’s something I try to do every weekend.

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