Tag: Translational Neuroscience

Aisling McGarry: ‘The sense of reward was immense when presenting my findings to a room full of scientists’

What is your name?

Aisling McGarry

Where are you from?

I am originally from Derry in Northern Ireland. I have been living in London since 2017

To which class you belong to?

MRes Experimental Neuroscience, Class of 2019

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from the University of Manchester in 2017. For my final year project, I created a simulation model of ion transport across the blood-brain barrier using MATLAB. After this, I worked as an Editorial Assistant at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society for a year, working on the British National Formulary (BNF) and other pharmacy reference books

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

Even though I found studying my Master’s degree could be incredibly demanding and stressful at times, I can whole-heartedly say it was one of the best years of my life so far. From the day I started, it was a steep learning curve, but I was provided with so many brilliant opportunities to learn. Exploring different research topics and learning novel experimental techniques was not only incredibly exciting, but also invaluably useful when building a career in research. I loved the everyday experience of lab bench work, from performing experiments to statistical analysis, and the sense of reward was immense when presenting my findings to a room full of scientists. It was my Master’s experience that made me realise I want to stay in scientific research for the rest of my life! I can say that I have never worked as hard as I did during my year of Master’s study, but it was entirely worth it for the research skills I gained

Which research projects did you work on?

My Master’s programme included 3 project rotations – lasting 12 weeks each. For my first rotation, I worked with Dr Carmen Picon in the group headed by Professor Richard Reynolds, focusing on cell death of grey matter neurons in multiple sclerosis. In this project, I became accustomed to immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and western blotting techniques for the first time. For me, it demanded a lot of practice and focus to make sure I could complete my experiments according to rigorous protocols and obtain reproducible data. I was lucky enough to have brilliant guidance and support in doing this. I worked with post-mortem human brain tissue from the Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Tissue Bank here at Imperial, so this was when I first became familiar with the various aspects of post-mortem tissue processing. My second project was with Dr Magdalena Sastre, looking to investigate the putative molecular mechanisms linking major depression with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). I used molecular biology techniques such as western blotting and qPCR to elucidate how the expression of genes and proteins linked to amyloid-beta (Aβ) production, a major pathological hallmark of AD, were altered in major depression. During this project, I gained a sense of confidence in my ability as an independent researcher. This was down to Magdalena’s support and guidance throughout this project: her dedication to students is exceptional. It was also during this project I realised my research interests were refining neuropathology. In particular, I wanted to learn more about neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. For my final project, I continued to work in Magdalena’s lab group and worked with various researchers including Dr Mazdak Ghajari, Dr Helena Watts and Dr Cornelius Donat. I studied blood-brain barrier dysfunction in an animal model of traumatic brain injury (TBI). I used immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining, where I showed tight junction, astrocyte end-feet loss and extravasation of blood-borne proteins proximal to an impact injury site. I also had fun learning how to section my paraffin blocks with a microtome during this time! This project gave me further insight into the world of researchers by understanding the utility of collaboration – my histology staining was conducted to supplement a computational simulation of vascular injury in a rat model, created by Dr Siamak Farajzadeh Khosroshahi from Dr Mazdak Ghajari’s lab

Where are you now? 

I was lucky enough to accept my current job at Imperial a few weeks upon completing my Master’s degree. I am working in Professor Paul Matthew’s group at the UK Dementia Research Institute as a Research Technician

What are you working on?

Broadly speaking, my role as a Research Technician is focused on using histological and transcriptomic techniques to collate data contributing to the Multi-omics Atlas Project (MAP). MAP aims to provide a comprehensive, multi-omic tissue resource that charts the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in the human brain across different brain regions. This resource will be openly accessible for the scientific community worldwide and will inform future research efforts. In this role, I am learning to use novel molecular techniques such as in situ hybridisation and single-cell RNA sequencing to characterise gene expression. I am also continually building upon my histological skills by using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence to characterise tissue and optimise antibody use. Outside of the lab, I am learning more about imaging software to annotate and analyse microscopic images, and R packages for RNA-sequencing analysis

