Elevating Research Excellence: Nivedita Pareek Honored with UNC Core Staff Recognition Award
Nivedita (Nivi) Pareek, the Microbiome Core Manager at the UNC School of Medicine, has been awarded the Performance Excellence award as part of the UNC Research Core Facilities Staff Recognition Program. Since joining the Microbiome Core in 2022 as a Research Associate, Pareek has demonstrated a rapid professional trajectory, evolving from a technically skilled bench scientist into a strategic leader who has materially improved the rigor and efficiency of research across the university.
A Journey of Growth and Innovation
Pareek has been a part of the UNC Chapel Hill community for six years, spending two years in Rita Tamayo’s lab before dedicated the last four years to the Microbiome Core. Coming from a science-oriented family, she pursued a double master’s degree in Biological Sciences and Microbiology to focus on medicine from a research perspective.
Her transition to Core Manager was fueled by a “self-driven” commitment to learning. Notable highlights of her technical achievements include:
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Automation Mastery: Independently learning programming and robotics to operate the Opentrons automated liquid-handling platform.
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Cost-Efficient Solutions: Developing miniaturized protocols for DNA library preparation, which significantly reduced costs and increased throughput while maintaining high data quality.
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Pioneering Pipelines: Leading the implementation of a multi-core long-read sequencing pipeline in collaboration with the HTSF.
“Nivi’s early strengths in molecular techniques… have expanded into advanced project leadership, cross-core collaboration, and staff training,” notes Dr. Andrea Azcarate-Peril, Professor of Medicine and Core Director.
Commitment to Rigor and Mentorship
Beyond technical innovation, Pareek has taken full ownership of core operations, instituting rigorous maintenance schedules and overhauling Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to meet higher safety and reproducibility standards. Her efforts have led to a notable reduction in sample-failure rates and more stable sequencing metrics.
As an educator, Pareek is described as “natural and highly effective”. She mentors students and staff in complex techniques like DNA extraction and automation, focusing on the scientific reasoning behind the procedures rather than just execution. Her leadership has expanded the Core’s functional capacity, allowing junior personnel to reliably perform tasks that once required senior intervention.
Personal Reflections and Inspiration
For Pareek, the most rewarding part of working in a core facility is the diversity of expertise and the opportunity for continuous learning from colleagues at all levels. She finds inspiration in the resilience of women, particularly her supervisor, Dr. Azcarate-Peril, whose philosophy that “the show must go on” motivates her approach to leadership.
Quick Facts about Nivedita Pareek:
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Favorite Project: Leading her first independent 16S rRNA sequencing project, which reinforced her adaptability under pressure.
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Superpower: Excellence in organization and management when coordinating multiple high-volume tasks.
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Outside the Lab: She enjoys traveling and spending quality time with friends and family.