Have you ever wondered what it looks like to chase your dream job in science and achieve it? In this interview, I spoke to Lizzie. She is a brilliant first-year PhD student. Her journey to a PhD didn’t follow the “traditional” path. She worked in industry, then completed master’s degree. Now, she is pursuing cutting-edge cancer immunology research. Her story is a testament to passion, persistence, and self-belief. Whether you’re considering a PhD or you are just curious. if you are wondering what the life of a scientist actually looks like, this one’s for you!

You can also follow Lizzie on insta to keep updated on her PhD journey!

1. Can you describe your journey to a PhD?
2. Why are you pursuing a PhD, what does it mean to you?
3. Can you briefly describe your research?
4. Have you got any advice for anyone interested in a career in science?
5. What does a typical day look like to you?
6. What do you want your followers to gain from your Instagram page?
7. What would you like to do after your PhD?

1. Can you describe your journey to a PhD?

After graduating from my undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology at University College London (UCL) during 2020, I faced the pandemic. I wanted to work and earn some money. At the same time, I was considering studying a master’s. First, I applied to a job for PerkinElmer as a Cell Scientist. I received an offer for a permanent role as a service provider for GSK. I spent a year in this role, maintaining large quantities of cells and providing experimental data to the screening department for drug safety programmes.

As a driven person, I knew I wanted more and always dreamed of working in a cancer research lab. An opportunity came by for a job as a Molecular Biologist in a cell therapy unit in oncology at GSK. They wanted someone with a PhD and a few years of experience; but I applied anyway. A year after leaving university, I was offered a role in my dream job for a big pharmaceutical company. At the start of this role, I decided that an undergraduate degree wasn’t enough for me to climb the ladder at GSK, so I applied for a part time Msc in Cell and Gene Therapy at UCL.

For two years, I used all of my annual leave from work to study my master’s degree and spent 8 weeks in a lab running a small project for my thesis. I worked at GSK for another year before an exciting opportunity came up, joining GSK with Imperial College London. This PhD project was based upon work I was already doing, and financially I was in a good position to take this opportunity for my career.

2. Why are you pursuing a PhD, what does it mean to you?

Before deciding to take the opportunity to do my PhD, I asked myself this question a lot. I am doing a PhD because I know I am capable of this. During my undergrad studies, conducting research fascinated me but I felt like a PhD was way too far away. Along every step of my career and studies, I have reached for things that I didn’t know I could do; so why stop there?

I am also doing a PhD because I want to make a difference. I am completely immersed in my subject and I want to find those answers to improve scientific understanding in my field.

3. Can you briefly describe your research?

My research is based on the structure and organization of an immune synapse, the contact between immune cells and target cells. I want to understand how the organization of this contact changes the function of our immune cells in cancer. I am using intricate microscopy techniques to study this organization and aid in the design of cancer therapeutics.

4. Have you got any advice for anyone interested in a career in science?

I have mentored a lot of young people in the last 8 years, and I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to do what you are interested in. In my experience, when I explain to people what I do for a living, most people say, “I could never be that smart.” But for me, I don’t think I am an intelligent person; my grades weren’t the best. I just pursued what I was interested in, and that motivation to learn and improve has gotten me to where I am today.

5. What does a typical day look like to you?

My work week is split between my GSK lab and Imperial College, so most days look different. I start off my days at 6 am with some exercise; I am currently training for a triathlon, which requires getting a lot of miles in a week. I usually start my workday around 8:30 am at my computer with some breakfast, and I spend my morning sometimes in lab meetings, planning experiments, or reading literature. By the afternoon, I get a bit fidgety, which is the best time to get into the lab. Usually, my days finish here around 5 pm. A few days a week, I tutor students in GCSE Maths. I really enjoy tutoring students and have done so for 8 years now, helping my students organize their time, prepare for exams, and increase their understanding of the subject.

I love that every day is different for me. At the moment, I enjoy spending time in both academic and industrial labs.

6. I love your Instagram page! What do you want your followers to gain from your page?

Thank you! 😊 I started my page because I have always been asked, “What do you actually do?” so I wanted to share what life looks like as a scientist. I hope that my page inspires people to think about science as a career and to see it beyond just face value at school.

I also want my page to show people that you don’t need to be a genius to be a scientist. The whole point of science is asking questions and making mistakes.

7. What would you like to do after your PhD?

As a first-year student, I have very mixed feelings about what I want to do after my PhD. My long-term dream is to work towards running my own lab one day. I want to continue my work at the forefront of my field. Another part of me would want to return to industry. This is where a lot of big decisions are made. It’s also where you see therapies reach patients. Personally, after my PhD, I want to buy another house with my partner and think about starting a family – because yes, women can think about both!

Conclusion

Her story is a powerful reminder that there’s no one-size-fits-all journey into a PhD. Determination often matters more than perfect grades. She shows us that you really can do it all. Whether she’s training for a triathlon, working between two labs, or mentoring the next generation of scientists, she does it on her own terms! If you’re dreaming of a career in science, let this be your sign to go for it. Because, as she says, you don’t need to be a genius, just genuinely curious and willing to ask questions 😀.