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

There were many lessons I learnt as a Master’s student, so it’s difficult to pick one that could have been most important. I would say that my experience taught me to be kinder to myself – or else I would have been a bundle of stress! I experienced for the first time a feeling that all scientists are accustomed to – the disappointment of when an experiment hasn’t worked. This, in fact, probably taught me more than any successful experiment could have. It forced me to pay attention to every detail of my experimental protocol and to try to understand what could go wrong – for example, understanding optimal conditions for your tissue and antibodies. I learned to adjust my expectations realistically based on this experience. It made me realise that just because an experiment didn’t produce the results I had hoped, doesn’t reflect on my potential as a scientist. In fact, what demonstrates true ability as a scientist is to be innovative, by working towards solutions or new ways of achieving your experimental goals. I still apply this practice every day in my current role and it has allowed to optimise new techniques to facilitate new means of validating our data

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

I can confidently say I would not be in the job I love today without the experience I gained from my Master’s programme. My research projects had already given me significant experimental and analytical skills required for my current role. I was confident with the use of histological and molecular biology techniques, microscopy and statistical analysis – all of which I use every day in my job. Beyond these skills, producing high-quality research under significant time constraints demanded agility and resilience – it was definitely a character-building experience! As well as research experience, this Master’s programme also provided numerous opportunities to present my findings in the form of posters and talks. This developed my confidence and provided me with a sense of ownership over my work which was incredibly rewarding. It was the first time I could see and experience the impact of scientific research for myself, by being a part of it. The experience of this programme was exceptional in that I got to emulate, as closely as possible, the day-to-day work as a research scientist for 12 months. This gave me enough time to grow and mature into a fully equipped, independent researcher, while giving me the flexibility and opportunity to delve into a multitude of research topics and experimental techniques. I haven’t seen another Master’s programme that I think could recreate this brilliant experience!

Kety Alania: ‘My experiences during the Master program played a pivotal role in my career’

What is your name? 

Kety Alania

 

Where are you from? 

I’m from Georgia

 

To which class you belong to? 

Class of 2018

 

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London? 

I completed BSc Psychology at Royal Holloway University in Surrey

 

How did you find your Master experience at the College? 

I really enjoyed my MSc course. I loved the course content. It gave us a broad but, at the same time, detailed overview of different subfields of neuroscience. We had regular journal club assessments, which I thought were an excellent way to help us build confidence and develop presenting and public speaking skills. We had so many. By the end, it no longer felt like an assessment, and we were actually looking forward to it. Most importantly, I made some amazing friends while on the course, for which I’m very grateful

 

Which research project did you work on? 

My research project focused on using non-invasive brain stimulation methods to modulate brain activity and cognition. More specifically, I was developing methods to simultaneously monitor brain activity while delivering electrical stimulation, which is a big challenge in the field

 

Where are you now?  

I’m am completing the first year of my PhD at Imperial College

 

What are you working on? 

My research focuses on developing and translating non-invasive deep brain stimulation interventions for neuropathology and cognitive decline in early Alzheimer’s Disease

 

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

Get involved! Look for things that capture your curiosity, and then take the initiative. And while you are doing that, look for mentors. They will be the most important thing in your career

 

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now? 

My experiences during the Master program played a pivotal role in my career. The relationships I formed and mentorship I received during my time on the course, especially while working on my project, has definitely shaped me as a scientist

Paula Beltran Lobo: ‘I am delighted to see that my classmates have become colleagues and friends of mine’

What is your name?

Paula Beltran Lobo

Where are you from?

Spain

To which class you belong to?

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2018

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

I studied BSc Biomedical Sciences at the University of Barcelona

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

I found the Master experience a unique academic opportunity that offered me both professional and personal growth. The course challenged the students and motivated us to work together. I am delighted to see that my classmates have become colleagues and friends of mine

Which research project did you work on?

My MSc research project focused on understanding the role of the translocator Protein 18 kDa (TSPO) in myeloid cells as a potential strategy to modulate the innate immune response in neurodegenerative diseases

Where are you now? 

I am currently doing a PhD at King’s College London funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK)

What are you working on?

