MDG’s Microbiologist II, Alemayehu Dasho, is a familiar face in the lab. From working on samples to presenting his finding to the team he does it all with a smile.
- What drew you to Microbial Discovery Group?
I used to work in a veterinary clinic where I had a chance to treat animals with antibiotics for bacterial-related infectious diseases. After treatment, many animals have been exposed to digestion-related problems because of antibiotic effects on normal microflora. There were no products in the market like products of MDG that could be used to replace the microbial community in the gastrointestinal tract of domestic animals in the form of animal feed. Seeing this problem, I desired to work on the animal probiotic side, MDG opened that door.
- What does your typical day look like?
Typically, my day is spent in the lab working on samples from the production facilities. Tasks I perform include plating and counting colonies on each plate for finished products, cultures and fermentation samples in addition to DNA extraction of culture and fermentation samples.
- What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about self-development and learning new things through involvement in different projects.
- What’s the most inspiring or exciting part of your job?
Exciting, has to be when all the samples I tested in the lab pass quality and food safety requirements before getting shipped to customers. I enjoy participating in discussions on the process of improvement or development. Another exciting part of the job is conducting GMP walk-through inspections and presenting the findings to the relevant departments for corrective action. As MDG’s capacity grows, we want to ensure we are exceeding regulatory requirements.
- What’s your favorite thing about working at MDG?
The best part of working at MDG is working in a field I love and enjoy. The company’s culture is everyone working for a common goal which is something I take pride in. Everyone shares the same vision and mission and are dedicated to achieving the final goal of the company. Everybody is treated fairly and respectfully regardless of the job title.
- What do you like to do when you’re not at the office?
I enjoy life with my family. I volunteer in the community through my church, I enjoy helping people who are in need.
- What’s your professional goal for the next 5 years?
I want to grow professionally and become an expert in the area I am working. Along with my work, I look forward to continuing my involvement in research projects to identify different strains that could be used for animal feed or disease cure.
- Let’s talk about Quality at MDG and the unique value it brings our team members and customers.
As a team, we emphasize delivering safe and quality products that can increase customer trust and confidence in the MDG products. The important part of my job is to maintain high standards of product quality by ensuring reliable and repeatable test results to customers. I always adhere to trusted processes, following the protocol and procedures of the company.
