Welcome to our Getting to know us (a.k.a. Teamsembl) blog series, where we talk to Ensembl colleagues and ask them a series of questions about their role in the project. For this month, we chatted with Paulo Branco Lins, who is a bioinformatician and software developer within the Ensembl Regulation team. Join us as we learn more about Paulo’s role at Ensembl.

When did you join and what is your job in Ensembl?

I started working as a bioinformatician/software developer on the Regulation team in September 2021. Due to the pandemic, I spent a few months working remotely before being able to come to the UK. My work focuses on automating the processing of regulatory annotations and trying to find better ways to present this data to the community.

What does your typical work day look like?

It all starts with a long, deep breath with my eyes closed — and then I’m ready to check my emails and Slack messages. After that, based on their priority, I choose which tasks to focus on for the day. During lunch, I make time to exercise. With a cup of coffee in hand and back at work, I engage in moments of interaction with the team, sometimes in meetings, other times in informal chats, which are always insightful. And finally, I try to reflect on how much progress I’ve made on my tasks. Oh, and all of this is accompanied by plenty of music in my headphones.

What do you enjoy the most about your job?

It is a land full of opportunities to learn new things. And if you ever get tired of writing code, there’s always a biological question worth exploring. You just can’t get enough.

How has your role at Ensembl evolved since you first joined the team?

I think it has evolved a lot. In the beginning, I felt like I was contributing to the team — now I feel like I’m truly part of it. This growth reflects several aspects, among which I’d highlight learning new technologies, gaining a deeper understanding of teamwork, and improving task and project management.