During my MSc course, I became very passionate about the role of the immune system in neurodegeneration. I decided to continue my research career with a PhD in this field. My current research project tries to unravel how inflammatory signals downstream of a purinergic receptor, known as P2X7R, contribute to tau-associated neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

Probably a valuable lesson I learnt was to persevere and to push myself

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

The MSc programme gave not only the theoretical bases, but also the experimental knowledge required to enrol into the PhD programme

Bryony Goulding Mew: ‘Before the Master, I would have never thought I could complete a project in computational neuroscience!’

What is your name?

​Bryony Goulding Mew

Where are you from?

Oxford, UK

To which class you belong to?

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2019

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

BSc Neuroscience at the University of Manchester, UK

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

The University was a wonderful place to be. I loved being surrounded by fellow scientists. The Translational Neuroscience course was stimulating and challenging. The lectures and theoretical content were balanced well with research, and it was a great way to put our understanding and critical thinking into practice. It is also a great feeling knowing you are working with some of the best scientists in their field

Which research project did you work on?

I worked with Dr Adam Hampshire and Dr Stefano Sandrone on a computational neuroimaging project which aimed to map the neural correlates of visual, rule and motor conflict in the human brain

Where are you now? /What are you working on?

I am currently writing up my Master project for publication. I am also working as a domiciliary carer with a view to applying for graduate medicine this year

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

To have more confidence in my own abilities. My lecturers and supervisors at Imperial were always so supportive and reminded me that they were once in my shoes. Before the Master, I would have never thought I could complete a project in computational neuroscience!

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

It has provided me with a love of science, problem-solving and critical thinking. It has given me the impetus and confidence to apply for graduate medicine

Alexandra Rother: ‘My wet-lab and independent working skills improved during my Master’s thesis’

What is your name?

Alexandra Rother

Where are you from?

Munich, Germany

To which class you belong to?

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2018

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

BSc Molecular Biotechnology at the Technical University of Munich

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

While it was an intense year, I learnt a lot, beyond subject-related matters, and I met amazing people, including close friends

Which research project did you work on?

I worked on a project about a mutation in familial Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the Laboratory headed by Professor Jacqueline de Belleroche

Where are you now? 

I am a PhD student in the Denk Lab at the Max-Planck-Institute of Neurobiology in Germany

What are you working on?

In my PhD project, I am focusing on songbird connectomics and on how songbirds learn their species-specific song. I am using electron microscopic data to analyse the brain circuit responding to song learning on a synaptic level. Additionally, my PhD also involves work on sample preparation for the electron microscope

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

To never give up and use the opportunity to learn new skills as you might end up liking them. For me, that was the case when I was introduced to coding and computational neuroscience where I was surprised how much I actually enjoyed it

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

As mentioned above, it made me realize that I also enjoyed analysis outside of the lab, giving me a few basic programming skills that I am expanding in my PhD now. Also, my BSc programme was very general, so the MSc programme gave me Neuroscience-specific knowledge. My wet-lab and independent working skills improved during my Master’s thesis, while presentation skills developed throughout the general course, as did my English. Overall, learning so many new things within this year gave me the confidence to start my PhD in a more fundamental neurobiological subject, namely quite different from what I worked on previously

Carolina (Lena) Beppi: ‘A challenging, yet stimulating, enriching and pleasant experience’

What is your name?

Carolina (Lena) Beppi

Where are you from?

I was born in Livorno, Tuscany, in 1994, from Italian and English parents

To which class you belong to?

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2018

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

I obtained a B.Sc. in Psychology, Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience from Royal Holloway, University of London, in Egham (Surrey)

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

Studying at a top-ranked and most respected academic institution in the world, in the heart of a dynamic and culturally diversified metropolis, is an appealing welcome card. This may induce high expectations, excitement and perhaps fright to an arriving student at Imperial College. The Master course has been a journey of continuous academic and personal growth. Learning from the brightest staff while studying with highly capable coursemates rendered it a challenging, yet stimulating, enriching and pleasant experience

Which research project did you work on?

