When clinical lab teams choose to use molecular tests from Luminex, we want to make sure they have whatever support they need. To ensure great customer relationships we rely on people like Jill Hutson, Molecular Business Manager. She has been with the company since 2017 and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and neurobiology from the University of Texas in Austin.
Q: What are your responsibilities at Luminex?
A: I manage the molecular business in south Florida. I support our current customers to make sure they have the testing they need, and also partner with new customers to help their labs meet their molecular testing goals.
Q: Where were you before?
A: I’ve had three different roles with Luminex, and before that I was a high school science teacher. I realized I loved talking about and teaching science more than sitting at a lab bench. During summers as a teacher, I would get different jobs in the science industry. One summer I saw that Luminex was looking for a technical applications trainer. I did not intend to leave teaching, but Luminex felt like such a good fit that my role here became a permanent position.
Q: So what’s worse, dealing with a grumpy high school student first thing in the morning or going through an employee review in a company?
A: Definitely the high school student in the morning! I loved being a teacher, but trying to engage a class of 30 teenagers at 8 a.m. is one of the most difficult things I’ve done.
Q: What drew you to Luminex?
A: One of the things that caught my eye was their panel testing for respiratory pathogens and gastrointestinal pathogens. I think Luminex’s multiplexing technology is really great. It’s so useful to be able to test for many different pathogens from a single test to inform treatment.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about Luminex?
A: The company culture and the opportunities for growth. In the four and a half years I’ve been here, I have had the opportunity to grow in my career and take on new positions.
Q: If you could solve any clinical or genetic challenge, what would it be?
A: One of the most interesting areas of science right now is understanding the gut microbiome and how that impacts our health. I would love to understand how the brain is tied to the gastrointestinal tract and figure out the impact that our microbiome has on our psychology.
Q: If you weren’t at Luminex, where would you be?
A: If I didn’t work in science, I would love to be a travel tour guide, taking groups of people on vacation tours to Europe. My favorite countries to visit are France and Italy.
Q: What is something about you that no one at Luminex knows?
A: I lived in France for a few years when I was a kid. It was a great experience and I would love to live abroad again in the future.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on the weekend?
A: Hang out with my family and watch Tampa Bay Rays baseball. This year they were in the playoffs but they just lost and ended their season. Now it is back to BBQ and football.
