| The AGB medal is awarded annually to the student that achieves the highest standards in final year of the B.Sc. in Biotechnology. In this article, this years deserved winner, Margaret Clotworthy, reflects on her 4 years in DCU and discusses her future in the field of Biotechnology |
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"I first encountered DCU in 5th Year (1997) when I successfully applied to participate in the Summer Research Studentship scheme then in place at the University. I was fortunate to be 1 of 3 students placed in Research Laboratories in the School of Biotechnology, and I spent a hugely interesting and enjoyable 3 weeks in Dr. Brendan O'Connor's Neurochemistry Research Laboratory. There I was inspired to apply to DCU for my Undergraduate studies.
Initially I was admitted to study Analytical Science. However, during the course of the year, I realised that I preferred the Biological and Mathematical elements of the course, and having discussed my options with lecturers decided to change to Biotechnology in order to facilitate the more in-depth study of biological topics and greater interaction with the staff of the Department that this would facilitate. The fact that 1st year was common to the Biotechnology, Analytical Science and Pure & Applied Chemistry Courses meant that the change between classes was very easy. I knew in 2nd Year that I would have no regrets regarding my change from Analytical Science to Biotechnology, and thrived on the chance to study some contrasting subjects, as whilst half of the course was Biology & Chemistry based, the other half involved Mathematics & Engineering. During the summer I set about organising my INTRA placement and by the end of October I had secured a position as a Research Assistant in KuDOS Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, where I worked on potential cancer therapies. My application was greatly enhanced by the fact that I had been employed as an in vitro Research Assistant in the Toxicology Unit of Athlone I.T. for the previous 2 summers, where I worked on potential alternative therapies for psoriasis and generating skin models. I was then able to concentrate on my coursework for the 1st Semester & the shorter 2nd Semester. Whilst in Cambridge I was determined to investigate the possibility of doing postgraduate Research there, and by the time I left Cambridge I had been offered a PhD studying Cell Motility using Dictyostelium discoidium with Dr. Mark Bretscher in the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology. 4th Year was my favourite year. For my final year project, I decided to work in the Vascular Health Research Laboratory of Prof. Paul Cahill, investigating the Notch signaling pathway and its intersection with the Epstein-Barr Virus life cycle, in conjunction with Dr. Dermot Walls, as I thought that the area sounded very interesting and that I would be able to learn valuable laboratory skills, as indeed proved to be the case. I also appreciated the opportunity to select areas of specialism in Semester II, and enjoyed studying Molecular Genetics of Plant & Man, Immunology & Immunoanalysis and Animal Cell Biotechnology. I was grateful to be able to stay on in the Vascular Health Research Laboratory this summer studying the Hedgehog cell signaling pathway, and I have been able to learn more techniques that will doubtless prove invaluable in my future career. The next stage involves attending a Summer School on Cell Motility at the Department of Mathematical Medicine in Nottingham University, sponsored by the UK Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council, attending the British Society for Cell Biology Michael Abercrombie Meeting on Cell Motility in the University of Oxford, which the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology is sponsoring me to attend, and finally commencing my PhD in Cambridge in October!" | |