My research project focused on neuromodulatory approaches in human cognition, and was supervised by Dr Adam Hampshire, Dr Nir Grossman, Dr Stefano Sandrone and Dr Inês R. Violante. We aimed at modulating response-inhibition performance in a ‘stop-signal task’ by manipulating the onset of the task’s visual stimuli relative to the phase of the ongoing EEG oscillatory signal

Where are you now? 

I live in Zürich, Switzerland, where I am pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience

What are you working on?

I am working on different projects that involve animal modelling and experimentation, clinical data-analysis, and diagnostic tests and therapies in concussion. My ultimate aim is to understand the relation between cognition and physiology to develop approaches for improving health and well-being

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

There may be some challenging moments during the Master. My constant reminder was that no remarkable achievement is obtained without effort, dedication and perseverance

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

The Master programme has prepared me to pursue my doctoral studies, personally and professionally. The cutting-edge biomedical research context and extremely competent staff have stimulated my curiosity, expanding my knowledge, but also trained my critical thinking and technical competences. The social environment has been a unique opportunity to get inspired, to question and to push me, developing determination and resilience

Joanna Kuc: ‘I am sure I would not have ended up where I am now without attending the Master’

What is your name?

Joanna Kuc

Where are you from?

Gdansk, Poland

To which class you belong to?

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2019

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

BSc Pharmacology at Nottingham Trent University

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

The course was demanding and inspiring. Having an opportunity to work alongside world-class researchers, as well as being surrounded by other students who genuinely share your passion, creates a perfect environment where you can become creative and develop your interests

Which research project did you work on?

“Psychedelic experience modulated by cannabis usage: results of a large-scale prospective survey” at the Centre for Psychedelic Research under the supervision of Dr Robin Carhart-Harris and Dr David Erritzoe

Where are you now? 

I am now working as a Research Associate for COMPASS Pathways, a company dedicated to developing novel treatments for mental health, with the main focus being Psilocybin Therapy for treatment-resistant depression  

What are you working on?

I am mostly involved in the design of clinical trials using novel approaches, such as apps for the mobile phone, to monitor the mental health of patients through digital phenotyping, alongside the core treatment programme

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

For an aspiring researcher, it is important to be surrounded by people who share your passion. This will allow you to learn from them and become independent when progressing through your career

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

I am sure I would not have ended up where I am now without attending the Master course at Imperial College. Apart from gaining a comprehensive understanding of modern neuroscience and computational skills, I had an opportunity to work in the Centre for Psychedelic Research led by Dr Robin Carhart-Harris. My current work is directly linked to developing psychedelics as novel tools to be used in psychiatry, and I think the work at the Centre has definitely prepared me well for my current role

Danielle Lauren Kurtin: ‘I was taught by scientists and clinicians who are leaders in their field’

What is your name?

Danielle Lauren Kurtin

Where are you from?

A sleepy fishing town called Stuart, in Florida, USA

To which class you belong to?

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2019

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

I completed my BSc in Biological Sciences with a minor in Chemistry at Florida State University in hopes of attending medical school. During the long application period to medical school, I worked in Amsterdam at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience. Inspired by the neuroscience research I was exposed to, I wanted to continue on a research trajectory, and applied to the MSc Translational Neuroscience!

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

Inspiring, deeply educational, and transformative

Which research project did you work on?

I worked with Dr Lucia Li in the Computational, Cognitive, and Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory (C3NL). I explored specific parameters of a tool called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to patients with traumatic brain injury

Where are you now? 

I am now completing my PhD at the University of Surrey, in partnership with Imperial College London

What are you working on?

