MGH Institute student helps bring new scientific devices to market

Romiya Glover is a woman on a mission.

Her objective: to further her education in clinical investigation so she can help develop new laboratory instruments. The one she is currently working on can provide the results of both a basic blood count and a CD4 lymphocyte count — key tests when managing patients with HIV/AIDS — in just 14 minutes.

Glover’s interest in science began when she was a student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she received a bachelor of science degree, focusing on biology and biotechnology.

“Then I began an internship at PointCare Technologies in Marlborough, where I worked in manufacturing medical devices and I was also learning about quality assurance and regulatory issues,” said Glover. As an intern, she was responsible for ensuring that new devices passed quality control.

“I came to see that our team was strong on core science background, but no one had strong knowledge of how to carry out the trials … how to design protocols, monitor sites and collect and analyze data,” she said. “I became very interested in understanding regulations and how to bring a product to market, so I began to do my own research.”

Glover saw a need to connect scientists to the regulations in the industry in order to ensure successful launches of new devices, and she saw a place for herself at the company.

“I knew that I wanted to be that liaison,” she said. That vision inspired her decision to apply to a graduate program in clinical investigation.

“First I visited Monster.com, Careers.com and Petersons.com to explore clinical investigation and see what kinds of backgrounds are necessary to pursue careers in the field. I also wanted to find out how broad or narrow the field is, and whether the job descriptions were consistent,” she said. “I looked at a variety of schools and options for flexibility because I knew my employer had a tuition reimbursement program. I wanted to work and attend school.”

Among the schools Glover considered was the MGH Institute of Health Professions.

“I placed information on a few of my top choice schools in front of my boss and she helped me choose the most reputable one, which was the MGH Institute,” she said. Glover is now a student in the Institute’s clinical investigation program, and will graduate this May with a Master of Science degree in clinical investigation.

As she pursues her master’s degree, Glover has continued working with PointCare, this past summer becoming a manager of assay and reagent development, helping to develop the chemistries for the next generation of new devices.

“I believe in PointCare’s mission too, which is to take current technology and make it affordable for poor communities and developing countries such as Haiti and Nigeria” she said.

Before becoming a manager, Glover traveled to Trinidad and Barbados to install new blood analyzers in clinics and to train clinicians on how to use them. “These devices are important because, in 14 minutes, they evaluate and give results on basic blood counts, specifically CD4 positive — this is key in HIV-positive patients because in many countries they must be at a certain level to be eligible to receive antiviral drugs,” she said.

Developing the next generation of medical devices is fulfilling for Glover, who enjoys her position’s technical theme — but not as much as seeing her work pay dividends.

“I can go to the lab when I want, I am in charge of designing trials and managing data … but the biggest reward is seeing our chemistry work in a device, and seeing it make a difference in a patient’s life,” she said.

Glover encourages those who are considering the field of clinical investigation to really learn about the industry. “I requested a lot of information, and charted out the program and my work schedule, and I looked at the Institute’s website,” she says, recommending that interested parties “always look to see what you can learn to broaden your skills.”

For more information on the MGH Institute of Health Professions and the Clinical Investigation program, please visit ci.mghihp.edu.