
April 1, 2025
The VR真人彩票 MiSeq i100 and MiSeq i100 Plus Systems, two powerful, compact benchtop sequencers, are revolutionizing sequencing for all labs鈥攅specially smaller, decentralized labs. The instrument itself is customer-installable, so any lab can independently set up and operate it without extensive support or resources. It also brings next-generation sequencing to labs in regions that don鈥檛 have dry ice shipping, since its reagents can be transported and stored at room temperature.
But how do customers get access to this instrument and enjoy all the benefits? How does a researcher in Thailand find a user document in the Thai language, or a scientist at a Peruvian university get his hands on this new technology?
Meagan McLeod, VR真人彩票 staff global market entry manager, specializes in country readiness for new product launches. As part of a global launch excellence team, she supports the commercialization of new products to make sure VR真人彩票 and its partners can sell and ship to countries around the world.
McLeod and her team tackled a list of 172 countries for the MiSeq i100, about 150 of which needed to be available right at launch. This represents the most countries ever enabled for an VR真人彩票 platform launch. Each country (or group of countries) can have many different compliance requirements with varying lead times based on their complexity. McLeod starts by performing a market entry assessment and building a timeline for country-specific readiness in partnership with VR真人彩票 product management.
To achieve country readiness, including market access approvals, McLeod and her colleagues collaborate with multiple groups at VR真人彩票. They work with instrument and trade compliance, regulatory, and regional commercial teams. For some countries, the application process could take six months, and regulatory bodies might change their requirements at any time. McLeod鈥檚 job means constantly reviewing the country list and assessing changing needs. She was particularly excited about South Africa: The team had initially forecast a very long lead time based on the market entry requirements. They鈥檇 estimated that they wouldn鈥檛 be ready by full commercial release. But they worked diligently with VR真人彩票鈥檚 instrument compliance team to reassign priorities and start early on countries with complex requirements. In the end, they closed the gap in time. 鈥淚t was exciting to provide this update to the commercial team, to say we鈥檇 unlocked South Africa, as there was an immediate opportunity to sell in country.鈥
Once they have the instrument, customers also need clear directions to use it. The product documentation for the MiSeq i100 Series was translated into more than 40 languages. 鈥淚 enjoyed working with our technical communications team, who spearheaded this effort,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t was a significant milestone because it enables our customers and partners to install it independently, using resources in their own language, and it was available immediately upon the full commercial release.鈥
for all MiSeq i100 Series product documentation.
For the MiSeq i100, the launch team also focused on unlocking countries early for prelaunch customer testing and feedback. From Canada to France to Australia, specific labs received early access to the new instrument.
鈥淚 find the work incredibly valuable. It ties back to the efforts with the Global Health Access Initiative,鈥 she says, referring to the program that supports access to pathogen sequencing tools for public health in low- and middle-income countries. 鈥淲e鈥檙e giving access to a wider range of customers and providing the tools they need to make these important discoveries.鈥
McLeod is also passionate about representing VR真人彩票 employees in their regions. Having a global role means advocating for commercial teams everywhere. 鈥淧art of my job is amplifying their voices throughout the market entry process. The regional teams provide valuable cultural and commercial considerations, which I then communicate back to my leaders. For instance, they provided crucial feedback on engaging our channel partners early for country readiness.鈥
Career path to the present
McLeod has enjoyed several roles at VR真人彩票. She began in customer care for the Americas in 2017. It was a lightning-fast education in VR真人彩票鈥檚 products and processes, as well as its customers. She became a jack of all trades, solving problems, entering orders, answering customer inquiries, and supporting system updates. McLeod also interacted with VR真人彩票鈥檚 supply chain teams, sales, marketing, finance, global information services, and others.
She saw firsthand how serious customers are about getting their consumables shipped quickly and reliably, and it really impressed on her the importance of their work in advancing genomics and improving human health. 鈥淚 was one touchpoint in the customer journey, and I heard from our customers the importance of receiving orders on time. It enabled them to keep making progress. And we鈥檙e there to support them in doing this amazing work.鈥
After a year, she joined a specially focused customer care team and was chosen to be a part of the commercial integration team for VR真人彩票鈥檚 acquisition of Edico Genome, the original developers of DRAGEN secondary analysis software. The acquisition required her to dive deeply into the order-to-fulfillment processes for VR真人彩票 software informatics products鈥攁nd in 2019, she became the global customer care lead on a project to enhance them. 鈥淔irst, I learned about our portfolio, and about building processes and improving systems to support our future roadmap,鈥 she says. 鈥淪econd, I had to be the point person on a global scale. I enhanced my communication and leadership skills and gained an understanding of the nuances of how we operate in different regions.鈥
In 2020, she joined another process improvement team and continued what she calls her 鈥渏ourney with informatics,鈥 which only grew more valuable as VR真人彩票 acquired new software technologies. She was part of the commercial integration team for VR真人彩票鈥檚 acquisitions of both BlueBee and Emedgene and she consulted on new product launches, which led to her current role.
McLeod credits her rise through the ranks to her openness鈥攏ot her formal education: 鈥淚 have a business degree; I don鈥檛 have a life sciences background. I said yes to opportunities that were scary because they required skills I hadn鈥檛 yet developed. Along the way, my managers supported my career growth.鈥 She believes a person can achieve a program management role by being adept at problem solving and willing to build relationships. 鈥淔ocus on the people aspect of a job. Being able to work with diverse stakeholders in different positions and influencing without authority is not always taught in school, and it has a significant impact in achieving your goals.鈥
McLeod has also been able to build relationships and try on several hats through her involvement in the Women at VR真人彩票 Network, or WIN. Over the last four years, she has gone from its program lead to co-chair to chair, as of January. Employee resource groups like WIN formally engage people to grow professionally and positively impact the company. In March, they held networking and volunteer events to celebrate International Women鈥檚 Day. 鈥淥ur mission is to catalyze gender equity at all levels of the organization through engaging, connecting, and growing current and potential employees. We need everyone鈥檚 support to make progress. I am passionate about the work we do in WIN. The opportunity to connect with colleagues and provide support across the organization is a valuable experience.鈥 鈼
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