Profile

Want to know more? Here’s a quick Q&A:

What kind of scientist are you?

I’m a structural biologist! In a nutshell, I look at how the tiny machines (called proteins) in our cells work, then use that information to explain how our cells can use the food we eat to live!

What made you want to be a scientist?

I’ve wanted to be a scientist scince before I can remember! My mum says I’ve always wanted to know how things around me work.

Inside the cells that make up our bodies there are many tiny machines, called proteins. These proteins all have little jobs that come together to make a living thing! I am a structural biologist, so my job is to look at proteins and figure out what they’re doing.

The problem is, proteins are tiny! You could fit thousands of them on the tip of a pin! So, how can I look at them?

The answer? LASERS!!

I pack lots of proteins together in one place and turn them into a crystal, then fire a laser at it! By using lots of nasty maths I can look at the laser after hitting the protein and figure out what the protein looks like. This lets me answer lots of questions, like what the protein does, and how it might act around other proteins.

I usually wake up at 7 in the morning, and go have some breakfast (usually porridge, sometimes a bagel). Then, I walk to work. I usually get in a little before 9am. At work I spend most of my day either doing fun things in the lab, or boring things on the computer. I also get to have lunch and breaks with friends! I usually leave work at 5pm or so, and either relax or go climbing. In the evening, I’ll have dinner (usually a spicy curry or noodles), and maybe watch something on netflix before bed.