I am working on many projects! I have developed a cognitive task to collect behavioral data online before performing neuroimaging experiments with EEG and fMRI. I am writing a review on different models of neural network dynamics. I organize the Monthly Mini Hacks (MMH) workshops through the Surrey Reproducibility Society. I also contribute to the ‘Adapt to Postgrad’ online pre-arrival course for incoming Faculty of Medicine Master’s students commencing study at the College

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?
Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. During my MSc, I learned how to be comfortable despite not knowing all the answers, tear my results apart to make sure they are rock-solid, and learn more every day

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

My Master program helped me in several ways. I was taught by scientists and clinicians who are leaders in their field. I learnt the practical skills necessary to conduct research, especially for fMRI data analysis: there is no substitute for practical experience, and my project definitely provided a rich learning experience. In addition to this, it was the first exposure I had to the University structure. I was grateful to be a class representative, and subsequently, one of the Postgraduate Representatives for the Faculty of Medicine Board of Education. This allowed me to observe and learn how an educational institution is developed, guided, and supported by academics dedicated to providing a stellar education to their postgraduates students. Last, but certainly not least, my Master is what confirmed I wanted to pursue a career in academia, and the reason I am now completing my PhD!

 

Picture credit: Andy Pritchard

Leire Melgosa Ecenarro: ‘I learnt how to better integrate information from different disciplines’

What is your name? 

Leire Melgosa Ecenarro

Where are you from? 

The Basque Country

To which class you belong to? 

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2019

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London? 

I did my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the University of The Basque Country

How did you find your Master experience at the College? 

It was quite an intense experience, both academically and personally. The MSc indeed required a lot of my time and effort, but I do consider that it was worth it: I learnt a great deal about various aspects of neuroscience and developed skills which will help me further my career. Apart from the purely academic side, I think that the community at Imperial offers many opportunities for leisure and self-development, which are an excellent choice for when you get a bit of spare time

Which research project did you work on? 

I conducted my project in the Barnes Lab, which belongs to the UK Dementia Research Institute (UKDRI) at Imperial, focusing on age-related changes in homeostatic plasticity mechanisms of the cortex

Where are you now?

I decided to stay in the Barnes lab after finishing my MSc, and I am currently doing my PhD at the College, supervised by Dr Sam Barnes and Dr Johanna Jackson

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student? 

Building on the knowledge I acquired during my undergraduate studies, during the Master I learnt how to better integrate information from different disciplines and use my skills to target specific scientific questions

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now? 

In general, it gave a basis in neuroscience and helped me develop many skills I can now apply to my research. Besides, it allowed me to discover the field of brain plasticity and to work alongside excellent researchers within a world-leading institution

Elijah Tang: ‘It would have been a waste to give up opportunities being presented professionally and socially’

What is your name?

Elijah Tang

Where are you from?

I am originally from Singapore

To which class you belong to?

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2019

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

I graduated from the National University of Singapore, with a BSc (Hons) in Life Science. I specialized in Biomedical Sciences and also did a minor in Psychological Sciences.

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

Overall, the Master experience has been beneficial; for me, more on the personal and career development aspect than on the general academic side. Even though there are modules to complete during the academic phase of the course, they were structured to prime students for the actual research field. Coupled with the six months of the research project, it was a useful bridge for the few students without proper research experience

Which research project did you work on?

I was working on characterising the effects of blood-brain barrier dysfunction (more specifically, the destruction of the neurovascular unit) during Alzheimer’s disease progression. During my MSc project, I was very lucky to work under the supervision of Dr David Owen (aka “Microglia-guy” from the lecture series) and Dr Amy Smith

Where are you now? 

Still within the Imperial College London circle, as I am currently pursuing my PhD in the Department of Bioengineering, under the supervision of Dr Periklis Pantazis

What are you working on?

I have temporarily paused my endeavours for hard-core neuroscience research and took on the challenge of cellular mechanics. Simply, my PhD research involves the investigation of how cellular mechanics (specifically Piezo1 activities) affect early stages of heart development

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

To always say “Yes” to opportunities – especially those that come directly to you. Be it good or bad, there is always a learning outcome from the opportunities presented to you. Given how short the MSc course duration is and how fast time can go pass by, it would have been a waste to give up opportunities being presented professionally and socially

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

Not only this MSc program has enriched my research experience, but it also trained and equipped me with proper working etiquettes for research in academia. I was fortunate to have worked with committed and well-rounded researchers and been mentored by several experts in the neuropathology research. This has opened up my eyes to the importance of collaborative-working and knowledge-sharing in the academic field. Overall, my experience has given me the confidence to be in control of my current and future projects