Finishing a PhD in genetics
I’m from Portugal and I’m in the final stage of my studies for a PhD in genetics in the UK.
My fascination for molecular biology started during a visit to the Atom monument in Brussels, when I was nine. There was an exhibition about cells and DNA that made me want to understand more.
However a lot of my teachers thought I was silly to aim for a career in research science but I went to Lisbon University anyway, to do a degree in biology.
I joined the European Erasmus scheme and went to Aarhus University, Denmark, to join a research project. This cemented my interest in research and gave me the confidence to live abroad. I decided to do a PhD and got a place with the Department of Genetics at the University of Leicester.
I am studying telomeres - structures in DNA that are involved in the molecular clock that controls when cells die, and that also have a role in cancer. Tumours are formed by an uncontrolled agglomeration of cells that keep on dividing through the activation of at least two molecular mechanisms. I am studying the processes behind one of those mechanisms. It’s called ALT (Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres) and it’s present in around 15% of all cancers. I hope my work, in the long term, will help the detection and treatment of cancer.
Life in the lab is pretty hectic and no two days are alike. Work at a bench is a rollercoaster of different techniques, simultaneous experiments, loads of reading, great frustration and excitement.
At the beginning of mythird year I attended Leicester Graduate School which was a great way to meet other PhD students and to step back from daily routine. Tristram Hooley, from Vitae, was my tutor there and I found the organisation really useful. Vitae's website and events give skills and careers advice and the organisation sends out a useful newsletter called PGR Tips. I am sure I'll be using Vitae even more as I finish the PhD.
What next? I hope I’ll have a postdoctoral position to keep researching telomeres. I really want to stay in science. Knowing a thing before anyone else does is an indescribable feeling. I’ll probably move country again – I love travelling and it’s very good to move around in the scientific world. Networking is essential and each location offers a different attitude towards science.
Eventually I want to go back to Portugal to continue doing cancer-related research.
Clara Novo is a PhD student at the University of Leicester. She also helps with outreach activities for Genie, teaching children about DNA and genetics. Visit her website to see her CV, eportfolio and blog (find out more about eportfolios).
Clara is part of the VITAE network, a national organisation championing the personal, professional and career development of doctoral researchers and research staff in higher education institutions and research institutes.
Comments
Judith Thomas:
Hi Clara - I work on the Erasmus programme at the British Council so I'm glad to see you benefited from the Erasmus scheme. Many students discover new areas of interest for future careers and gain confidence through this programme. Over 200,000 students across Europe took advantage of it last year and we're pleased to report that the number of Uk students rose last year to over 10,000 with over half being female.
Rachel Tobbell:
Hi Clara - you say that networking is essential. Do you think this is true even at PhD stage and if yes why? What kind of network are you hoping to build and how do you think it will help you? (I ask because some of the early career stage women we meet through the UKRC, who have very busy lives, are unsure as to whether networking is a good use of their time.)
Clara Novo:
Hi Judith, I highly recommend the Erasmus programme. It’s one of the most valuable opportunities offered to EU students. The process is quite straightforward so very easily we can go to a country of our choice and spend some months in a completely different educational system (I suggest 9-12 months, as it’s such an amazing experience that often people ask for an extension). On top of this, the cultural interchange it’s a rich experience that helps shape our mentality to this modern-global world. And obviously, it raises anyone’s self-confidence, as often we go alone and have to “start” a new life from scratch.
Clara Novo:
Hi Rachel, Networking is essential in any career but in science I would say it's mandatory! And I would say that it even starts as early as at undergraduate level, for example to easily find PhD positions! In my case, networking already gave me some prospects for Post-doctoral positions. I know everyone's life is busy (especially for some people) but networking happens everywhere, in the work-environment, conferences, meetings but also at friendship level. It's like that "6 degree" theory, proposed in 1929 by Frigyes Karinthy, that although there are great physical distances between the world's individuals, the growing density of human networks makes the actual social distance far smaller. So, you never know how helpful your friends acquaintances might be!
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator):
Clara, thanks for your entry. I love your short description of life in a laboratory - its not an environment I'm familiar with. Your willingness to network across Europe is great - I wondered about language and laboratory work. Did you need to speak Danish in Danish laboratories, or do lots of scientists speak wonderful English?
