As we bid farewell to 2024, we take a moment to celebrate the incredible achievements of our team over the past year. In this Yearly Review series, we invite some MGIers to share reflections on their personal growth in 2024 and their outlook for 2025. Their stories not only reflect personal growth but also highlight the collaborative spirit that drives us forward.

Today we spoke with Lewis B. T. Lusuwi from Australia team. As a field application scientist focused on automation, he shared how he and the team have innovatively made adaptions of automation products to meet client needs. Dive into the interview to learn more about Lewis's experiences during this extraordinary year.

Q: Would you please introduce yourself and your work at MGI?

A: Hello, I'm Lewis B. T. Lusuwi, a Field Application Scientist Engineer (FASE) at MGI. I'm the automation expert for Australia and New Zealand. I work closely with our customers to understand their specific needs and then develop tailored automation solutions. This involves scripting, rigorous testing, and adaptation. Crucially, I also provide thorough training and tech transfer to empower our customers to effectively use these solutions.

Q: What sparked your interest in being an automation engineer in a biology-related field?

A: My interest in biological automation was sparked by realizing the future of biological labs hinges on efficient, automated processes. After completing my Master's in Biology, it became clear that automation was no longer a luxury, but a necessity for handling the increasing volume and complexity of biological data. Combining this with my passion for coding, I found my calling in developing automation solutions for companies like MGI, who are at the cutting edge of this transformation.

Q: Looking back at your journey in 2024, what were your objectives for the year, and how many of those did you achieve?

A: This year, my focus was on driving automation innovation and ensuring seamless customer experiences. My key objectives included: developing a minimum of six new automation scripts to streamline workflows, providing essential support to the CEC projects, and delivering comprehensive pre- and post-sales support to our growing customer base.

I'm proud to say we surpassed our script development target, a testament to the hard work and collaborative spirit of our team. I'm particularly grateful for the support of Dr. Haofei Wang, Dr. Karthik Pulella, and Dr. Shengnan Bi, whose expertise and guidance were invaluable.

Q: What is your proudest achievement or most impressive moment from 2024?

A：proudest moments in 2024 was receiving the Innovation Excellence Award. It was incredibly rewarding to be recognized for my contributions to developing creative and effective solutions. This recognition motivates me to continue pushing boundaries and seeking new ways to enhance our automation offerings.

Q: I’ve been informed that you successfully completed several key automation adaptations for projects this year. Congratulations! Could you introduce one project you were responsible for? What were the key challenges during its development, and how did you address them?

A：One particularly impactful project this year involved collaborating with LifeStrands Genomics, a clinical laboratory based in Melbourne. Our objective was to develop, test, and implement four automation scripts to optimize their workflows. As one of our first fully clinical customers, this project presented unique challenges. We quickly realized that a standard workflow wouldn't meet their stringent requirements for optimized processes, error prevention, and consistent turnaround times.

To address these challenges, we took a creative approach. We consolidated two of the original four scripts into a single, more efficient script to streamline processing. Additionally, we recommended and implemented a change in hardware configuration, transitioning from a standard Smart8 to a Smart8 with onboard quantification to better align with their specific needs.

These adaptations proved highly successful, enabling LifeStrands Genomics to streamline their workflow while maintaining the high quality of their results, from library preparation through to post-capture products. This project was a valuable learning experience, highlighting the importance of adaptability and collaboration in delivering tailored automation solutions for our customers.

Q: How do you see your role in contributing to regional business growth?

A: I see my role as similar to an architect. Just as an architect designs the blueprint for a building, I design and implement the automation solutions that form the foundation of our customers' workflows. I work closely with the 'builders' (the sales and implementation teams) to ensure the 'building' (the automation solution) is structurally sound, meets the customer's needs, and can withstand future growth. My focus is on creating scalable, efficient, and robust systems that empower our customers to achieve their research goals.

Q: Compared to 2023, what business breakthroughs have occurred in your region?

A: 2024 has been a year of significant breakthroughs for our region, marked by successful first-time deployments of key technologies. Notably, we successfully implemented the new MGISP-Smart 8 with onboard quantification at two customer sites and also deployed our new budget-friendly robot, the Alphatool. A key achievement was developing a seamless workflow from library preparation to post-capture products using the MGISP-Smart 8 with onboard quantification. This integrated solution has streamlined processes and improved efficiency for our customers. This was a direct result of our team’s combined efforts to not only deploy the new technologies but also to develop optimized workflows that maximize their potential.

Q: Which kind of automation products are popular among your regional customers? What are the unique strengths of MGI's automation products?

A: The MGISP-Smart 8, particularly when combined with onboard quantification, has been exceptionally popular with our regional customers. They appreciate the platform's flexibility and open architecture, which allows it to seamlessly integrate with not only MGI workflows but also most third-party kits. This adaptability minimizes disruption to existing lab workflows, making adoption much smoother.

Q: What are your goals for 2025, and what is your plan to achieve them?

A: In 2025, I aim to not only elevate the customer experience but also to grow professionally by leading these key initiatives. My focus is on developing advanced remote monitoring solutions fo r our instruments and creating even more streamlined workflows for our clinical customers. This involves collaborating closely with our development teams, actively seeking customer feedback, and implementing iterative improvements. I also aim to further develop my project management and leadership skills in this process. By achieving these goals, I believe we can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and drive further adoption of our technologies.

Q: Please share your wishes for your regional team and the rest of the MGI community in the upcoming new year.

A: What a year 2024 has been! The MGI ANZ team has achieved so much, and the entire MGI community has shown incredible resilience and innovation. As we embark on 2025, I'm filled with excitement for what we can accomplish together. I wish everyone a year filled with growth, collaboration, and groundbreaking achievements. We are a strong and proud team, and I'm confident we will continue to achieve great things. Happy New Year to the MGI ANZ team and our wonderful MGI community!