Medical Device Expert Spotlight – Syeda Begum

Medical Device Expert Spotlight

At Test Labs, our people make all the difference, and we’re proud to spotlight Syeda Begum, one of our talented Laboratory Scientists.

Syeda is a chemist with a bachelor’s in Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry and a research master’s degree in Chemistry.

She has hands-on experience developing research projects, from testing methods to analysis, and was included as an author on a paper published in Angewandte Chemie. A keen learner, Syeda has also explored battery testing, showing her versatility across microbiology, chemistry, and materials science. At Test Labs, she applies this expertise to help advance testing projects and support scientific innovation.

We invite you to learn more about Syeda.

What do you do at Test Labs?

I work as a Laboratory Scientist. In my role, I contribute to the experimental phase of studies for which I am trained in various testing procedures. These include medical device cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation validations. I also support Study Directors in preparing protocols and reports, as well as the Business Development team with client enquiries.

Where did your interest in science stem from?

As a second generation immigrant, whose parent’s didn’t get the opportunity to have the higher level of education that others have, I always strived to be a high achiever and excel in school to prove myself. From that ambition, I was drawn to the more challenging subjects like science and maths. I enjoyed how these subjects allowed me to think critically and use logic to find solutions to problems.

Have you always wanted to be a Laboratory Scientist?

Funnily enough, I didn’t always envision a future in STEM for myself…

I was a stubborn and argumentative child so there was a point in my early academic years when I thought I’d be the world’s best lawyer! As our school lessons got more advanced and we looked at the different branches of science individually, that was when I started to have a greater interest in those fields and started thinking about what working in a lab would be like.

What would your advice be for someone thinking of becoming a Laboratory Scientist?

It won’t necessarily be like how lab work at school/university is. You’ll have a lot more responsibilities that you’ll be accountable for – things that happen behind the scenes that normally technicians take care of.  Things that you don’t even think about when you go into the school lab.

Working as a laboratory scientist involves being in a fast paced environment, so it always helps to be organised and willing to quickly adapt. With all these things in mind, my advice would be to get experience and practise in these skills by getting involved in work placement opportunities or even just finding ways to implement them in your day-to-day learning.

What are you looking forward to most about working at Test Labs?

Since being at Test Labs from its more early years, I have definitely been witness to the change and growth of the company, and that is one of the most fulfilling things about my time here. I have grown and developed in my career at Test Labs and feel invested in its continual success. So it only makes sense that I am very much looking forward to having continuous involvement in that success and providing value to not only the company, but to all the customers we work with.

What’s one thing you wish MedTech companies understood better about laboratory testing?

When validating a medical device’s IFU, the experimental phase of the project can be hindered/delayed by the number of samples that get sent to the laboratory. Sending more replicates allows us to complete validation of cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation in parallel so we can be more efficient in getting our customers the results they require.

What do you get up to when you’re not testing and analysing medical devices?

Moving away from home for my job at Test Labs meant I needed to find ways to keep myself preoccupied in my free time without having any friends/family close by. This pushed me to overcome a hesitation and insecurity I had with joining a gym. But now that is one of the main ways I use my free time! I have also always enjoyed going out for runs, and being outdoors in general, so the change of scenery – from the bustling Birmingham to the more quieter Peterborough – has been great for me since my running route through the country park is definitely more scenic.

When I’m not feeling particularly active and want to be lazy, I have a big interest in watching and learning about film. I love reading analysis and reviews of movies after watching them and it allows me to appreciate the art form a lot more with every new watch.

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