Sarah is on placement in Octopus while studying a Masters in Molecular and Cellular Biology with Biotechnology at the University of Glasgow. She said about her choice of placement, “I was drawn to the CLF by the high-quality facilities that allow for very precise research, and I am excited to be part of one large research project as opposed to the smaller, 3-week labs I do at university.”
Sarah’s project is looking into cancer research, specifically investigating why the body does not always detect the breaks in DNA strands that cause tumours. She uses the Octopus facility to induce DNA damage and assess these breakages, as well as exploring what proteins the body recruits to repair such damage. She spends the majority of her placement in the labs, which she finds very enjoyable and meditative!
Sarah said, “I enjoy the influence I’m able to have over the project. Seeing the cells do well and take shape is very satisfying!” Following her undergraduate degree she intends to look into a PhD in cancer research, bacteriophage, or gene editing.
