Nicholas Spain from Mesa Labs
Name, Company, and Position:
Nick Spain, Mesa Labs, Sr. Manager-Manufacturing
How would you describe your company in a short summary?
MesaLabs Bozeman division focuses on manufacturing Biological Indicatorsfor sterilization processes.These indicators are used throughout the worldand provide sterility assurance levelsfor companies processingmedical devices that help protect the vulnerable.
What were your central research questions when working with ICAL?
ICAL has provided us the use of their equipment,which has helpedus better our products.
What is your academic background, and what professional development prepared you to do this research (i.e., what advice to young scientists who might be interested in pursuing this research as a career opportunity?)
I have a BS in Microbiology that I received atMontana State University.
The course work that I took through MSU’s Microbiology program gave me the background needed to succeed in my current role. I would highly recommend to a young inspiring scientist to investigate the program. I would also give the advice that if there are any labs associated with the classes, make sure you take them. The more hands-on experience you can get, the better off you will be.
What are some of the key research findings,and what is their significance and application?
We were able to show how bacterial endospores were spreading on some of our carrier materials. This helped us better define our procedures for placing the spores on the materials. This also helped with how we order and receive certain materials for inoculation.
What is the funding source for this research?
Mesa Labs
Please provide a few recent publicationsthat resulted from your research done at ICAL.