Profile
Amelia Loustas-Cooke
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About Me:
I am Amelia and I live in Surrey. I love playing the piano, going to the theatre and cooking!
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I am half greek and half english and have spent most of my life in beautiful sunny Greece. I then came back to the UK for my BSc and MSc studying at Imperial College London 🙂
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My pronouns are:
She/her
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My Work:
I work as a laboratory scientist for the rabies and viral zoonosis team at the Animal and Plant Health Agency. I work in diagnostics and handle hundreds of animal samples a week, as well as testing dead bats for rabies.
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Working in the diagnostics team can be very fascinating! One of the main tests we do is called FAVN (Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization Test) where we check whether household pets have enough antibodies against a rabies virus infection following vaccination. I work in a high containment laboratory the majority of the week (as rabies is very deadly and need to be protected from it) and need to shower out of the facility before going back to the real world!
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My Typical Day:
In diagnostics we have an 8-week rota so each day can be quite different depending on what I have been assigned to do for the day! I normally work 9-5 but my schedule is quite flexible so that can vary.
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Some days I spent on my desk registering samples or analyzing data and other days I spend the majority of my days in the lab.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would spend the money on organizing more STEM-related events or fund some individuals to come visit at APHA 🙂
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Education:
I went to school in Greece, at Anatolia College of Thessaloniki. I then did my BSc in Biological Sciences and MSc Molecular Biology and Pathology of Viruses, both at Imperial College London.
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Qualifications:
Panhellenic Exams (Equivalent to A levels), BSc and MSc
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Work History:
N/A
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Current Job:
Laboratory Scientist – Rabies and Viral Zoonosis Team (Animal and Plant Health Agency): September 2024 – Current.
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Employer:
Animal and Plant Health Agency
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My Interview