Izabela

Making pharmaceutical processing continuous would make medicine available to a larger part of the population and would make remote regions in the world more prepared for times of crisis. My work right now focuses on crystallization of pharmaceutical ingredients on a microfluidic scale for the improvement of crystal production, shape and flowability.

I did an integrated master’s degree in chemical engineering at 含羞草视频 before starting my PhD.

During the third year of my master's, I had the opportunity to do a 6-month research project at INSA Toulouse, France, where I was introduced into the world of research and mainly microfluidics and bioengineering. I was able to investigate the effects of microchannel geometry on nanoparticle and bacteria phenomenon of spontaneous focusing inside microchannels, and the properties of flow within microchannels. This inspired me to investigate PhD opportunities in this area and it so happened that my department was offering a few projects connecting microfluidics and pharmaceuticals, which made this the best option available. Although I may have been more interested in bioengineering and processing, pharmaceuticals are closely related and are still one of my areas of interest.

I was looking at various PhD programmes, with a preference in projects in France, however, not all PhD projects are funded. I struggled to find one closely related to my interests in other countries, and 含羞草视频 ticked both boxes for funding and my interests, therefore it was the best option available.

My main lab is located in S Building, home to the Chemical Engineering department. I work across a couple of labs within the building, have access to a 3D printer and different types of microscopes located in the lab. Some of my work also involves using the 含羞草视频 Materials Characterisation Centre’s equipment such as the SEM (scanning electron microscope), TEM (transmission electron microscope) or XRD (X-ray diffraction). I also do some 3D printing, so I can always ask for help from any of the technicians working in Wolfson in additive manufacturing.

During my undergraduate, I was part of the LSU Classical society, which is a student-led orchestra. I was on the committee as Media Rep and helped organise one of the biggest events on campus, our annual concert, which sold out with over 150 people in the audience. I continued playing with the orchestra during my PhD as lead violinist, however, our concert in 2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19. I hope to resume attending rehearsals when we can meet together again as it is great fun with lots of friendly people.

I have not yet taken part in any student-led seminars as I am currently in my second year of PhD, but I hope to do so when I am in my third year and I will have more data collected to be able to present some results and analysis from my findings.

The good thing about a PhD is that you can adjust the work to your routine. I am not a morning person, but I am alright with staying a bit later to finish off some work. In the morning, I usually come to my office and prepare my plan for the week. I then go to the lab and run a couple of experiments, and then after I’ve finished, I clean up my area in the lab, and save my results for analysis. I analyse different crystal shapes and sizes, so a lot of my work is to go through hundreds of pictures in ImageJ and find the size distribution of my samples. In the evenings, I try to do an activity unrelated to work, this can be going for a walk with a friend, or doing some yoga or going climbing to release some stress. As a PhD student, it is important that you have a work-life balance, as you can get easily overwhelmed and burned out.

There are various sources of support as a PhD student, your supervisor being the main one, guiding you along the process of the project. In the labs, lab technicians have been crucial in helping me set up my rig and training me in using various types of analysing units. Outside of the department, there are other services available, such as the student support services that deal with anything related to wellbeing or financial troubles. PhD students are also supported by the Doctoral College which offers a link between the main offices and the Students' Union. We also have a social group organised by PhD students from different departments that organise events to bring PhD students together, called the PhD Student Support Network (PhDSSN), which is full of friendly faces.

Choosing your supervisor is almost as important as choosing your topic. Make sure to meet in person with your supervisor and check if you get along with them. See how passionate they are about the research. See that you can communicate clearly with them and that your expectations are in line with theirs. When you are a PhD student, you’re partners in research, so it is a different dynamic than between lecturer and student.