Mike Lo is a geneticist for the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). When I spoke to him about his interesting work, it soon became apparent that genetics was a complicated field of study.

As a geneticist, you can specialise in humans, animals or plants. In all three fields, there are broad applications, and you can work in either the research or commercial sector. The theory is the same, however, no matter which application you choose to specialise in.

If you’ve ever considered becoming an animal geneticist, you may want to keep two important things in mind. As you will see from the qualification requirements, a lot of your time will be dedicated to learning the finer details.   If you enter the field of research, you can then expect to spend your whole career studying further and documenting new findings. If you choose the commercial route, you can make use of your unique knowledge in a professional manner.

Research generally involves documenting new findings, or experimenting with other research and technology to expand on the already vast amount of knowledge on genetics existing today.

One of the latest trends in genetics is considered to be somewhat contro-versial, namely, stem cell research, but some of the findings are beneficial to society at large. Perhaps, someday soon, they may discover the cure for cancer, thereby saving many lives.

 The commercial sector often tends to be more clinical than anything else. It also requires a lot of research and lab time but, in most cases, the main difference is that the pay is usually better, and it is more competitive. Commercial applications often refer to very specific types of genetic tests, such as paternity testing.

In the case of animals, a good example of commercial application is the breeding of race horses. There’s big money

in horse-breeding, and owners will often go to great lengths to test their horses and give proof of good strong genes. Taking a blood sample and running it to the lab is the most convincing way to show how “thoroughbred” your horse actually is.

Mike has chosen the avenue of research and, even though his work isn’t easy, it still has its rewards. He has personally worked on a number of exciting projects, spending time in the labs, poking and prodding viruses and other micro-organisms. His goal, however, has been to try to unlock some of the secrets to diseases like HIV and malaria.

Getting to the point where you can say that you are a fully-qualified geneticist is by no means easy. The qualification itself requires a solid understanding of Biology, and proficiency in Maths and Science at high school level is essential. It is also a prerequisite to pass these subjects in Matric, with university exemption, before studying Genetics at university.

Once you’ve completed your three-year BSc degree, you will need to complete a one-year honours course, and then spend at least another two years or so completing a Master’s degree, to specialise in your field. The theory behind genetics is so complex, it can make your eyes squint, and you’ll need a solid understanding to make any sense of it.

If your work is not privately funded, you can’t expect to break the bank with your pay-checks. By moving to the commercial sector, you can earn more, but you need to remember that the work becomes more rigorous and you may want to change around, if you get bored.

Either way, both avenues require a person who can work hard and is dedicated to making a viable and positive contribution to our society as a whole. You may even end up finding a cure for one of the most debilitating diseases of our time. 

Shayne Nowikow