As he describes his work with blood samples, John Babu (Medical Laboratory Science, Class of ’24) relates it back to the film Jurassic Park, and the scene where scientists explore a giant pile of dino droppings to determine the issues of a sick triceratops.
“When that scientist just goes straight into that enormous pile of feces, it reminds me of how my work with blood samples is – very interesting, revealing and impressive,” says Babu. “We’re doing a deep dive into tiny specimens to learn about a person’s past, present and future.”
Drawing connections between lab work and major motion pictures is no surprise when it comes to John, a medical laboratory technologist (MLT) with a passion for filmmaking in his spare time.
When he first arrived in Canada with his family in 2007, John says he watched Indian films whenever he felt homesick. When he began his undergraduate degree at York University, he discovered a club that watched movies together and found his new friends. Eventually, he launched his own club which screened films to students and grew it to over 1,000 members.
Movies helped John throughout his journey to Canada and to becoming an MLT, and to show his appreciation he started making films of his own to bring his love of science back to the world.
“Everything I do in the lab, I soak it in and it comes out through my art,” he says. “I’m trying to share my love of science with the audience.”
While a full-time student at Michener, John made and released a short film, Optillus, which included some of his fellow classmates as actors and was screened at Michener. The film would go on to receive accolades, including being named the Best Sci-Fi Short Film at the Markham Canada International Film Festival in 2024.
His filmmaking remains a hobby, as John says he is excited to learn more in the lab and explore new opportunities. “The good thing about the med lab program is that it can be a bridge to so many avenues,” he says. “It’s like a joker card that can be played in so many ways, and I’m excited to see where it takes me.”
As he learns more, John says he plans to bring forward more genuine and authentic films that help to grow the appreciation of science.
“If you can take this interesting scientific knowledge, package it into a film and deliver it in an entertaining way, you’ll reach a wide range of people,” he says. “We’re only limited by what we can imagine.”
