Tosin Taiwo: From a Spark of Curiosity to Senior Clinical Scientist – A Career Shaped by Genomics

Oluwatosin (Tosin) Taiwo’s career in genomics began with an unexpected spark during her A-levels. “At a medical school open day, I wandered into a room filled with posters on cytogenetics and genomic abnormalities in rare and inherited diseases,” she recalls. “It fascinated me, and I knew I wanted to learn more.” That moment set her on a path that would take her from studying Human Genetics at UCL, through research and clinical service, to becoming a Senior Clinical Scientist in cancer genomics and a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists.

Discovering Genomics

While attending a medical school open day during her A-levels, Tosin came across a room filled with posters on cytogenetics and genomic abnormalities in rare and inherited diseases. “I was hooked from that moment,” she recalls. This curiosity led her to study Human Genetics at UCL, where she was taught by clinical lecturers from Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Institute of Child Health.

During her final-year project at the UCL Queen Square Neurogenetics Lab, Tosin worked alongside genetics clinical scientists — an experience she describes as “formative” and one that confirmed her ambition to pursue a career in clinical genomics.

From Rare Disease to Cancer Genomics

After graduating, Tosin wanted to broaden her understanding of genomics beyond rare and inherited conditions. She undertook a PhD in haematopoietic stem cell epigenomics at the UCL Cancer Institute’s Medical Genomics Laboratory, where she discovered a particular interest in cancer genomics. “At the time, there wasn’t a dedicated clinical training pathway in cancer genomics,” she explains, “so I chose the NHS Scientist Training Programme in Clinical Immunology, which included valuable haemato-oncology and genomics-relevant modules.”

Following completion of her and HCPC registration, Tosin worked briefly in molecular immunology before joining the Royal Marsden’s Molecular Diagnostics Clinical Genomics Department. She initially specialised in haemato-oncology but later moved into solid tumour genomics as testing expanded. “It was a steep learning curve, but the breadth of my training really helped me adapt,” she says.

Her determination paid off when she completed both parts of the FRCPath examination over two consecutive years, achieving fellowship 12½ years after beginning her clinical scientist training.

Stepping Into Leadership

Now working at a specialist level in cancer genomics and molecular pathology, Tosin is equally committed to developing her non-clinical and leadership skills. She serves as her department’s scientific training lead, co-chairs the workforce development committee for the Association for Clinical Genomic Science (ACGS), and collaborates with national training bodies to support the next generation of clinical scientists. She is also undertaking a leadership diploma as part of her progression towards registration as a Higher Specialist Scientist.

“Leadership isn’t just about managing people,” she reflects. “It’s about creating an environment where others can learn, grow, and thrive.”

Advice for Aspiring Scientists

Looking back, Tosin believes the variety in her career has been one of her greatest strengths. “My career has taken a longer and more varied route than some, but every stage has been valuable,” she says. “A professional career is a marathon, not a sprint — take the path that works for you, embrace diverse learning opportunities, and value each stage of the journey. Even seemingly unrelated experiences can open unexpected doors in the future.”

“A professional career is a marathon, not a sprint — take the path that works for you, embrace diverse learning opportunities, and value each stage of the journey.” — Tosin Taiwo, Senior Clinical Scientist