By Lauren Whitman

In the LuminexPLORE Lab, our scientists spend their days focused on building custom assays for clients. Allowing them to maintain that focus is Zack Garcia, Lab Manager, who oversees day-to-day management of the facility to keep everything running well. He joined Luminex in 2013 and holds a bachelor’s degree in human biology, focused on pathology and immunology, from the University of Texas at Austin.

Q: What are your responsibilities at Luminex?

A: As manager of the LuminexPLORE Lab, my work involves keeping the lab maintained and keeping our instruments calibrated so they are always ready for use by the scientists. I make sure our inventory is kept up, working with vendors to stock custom reagents, antigens, antibodies, and anything else our team needs to support our clients. I also manage the lab’s budget and keep up with quality standards, and work with other Luminex departments to meet the needs for our team.

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

A: My college degree focused a lot on immunology, so when I came across a job opening at Luminex, I was really interested in it because of xMAP^® multiplexing technology. I had learned about multiplex assays and bead technology from my professors. Since I was looking for a career related to my degree, I thought that this would be a great fit.

Q: What drew you to the company?

A: In addition to the multiplexing technology, I really liked the team dynamic when I interviewed, and Luminex seemed like a strong company. I joined the manufacturing side where I spent seven years working on bead coupling and assays. Eventually, when the LuminexPLORE Lab opened, I became really interested in the idea of supporting clients through a custom facility, so I decided to move in that direction.

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

A: The amount of knowledge that we have here! We have so many scientists with different backgrounds and capabilities. Anybody can reach out to us wanting something to be developed and our team can do it.

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

A: Alzheimer’s. My grandmother suffered from that for six years or so. Just seeing how fast it can cause someone to degrade — losing their memories and themselves — it’s not a pleasant thing to watch.

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

A: I’ve always had all sorts of business ideas. There are so many different things I’d love to do, from being a landscape photographer to owning my own wood shop. I would also really like to own my own restaurant.

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

A: When I was a kid, I was a huge fan of MacGyver. I used to try to build booby traps in the backyard, but I never succeeded. In second grade, I begged my mom to buy me a pocketknife because MacGyver had one and I wanted to be as cool as him. The first day I had it, I cut my finger and hid it from my mom because I was so afraid she would take the pocketknife away from me.

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

A: Checking out new barbecue or Tex-Mex joints. I’ll drive around to neighboring cities to try barbecue joints and see whose is the best. I always get pork ribs and sausage. My favorite place is Black’s BBQ in Lockhart, just outside of Austin.

 

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