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A typical day

You come in and read yesterday's plates: which grew, which did not, what they look like. Then you set up today's work, streaking samples, loading automated identification machines, running genetic tests. In a hospital lab you phone results that matter, such as a blood culture growing something dangerous, straight to the ward. In a plant you are checking that the line, the water and the product are clean, and you are the person who can shut a batch down.