Champions Spotlight Azul Zorzoli
This is a regular column to introduce our Champions and the work they do to promote microbiology and the Society. In this issue, we’re pleased to introduce Azul Zorzoli.
Where are you currently based and what is your role? I am a Trainee Clinical Scientist in Microbiology, based at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, UK. Currently, I am working towards my registration with the UK’s Health & Care Professions Council. Previously, I completed my PhD in Molecular Microbiology at the University of Dundee, and a Master of Science at Loyola University Chicago in the USA. Why did you decide to become a Microbiology Society Champion? I discovered the Champion Scheme while reaching out to the Microbiology Society for help in planning a series of seminars for laboratory staff. It was the perfect opportunity to connect and collaborate with other professionals in the field, apply for funding for projects, and contribute to the international community of microbiologists. You have now started organising the series of seminars, could you tell us more about these? The pandemic has made it difficult for people who work in labs to attend talks and courses. Along with my colleague, Clinical Scientist Rebecca Dewar, we decided to organise a series of local, in-person seminars for the Biomedical Scientists (BMSs) and Healthcare Support Workers of the Virology and Microbiology services. Our aim was to provide new learning opportunities in a relaxed and friendly environment, and to encourage BMSs working on their training portfolios to give short presentations. We started our seminars in September 2023 with a talk by Dr Dave Yirrell on recent cases of acute hepatitis outbreaks of unknown aetiology in children. Some of the topics covered in the presentations included EUCAST and Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility testing, Illumina Sequencing, RT-PCR panels for syndromic testing, real-life clinical cases involving Bacillus anthracis , Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Mycobacterium abscessus infections, and polio in wastewater, as well as new cases. What have been some of the highlights of the seminars? Our bimonthly seminars have been running for eight months and have been received with great enthusiasm. We have noticed that this initiative has contributed to the laboratory team’s sense of identity, morale, and interaction between the clinical and laboratory staff. The most successful structure has been pairing medics and laboratory staff to present clinical cases. Working on this project,
coming together in a physical space and interacting face-to-face with the rest of the team, has strengthened relationships and increased the visibility of the speakers. The seminars have also allowed the staff to consider their career progression. For example, several BMSs have contacted us to seek advice on further specialisation or participating in research projects. Have there been any challenges you have needed to overcome when organising the seminars? Our two main challenges have been attendance and funding. To maximise attendance, we consulted with the team leaders before selecting a day and time, evaluated all the alternatives to choose the best location, and conducted surveys to gather desired topics. Each talk was promoted through posters and email, but despite these efforts, the demands of our busy service prevent many people from attending, causing fluctuations in audience numbers, ranging from 20 to 60 people in-person and 10 to 25 online. We provide refreshments to make the seminars more appealing, but funding remains a challenge. Our organisation can cover expenses for one-time events, but we need more resources to fund our bimonthly meetings. Do you have any plans to develop the seminars further? We are working with NHS Education Scotland to expand our audience and reach other NHS Healthcare Boards. The idea is to make the seminar recordings available online and create educational modules to provide professional development opportunities, giving us more visibility and encouraging participation.
If you would like to be featured in this section or know someone who may, please get in touch via getinvolved@microbiologysociety.org.
Azul Zorzoli Trainee Clinical Scientist NHS Scotland
azul.zorzoli@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk azulzorzoli @azulzorzoli
38 Microbiology Today May 2023 | microbiologysociety.org
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker