Profile

Candidate CV questions (extra)

• Education:

  I went to comprehensive school in Stafford, West Midlands (Blessed William Howard), where I studied 4 A-levels (Biology, Chemistry, English Language, Maths).

  I then studied for an undergraduate Masters in Biochemistry at the University of Bath (4 years), which was a fantastic degree as it involved 2 6-month work placements.  For my first placement I studied at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge, and was lucky enough to be there as they completed the first draft of the human genome sequence.  My second placement was in the USA, in Rochester (upstate New York), working on an eye disease called Batten’s disease.

  Following University I did a 3-year PhD at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, on a mouse model of slow neuronal degeneration.

  On completing my studies I spent 7.5 years working in research and development at Pfizer (pharmaceutical company), before moving to my current post at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, where I focus on the Human Cell Atlas project.  This project is a global initiative with over 3000 members, aiming to map all of the cell types in the human body.  We do this by studying gene expression (RNA).

• Qualifications:

  9 GCSEs inc double science.

  4 A-levels: Biology, Chemistry, Maths and English Language.  (At the time of choosing A-levels, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go into science or become an english teacher.  I always hated maths, but it seemed like a good subject to have a qualification in.  A colleague once told me people who go into biology  tend to hate maths.  In my experience, it’s true – though I’m sure there are exceptions out there!

  Undergraduate Master of Biochemistry, University of Bath.  Best degree ever as it included 2 6-month work placements – one in the UK, one in the USA.  Work experience is a must when applying for jobs post-degree.

  PhD in Molecular Biology (3 years) – I actually studied at the Babraham Institute near Cambridge; though my degree was awarded by Cambridge University.

• Work History:

  I worked on a check-out in Marks and Spencer for a while when younger.

  My first ‘job’ was my PhD degree – this isn’t really like studying, you are working as a scientist to answer questions / solve problems, then you have to write a book about what you did at the end and be cross-examined for a couple of hours to be awarded the degree.  You get paid to do a PhD usually, and it’s tax-free.

  Following my PhD I got a job at the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, working in research and development.  I worked on cell therapies and models in a dish using stem cells – one of the projects was trying to produce cells that could be transplanted for a disease called macular degeneration.  You learn how much effort goes in to trying to produce medicines, and how often these things fail!  However, the projects that do make it have a real impact on peoples’ lives.

• Current Job:

  Today, I work at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the place in the UK that helped generate the first human genome sequence.  My current work involves mapping all the cell types in the human body and the genes they express – a project called ‘Human Cell Atlas’.  This is a large international consortium with over 3000 members, all focused on the same task.  We have mainly studied healthy human tissues so far, but are beginning now to compare that healthy data with diseased samples, in the hope of identifying new markers of disease, leading eventually to new medicines.

  The main asset I have in my job is the people I work with.  In science, working collaboratively and being a team player is key.

• Employer:

  Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge.