Educational/professional background
I graduated from my biomedical science degree with a growing interest in how pathogens overcome the host defence system. This motivated me to join research projects across serology, parasitology and evolutionary epidemiology.
Research interests or career goals
I enjoy multidisciplinary research and problem solving and I find design and delivering experiments rewarding. The mechanisms behind how the host and pathogens interact are fascinating too. How does our immune system react appropriately to the uninvited guest? How do these pathogens mask themselves from our robust immune cells? Immunology is an ever-evolving field (where the pathogens annoyingly do so too!). With my passion for vaccine induced immunity, I am interested in joining vaccine and drug target development. Together with my previous 3 years of risk assessment training, I am looking forward to a future career in contributing to a safer and more efficient vaccine and drug research operation for improvements in transmission control and exacerbation prevention in patients.
Why I chose LSHTM/my programme
The first thing I have noticed about the MSc Immunology of Infectious Diseases is that this course is more focused on the host-pathogen relationship than the other Immunology postgraduate courses – which to me, I find it an advantageous and a prerequisite in understanding the clinical manifestation of various diseases, from communicable diseases to autoimmunity disorders.
With experiences in various lab techniques, I was looking for further advanced training in experiment design and project management. This course provides diversified research opportunities from a panel of immunology related projects to choose from based on your interest (e.g. from gene manipulation to various types of immunoassays). During your thesis project, you will have the training opportunity and involvement in your protocol design. The thesis project can also be tailored by selecting the extended project route.
In addition to the various cutting-edge machines (e.g., for confocal microscopy, multiplex assays, etc) available at LSHTM, there are unique global collaborating opportunities (e.g., MRC Unit The Gambia and Uganda, etc) for networking and potential research projects at LSHTM. The regular seminars held by the scholars of different expertise presenting their latest pioneering research are also inspirational. Students and staff are also friendly and helpful, with a number of networking opportunities (e.g., welcome fair in autumn, summer term picnic etc.) throughout the year at LSHTM.