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Samantha Collister

    • About Me:

      I am a PhD student from Northern Ireland and I enjoy baking, art and going to the gym with friends in my spare time.

    • My pronouns are:

      She/her

    • My Work:

      I am a PhD student studying proteins in the body called receptors which lots of medicines target. I try to understand how these proteins work to help us understand how to develop new medicines.

    • Read more

      As I PhD student, I am responsible for my project which investigates a specific receptor. I do lots of experiments in the lab to try to understand how the receptor carries out its functions in the body and I also do some computer-based work where I make simulations of how my receptor moves and interacts with other molecules.

    • My Typical Day:

      I usually wake up pretty early and eat breakfast on the train. I get into work by 8am and spend my mornings doing experiments in the lab. In the afternoons I look at my results on the computer to see what worked and what other experiments I could do. I usually finish around 4pm so I have time to go to the gym with friends a few times a week or relax at home watching TV or playing board games before bed.

    CV

    • Education:

      I went to Antrim Grammar School and loved Biology so I went on to study Biochemistry at Queen’s University Belfast. During my degree I did a placement year (highly recommend to anyone looking at university courses!) where I worked in a lab in GSK and from then on I knew I wanted to pursue a career in research so I chose to study a PhD.

    • Qualifications:

      9 GCSEs

      A-Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics

      BSc Biochemistry with Professional Studies

    • Work History:

      I started a small online art business while at uni during the pandemic as it was something I enjoyed doing in my spare time. I then worked for a year at GSK as a placement student where I got lots of experience doing early stage drug development research in a lab and loved it! I then went back to uni for my final year and then started my PhD after I graduated.

    • Current Job:

      PhD student

    • Employer:

      Queen’s University Belfast

    • My Interview

      • What did you want to be after you left school?

        I had no idea! I just knew I wanted to do something Biology-related at university.

        If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?

        Maybe teaching Biology

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        Depends on my mood

        What's your favourite food?

        Pasta

        Tell us a joke.

        Why did the scientist remove their doorbell? They wanted to win the no-bell prize!

Questions answered by Samantha

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