Arianna Rech | Harvard University, USA

What is your research project about?

I am working on organs on-chip and in particular developing a model for bone marrow. The aim of my project is to mimic the microenvironment of this organ to be able to test new therapeutics and study blood development. This model is being developed as an alternative to animal testing.

Why did you decide to take the PDP opportunity?

I wish to start a PhD after graduation and this PDP is a great opportunity to gain research experience. In particular, I wanted to understand if I enjoy research and if regenerative medicine is the field I wish to do my PhD in.

What has been your best experience?

The part I enjoyed the most about my research was the isolation of human cells. I went to the hospital and collected placenta and bone samples from patients and isolated the cells for my experiments. I found this very fascinating.

What advice would you give to students considering taking a PDP?

The PDP has been the best part of my four years of chemical engineering. I am loving my research project, I am meeting many incredible people and I am enjoying living in a new city. To organise your PDP, I recommend selecting a research field that you are genuinely interested in, finding a few projects you would like to work on and then choosing which country you’d most want to visit.

What have you learnt from this experience?

I gained an appreciation for how important it is to surround yourself with highly motivated and passionate co-workers. Harvard is a special place where I had many interesting discussions with people which helped me better understand the research field I am in.

What is your best experience outside of your research?

Boston is an incredible city that has a lot to offer. There is no such thing as getting bored here. I enjoyed going to science talks, watching the Celtics and the Red Sox play, going to American house parties and watching the river defrost after a terribly cold winter.