You can only know something as well as you can teach it. Sharing information and helping others is something that has always come back to me.

Meet Russ

Russ DuChene has the enviable task of selling Labcyte products to scientists in some of the top hot spots. As Pacific Southwest Account Manager, he covers Hawaii, Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico. The former medicinal chemist joined Labcyte in 2014.

What is your role at Labcyte?

I’m an account manager, I’m a consultant, and I’m also a teacher and student. Labcyte’s products are really a paradigm shift in the way that liquids are handled. It requires me to really immerse and engage with customers in understanding their science and sharing the strengths of our products. I have to understand the audience and attenuate a presentation based on their individual needs. It requires speaking a lot of different languages. Our customers work in drug discovery, quality control, genomics, and so many more applications. It requires really understanding their workflows, and maybe suggesting alternative workflows. It requires keeping abreast of current research and technologies, and sharing that information.

What did you do before joining Labcyte?

I started out in drug discovery research as a medicinal chemist. I designed and synthesized biologically active compounds and then optimized their activity and selectivity for therapeutic targets via new designs based on feedback from protein crystallographers, biologists, and toxicologists. I also worked in mass spectrometry and automation sales.

What brought you to Labcyte?

It was a bit of luck that at the time I was laid off from my previous position, an opportunity became available at Labcyte. The more I researched Labcyte and publications from its customers, the more I was intrigued. With my background, I saw how acoustic handling could produce better science faster and more reproducibly, while also reducing the environmental impact that comes with drug discovery research. When I worked in the lab, I was using many toxic chemicals in multi-step syntheses to get to relatively small overall yields of final products for testing. Labcyte technology would have enabled down-stream scientists to use much smaller amounts of materials, and get to significantly more reproducible results. A big challenge in science has always been not only to have a “Eureka!” moment, but also to reproduce it.

What’s the best part of your job?

It’s fun! I meet amazingly smart people every day. Most scientists are a little averse to salespeople, but in pretty short order they grasp the concepts and creative opportunities that acoustic dispensing affords and get really excited. I would say that Labcyte has a fan base in its customers. I constantly hear how amazed they are at how the results really do match up with the claims. It’s fun! I meet amazingly smart people every day. Most scientists are a little averse to salespeople, but in pretty short order they grasp the concepts and creative opportunities that acoustic dispensing affords and get really excited. I would say that Labcyte has a fan base in its customers. I constantly hear how amazed they are at how the results really do match up with the claims.

What do you do outside of work?

I love mountain biking, surfing, and playing guitar. I love spending time with my family, such as camping with my daughter

If you could cure any disease, what would it be and why?

Chronic pain. I really don’t like to see people suffering

Who is your favorite influencer and why?

People like Oprah Winfrey and Tony Robbins. Both came from very humble beginnings and just have so much caring for folks. They also donate a large portion of their prosperity to help others.

What’s your best career advice?

Work hard during the day and finish on time so you can recharge, spend time with your family, and get a good night’s sleep. Have an open mind. It’s amazing how many pieces of wisdom can show up if you’re open to receiving them. Try to help others as much as possible. You can only know something as well as you can teach it. Sharing information and helping others is something that has always come back to me.