Big Sky Times

Montana State University Billings alumnus Jon Laurent, Ph.D., was recently inducted into the Montana Bioscience Alliance Hall of Fame for his critical role in COVID-19 testing research during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Laurent was working as a postdoctoral research fellow at New York University Langone Health, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. He and his colleagues were already aware that the country was facing a serious outbreak. “New York City became the epicenter early in the pandemic and was quickly overwhelmed,” Laurent said. “Our lab on the NYU Langone campus was right across the street from the main Manhattan morgue. We could see it and were right in the middle of it all.” 

As a result, Laurent co-founded the Pandemic Response Lab. At the time, Laurent had developed methods for high-throughput investigation of genetic disorders using technology platforms that were also applicable to large-scale COVID-19 testing. His research quickly switched to pivoting the platform to provide rapid and accurate testing to help combat the disease in New York City and around the country.

By December 2022, PRL processed over 11 million COVID-19 tests. Laurent credits his Montana upbringing for setting him on a course that led to his current work. He was born in Hamilton and attended Billings schools, received his B.S. degree from Montana State University Billings in 2009, followed by his Doctorate in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Texas Austin in 2016. Laurent praises the education he received at MSU Billings and believes Montana students are given opportunities that are not always available in larger areas. For example, when he was an undergraduate, he was able to make significant contributions to research in the labs of professors Kurt Toenjes, Ph.D., now Dean of the College of Health Professions and Science at MSUB, and David Butler, Ph.D.

Toenjes shares that Jon was an exceptional student and an integral part of the Fungal Colony Research Lab. “It was a pleasure to serve as one of Jon’s undergraduate research mentors,” says Toenjes. “His success is no surprise to us, and we are very happy for him.” Butler says that right from the beginning it was clear that Jon had a bright future in science. “He was smart, curious, and loved being in the lab, and it’s been gratifying to read about his many accomplishments.” Both Toenjes and Butler got him involved in research, which taught him critical skills early on. Laurent says that they were both great mentors and gave him invaluable experiences, which influenced his decision to stay in science and pursue a Ph.D. in the field. He adds, “Dr. Toenjes was the one who suggested I apply to the University of Texas Austin, because he had almost chosen that institution for his post-doctoral studies and knew the high quality of the department.” 

Laurent encourages other science-focused undergraduate students who want research experience to consider MSU Billings, since there are many opportunities available to them. He says that many times at larger institutions, these same research opportunities are generally reserved for graduate students, while undergraduates simply provide routine assistance.

Growing up in Montana and spending many hours outdoors learning about nature and visiting places like the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, resulted in a passion for science and strongly influenced his career path. “I was interested in how things worked, and my parents encouraged my curiosity.” When his mother passed away from ALS while he was studying at MSUB, Laurent said his decision to pursue a path in biosciences was solidified because he wanted to solve problems like that. When he reflects on why he and others choose science for their life’s work, two reasons surface; one is the desire to know more about the world and how the things living in it work, and the other is how to use that knowledge to better humanity.

Currently, Laurent is working on launching a new biotech startup and will reveal more information over the next several months. He also works as a consultant.

Learn more about the programs in the College of Health Professions and Science at MSU Billings.

Original source can be found here.