Neta Pipko: Capstones to Careers

A recent graduate from the MHSc in Medical Genomics program, Neta Pipko leveraged the skill set from the program to go from Capstone practicum to fulfilling career in the heart of SickKid’s Precision Child Health initiative.

MedGen’s course-based nature was particularly appealing to Neta. She explained that a research-based program felt too niche for her at the time, and she valued the breadth of directly actionable skills she could gain from MedGen.

Now a Research Genome Analyst in the Translational Genomics Node at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Neta describes how “the knowledge gained from [MedGen] is entirely applicable to a career moving forward.” She says that throughout her practicum and into her new role that she uses everything she has learned every day.

Neta explains a prime example of this was bioinformatics. Despite not directly using these skills herself, she describes how valuable having the background knowledge can be in practice, saying “it's very nice [to know] because in genetics [we] work with a collaborative team”. By understanding bioinformatics, Neta can communicate more effectively with her team, allowing for streamlined problem-solving due to her insight into the underlying processes.

She further explains that “the technical skills and the foundational knowledge [she] gained through [MedGen] were really pivotal” to her career now as she had learnt the fundamentals of genome analysis, allowing her to focus her efforts on optimizing and specializing her skills.

These skills were reinforced by Neta’s practicum at SickKids in the Genome Diagnostics lab, under the supervision of Dr. Lianna Kyriakopoulou (read more about Dr. Kyriakopoulou here). There, she worked on the clinical-grade RNA-sequencing project – a project aiming to bring RNA-sequencing into clinical practice. The Genome Diagnostics Lab is “the only laboratory in Canada with this technology being used for patient care”, and Neta got to participate in both analyzing data produced and optimizing the workflow for clinical implementation.

Neta describes the RNA-sequencing project as a “a very unique opportunity” for her as she got to experience both the translational and clinical sides of genomics. Due to the novelty of its clinical use, RNA data represents a unique analysis challenge while standards and best practices continue to be established; this project afforded her an opportunity to work with “alternative approaches in addition to DNA sequencing.”

This experience perfectly primed Neta for her current role in the Translational Genomics node of SickKids as it “bridges the gap between research and clinical practice”. She also asserts that the networking opportunities available to her through the program and her practicum were imperative in securing her position.

As a Research Genome Analyst, she gets to work with clinicians, researchers, and teams to advance genomic testing capabilities either by translating new methodologies into the clinic or integrating genomic technologies to advance the understanding of rare genetic diseases. Her role is in the heart of the Precision Child Health initiative which she describes as one of the “most exciting frontiers in healthcare.” As such, she works on projects that not only improve disease diagnosis, but also treatment, surveillance, and management.

She hopes to continue focusing on improving patient care and outcomes by further incorporating genomic technologies into the clinic – exactly what she aspired to just a couple years ago during her undergraduate thesis project, which she is now making a reality – a true full circle moment.

Neta’s experiences highlight the value of the skills taught in the Medical Genomics program and how students can translate them into exciting, fulfilling, and successful careers. We are so proud to have been part of Neta’s journey and cannot wait to see what comes next!