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator):
I just looked up Frigyes Karinthy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frigyes_Karinthy I didn't know he was the author of the '6 degrees of separation' idea, and so long ago... It reminds of robot - that term came from Czech writer Karel Capek in 1921 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_%C4%8Capek
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator):
Finally! I wanted to warmly welcome all blog readers to our national conference on 12 March - Tomorrow's Women, Tomorrow's World. It's an exciting programme, looking to the place of women in the future SET workforce in order to identify the best ways forward now. Full time students are entitled to free places, and any member of our GetSETWomen network can come for just £40. Find out more and book here: http://www.ukrc4setwomen.org/html/news-and-events/ukrc-conferences/2009-conference Join GetSETWomen here: http://www.ukrc4setwomen.org/html/getset-women-database/
Tristram:
Hi Clara Thanks for the mention. If Clara's post makes you think that you are interested in taking a PhD you might like to have a look at Vitae's section on Why Do Postgraduate Research http://www.vitae.ac.uk/1219/Why-do-postgraduate-research.html If you are already a researcher our section on Careers http://www.vitae.ac.uk/1270/Careers.html might be what you are looking for.
Clara Novo:
Hi Ruth, yes, life in a lab is a mystery for most people. I often have people asking me “but, what do you really do in terms of work, how do you do it?”. We spent a lot of hours between the bench and tours to all the equipments we are using, usually several experiments running at the same time, so time-management is essential. About languages, English is the official language in science, so most scientist will have a fair level of English. In Denmark (and most of Nordic countries) English is spoken by literally everyone so, I didn’t have the need to learn Danish. Obviously, if I was going to stay longer there, I would definitely learn it, as learning the host language is a step into an easier adaptation.
Helen:
Hi Clara I am always interested in hearing about people involved in Genetics. I remember when studying GCE Biology at school finding the genetics we covered fascinating. This was simply at the level of dominant and recessive genes. I didn\'t take this interest any further but have often wondered what might have helped a 14 year old girl to keep that spark alive rather than let it pass. Nature, nurture or less time spent listening to Tamla Motown music and planning a social life! There are a lot of things going on to encourage young people into Science but what is it that gets the momentum going and keeps it going?
Clara Novo:
Hi Helen, I can only speak about my own experience, what made me keep the passion for genetics. I was double fortunate: my parents always supported me to follow the career I dreamed of, even when most other people advised a more stable path (for example medicine). So they took me to museums, gave me books, encouraged me to learn more about it. But also my biology teachers were fantastic, even when our questions were too specific, all the teachers I had would go home, learn and explain next day. I guess I was raised in a very “you can be what you want” environment, which definitely allowed me to follow a career in genetics. Nowadays there are much more outreach activities that can motivate younger people to follow genetics, physics, etc, but I feel that the attitude towards a career in research is still very apprehensive. I think that is the crucial point, believe that any career is doable, it is only necessary to be passionate about it.
Kaye Heyes:
Hi Clara. It's interesing that you say that it's good to move around in the scientific world and that you are making the most of opportunities to travel. If I'd known that when I was choosing my options at school, I may have chosen to pursue a career in science instead of the arts. What kind of travelling opportunities would you say there are in a science career? Would knowing this have made you even more determined to pursue a career in genetics? Thanks, Kaye
Clara Novo:
Hi Kaye, When I say travelling I mean working in different places. In science, as probably in engineering and IT careers, is quite easy to move around countries and even continents for new jobs. I think is easier to get jobs if you are open-minded about where will you work next. For example, at the moment I am considering post-doc positions so I have marked in a world-map where the most interesting groups for my research topic are. The main barrier to move, language, is not as problematic as in other careers as English is officially the science-language. Also, there are frequent conferences and meetings, you can go to as many you want/can as long you have funding to finance it. It is quite frequent, as well, to travel to learn a special technique or perform an experiment with equipment that is not available at your working-place. But science careers are very time-consuming, so there are not many opportunities for recreational travelling, since very often researchers give up their holidays to keep on working and meet deadlines.
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