Snapshot:
John Shimashita

Title: Research Assistant, Center for Nucleic Acids Research.

Duties: Helping to run day-to-day operations at the Scripps Research core facility, picking up samples, using the instruments, coordinating with researchers on campus, and trouble-shooting problems.

Biggest Challenge: Keeping up with changing technology, including the use of the new capillary electrophoresis 3730 DNA Analyzer, which will be introduced as the main sequencer at the facility this week. "Because we've been testing and optimizing the new instrument for a month and a half, I feel confident about switching over."

Goal: Making the transition a smooth one. "The new instrument does mean different requirements for sample preparation—especially the quantification of DNA template concentration—so if researchers have any questions, I encourage them to call. We're here to help."

Started at Scripps Research: 2001.

Thoughts on Scripps Research: "I love working at Scripps. Phil [Ordoukhanian] is the best boss I've ever had, and we have a great group."

Background: B.S. in microbiology with a minor in chemistry from California State University, Long Beach. Experience in a clinical diagnostic lab at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center and a high-volume clinical reference lab at Focus Technologies.

Family Life: Financée, Renee, and four-and-a-half-year-old son, James.

Extracurriculars: Baseball, baseball, baseball—and some softball and flag football. Shimashita focuses his efforts outside of work on managing and playing for a highly competitive men's baseball team, the Orange County Padres. Every year, the team competes in the national championships in Arizona, where it has placed second for the last two years.

Lately, Shimashita has also been acting as the personal coach to a baseball player-in-training—his son, James. "He's got a natural feel for the game," says Shimashita, "but I really just want him to have fun.

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

"We're here to help," says Johna Shimashita of the Center for Nucleic Acids Research. Photo by Kevin Fung.