Eric became a researcher at the University of Cambridge

Hi Eric, what are you working on at the moment?

I am a researcher in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge. Through my research, I am trying to determine the structure and function of protein complexes involved in genome replication and recombination. In more simple terms, I’m trying to understand how certain protein complexes do their work and what they look like. In order to do this, my research employs molecular biological and biochemical approaches, as well as some electron microscopy.

What is a regular day like at your job?

Most days will include some reading of research papers, running experiments, analysing previous results as well as planning for future experiments. Having said that, there are many different kinds of experiments to conduct! Some days are entirely spent using a microscope to collect images, while others are spent attending conferences and listening to other scientists present their latest findings – the days are typically quite varied.

Working in research, a lot of the time you’re trying to come up with the best way of answering a scientific question. If answering that question means you have to learn how to use a new instrument, or a new analytical technique, then that’s what you’ll do. In this way, you’re encouraged to keep learning new things, which also results in some variation.

Have you worked on anything else since you graduated?

Apart from a short period working as a replacement teacher, I have been conducting biological research in one form or another since I graduated. I initially spent one year working as a research engineer at the Department of Protein Science at KTH, and more recently spent four years completing my PhD at the School of Biological Sciences at NTU in Singapore.

Why did you choose this programme at KTH?

I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to study initially, but knew I wanted to do something related to science and biology. Opting for a comprehensive programme like biotechnology seemed like a sensible option which, in addition to offering many interesting courses in the biological sciences, also offered useful courses in chemistry, physics and maths. The more I studied, the more I found myself drawn towards the biomedical aspect of things: studying human biology and disease on a cellular and molecular level. Choosing medical biotechnology for my master’s felt like the obvious choice. 

Are there any insights or knowledge you acquired during your studies that have been particularly useful for you in your career?

One key insight I learned from my time at KTH is that you’re capable of a lot more than you think.

I remember there being quite a few courses where, at first glance, the course material looked difficult and discouraging. However, after attending a few lectures, doing some reading and discussing the material with my fellow course mates, the new theories and equations that were initially confusing began to make sense. After completing one of the difficult courses, you’re left feeling surprised that you somehow managed but also reassured and proud that you did. As you pass more and more courses you realize that, given enough time and effort, you have the potential to understand practically anything.

That insight has comforted and encouraged me many times during my career, particularly when having to grapple with difficult theories and concepts.

What was the best aspect of your studies at KTH?

The best aspect, of course, was all the friends I made during my time at KTH, many of whom I am still very close to today. Getting to study alongside like-minded people, who shared a lot of my interests, was a very enjoyable experience.

What is your best memory from your time at the university?

It would have to be participating in the Quarneval – a traditional student event that takes place every third year. The event is based on constructing something silly and thought provoking (though mostly just silly) and then parading it around Stockholm as part of a procession. For the event, my friends and I put together a sustainable and magnetically self-driving (not really) car. It was all a lot of fun and the subsequent Quarneval dinner and party were definitely something to remember.

What are your plans for the future?

My plans are to keep doing science and research for the foreseeable future while, hopefully, doing some teaching on the side.

What would you want to say to a student who was thinking of applying for this programme?

If you’re looking to pursue a career in the life sciences, pharmaceutical industry or medical research, this programme will provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to do so. The medical biotechnology programme prepared me well for a career in biological research, while the bachelor’s programme provided me with an indispensable foundation in chemistry, physics and maths.

The programmes offered by KTH are also comprehensive and will therefore enable you to pursue careers outside of biotechnology. Today, I have as many former course mates who work in or around a laboratory or in research, as I do course mates who work in completely unrelated fields.

Working in science is both wonderfully stimulating and a privilege. You are given a unique opportunity to answer fundamental questions about biology and disease, and to understand what no one has understood before. Maybe you’ll be the first person in history to discover a cure for a disease, or determine the structure of an important protein, or observe and describe a unique cellular event! Not many other careers can offer you that.

Follow your curiosity!

Do you have any tips for students of the programme?

If you’re considering a career in research or in a lab, try and get as much practical experience as possible. Is there a course that you found particularly interesting? Speak to the teacher and see if they could use some extra help in their lab. More often than not, they’ll be happy to have an extra pair of hands. Look for summer research placements, both at KTH and elsewhere. Not only will you gain some valuable real-life experience, you might also make some important contacts that will be useful down the road. Applying for a PhD programme typically requires one or several letters of recommendations, for instance. I can trace the path to where I am today all the way back to a single summer research project I was part of in the lab of a KTH professor. In other words – take all the chances you are offered!