Q: Tell us about yourself and your role on the services team.
Claire Fraser: I have a strong foundation in molecular biology with a specialization in genomics and bioinformatics. This expertise led me to my previous position, where I helped establish the genomics sector of a core facility. Drawing on that experience, I joined Scale to build out our services team and expand the offerings we provide to customers. There's been a lot of interest in services, which is fantastic to see.
Q: How did you first get into single cell genomics?
CF: My entry into single cell genomics happened at my previous job when I was working at a neurological institute. There was a growing need for single cell sequencing among the researchers there. My background proved to be a perfect fit—I had conducted extensive next-generation sequencing and data analysis for evolutionary studies during my master’s thesis, and many of the wet-lab and analytical skills I developed translated directly into supporting single-cell genomics.
Q: What types of services do you offer researchers?
CF: We provide a comprehensive range of services to support researchers at every stage of their single cell projects. Our offerings include sample preparation, fixation services, and multiple assay options. We can run the QuantumScale RNA assay as well as our previous RNA assay—the RNA V1 is still available for customers who prefer that option. We also offer methylation assays for researchers interested in epigenetic studies.
Q: Can you give us a sense of the types of projects that you handle in the Services lab?
CF: We've handled an incredibly diverse range of projects — everything from standard PBMCs all the way to zebrafish nuclei. The wide variety of sample types confirms our assays' performance across different biological systems, and we're seeing really great results so far.
Q: What does the typical workflow look like when a researcher brings you a project?
CF: The process is designed to be streamlined and collaborative. Researchers start by submitting a request, then set up a meeting with our Sales team and Field Application Scientists to discuss their experimental goals and project details. Once we understand what they're trying to accomplish, they meet with our Services team to ensure compatibility between their planned approach and our assay requirements.
After these initial intake calls, we send customers a sample submission box with pre-labeled tubes. This eliminates the hassle of labeling—researchers can simply fill the tubes with their samples and send the box back to us. It's a small detail, but it really streamlines the process.
Q: What happens once you receive the samples?
CF: Once samples arrive in our lab, we prepare them according to the specific assay requirements. We incorporate quality control steps throughout the entire process, including QC sequencing before full sequencing. This preliminary sequencing allows us to provide customers with a QC report showing what the shallow sequencing results look like from their prepared libraries. We'll tell customers whether everything looks good and we're ready to proceed, or if there are any issues, we discuss potential ways to optimize or salvage the samples. Only after this QC approval do we move forward with full sequencing.
Q: What QC steps are most critical for ensuring high-quality data?
CF: The biggest factor is ensuring samples are properly fixed from the start—this hugely impacts assay performance. We use fluorescent dyes to assess fixation quality. When we see 100% signal from the dye across all cells, we know we have properly fixed cells or nuclei. We also examine samples under the microscope to confirm cells look healthy and are properly isolated. Cell clumping is a major issue we watch for, as clumpy samples can cause significant problems with the assay.
We work closely with customers during the fixation process—they'll often send us images of their samples, and we can provide feedback: "That looks great" or "Let's try something different. What did you do? How can we optimize this?"
Q: What advice would you give researchers planning their first single cell experiment?
CF: Planning is absolutely the biggest thing. You don't want to waste precious samples by fixing them incorrectly or doing something that makes them incompatible with the assay. Make sure you have a clear plan for your samples and that your approach is compatible with single cell requirements.
The good news is that after proper fixation, samples can be stored for a decent amount of time, so additional planning can happen later. But fixation and sample selection are critical steps that need to be done right the first time—especially when you're working with irreplaceable samples.
I always encourage researchers to communicate with us early and often. We're more than happy to guide them through whatever they're trying to do so we can work together toward the best possible outcome.
Q: What does a typical day or week look like for you?
CF: There's a lot of customer correspondence—intake calls to ensure we understand project requirements and have clear plans. Beyond that, I spend significant time in the lab working on assays and preparing samples for sequencing. The assays are quite time-intensive, so a significant portion of my time is spent in the lab. However, I make it a point to regularly check in at my computer to respond to emails and stay in close communication with customers. Additional time is spent launching the analyses, summarizing experimental results, and meeting with customers to walk them through the final reports.
Q: What's the most rewarding aspect of your job?
CF: It's incredibly rewarding to see how happy customers are when they see their results. There's something special about exceeding expectations—when I'm working on samples and can see that the data looks great, I get excited, but seeing the customers' reactions is even better.
These researchers have worked so hard to plan their experiments, prepare their samples, and develop their projects. When everything comes together and they finally have their data in hand, you can just see their eyes light up. It's a really special feeling to be part of that scientific journey and help bring their research to fruition.
Ready to start your single cell project? Our Services team is here to help guide you through every step of the process. Contact us to discuss your research goals and see how we can support your next breakthrough or read more about our service offerings.