Interview
Why did you choose the Bio Science and Health bachelor’s degree programme at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences?
I chose HSRW for several reasons at the time. I started studying Bio Science and Health (BSH) in the winter semester of 2012, as part of the first cohort at the new campus in Kleve. The modern buildings and new infrastructure were definitely a plus compared to traditional universities in the area. Another attraction was the international focus of HSRW, where many courses are taught in English. Even though BSH was taught in German, the fact that many other courses were offered in English attracted a large number of international students from a wide variety of backgrounds, resulting in a diverse and multicultural student body. In my shared flat, for example, we mainly spoke English, as there were students from Germany, Brazil, Canada, India and South America, and I was able to learn about different stories and perspectives. This helped me a great deal later in my career, as science is a collaborative and global endeavour in which you have the opportunity to work with people from all over the world.
What happened next for you after you graduated in 2016?
As part of my BSH degree, I undertook an internship semester at the German Sport University Cologne in 2015. There, through my Supervisor Dr Marijke Grau, I met a colleague from Australia who invited me to do an internship in his laboratory in Australia. Naturally, I didn’t say ‘no’, and was able to gain experience at Griffith University on the Gold Coast from late 2015 to mid-2016. I then completed my Bachelor’s thesis in Dr Grau’s laboratory in Cologne, under the supervision of Prof. Robert Renner from HSRW, who, as it happens, had also completed his PhD at the German Sport University Cologne. For my Master’s degree in Medical Research between 2017 and 2018, I was drawn back to the Gold Coast, and this enabled me to secure a scholarship for my subsequent PhD at Griffith University. I then completed my PhD there from 2019 to 2023, and immediately afterwards took up a position as a Research Fellow at Griffith.
What was the topic of your PhD thesis?
The central focus of my research – ever since my early days at the German Sport University Cologne, incidentally – has been red blood cells, or erythrocytes. To be more precise, my interests lie in the signalling pathways that influence the life of erythrocytes. Erythrocytes are specialised cells that, in mammals, are optimised for maximum oxygen transport in the blood. An important part of this adaptation is that these cells expel their nucleus during their development from stem cells. Without a nucleus, however, erythrocytes lack the ability to express genes and thus control protein content. Nevertheless, erythrocytes have developed signalling pathways that acutely control important cellular properties – these function solely by modifying existing proteins, not by regulating the number of proteins in the cell. My PhD research focuses specifically on signalling pathways activated by mechanical stimuli. Red blood cells have specialised membrane proteins which, amongst other things, are responsible for the sense of touch via nerve cells, and which can convert physical signals, such as blood flow, into biochemical signals. The central thesis of my PhD supports the idea that these mechanisms exist in red blood cells and are relevant, and that they function exclusively via calcium ions.
You work as a Research Fellow at Griffith University in Australia. What is your typical working day like?
As a Research Fellow, I work as an independent scientist. My application for the Research Fellow position included not only a general and academic CV, but also a detailed research plan for a specific project. So I spend a good part of my day driving this relatively extensive project forward. Generally, I try to keep my daily routine varied to stay intellectually sharp. As a researcher, there is always more to do than there is time for, so time management is very important. I spend about half my time in the lab, planning and carrying out my own experiments or supporting other studies within my research group. The other half of the time is spent writing publications, analysing data and carrying out other administrative tasks. I also regularly present my research at seminars at my university and at local and international conferences.
What do you particularly like about your work?
Like many other scientists, I greatly value the flexibility of my work; this applies to both intellectual and practical flexibility. I am very fortunate to be able to pursue my own project, which aligns perfectly with my research interests. I write my own research proposals and can therefore largely design my projects myself, provided they are funded. Furthermore, I have a fair amount of freedom to organise my daily work routine and can determine my working hours fairly spontaneously. Scientific research is challenging and can at times be frustrating or stressful, but it is also very enriching and fulfilling. It is a special feeling when you make a new discovery that you know no one else is aware of at that moment.
Furthermore, I collaborate with other researchers in Australia, Europe and Japan, and I particularly appreciate the intellectual and cultural diversity of my colleagues. The connections you forge at conferences and through collaborations – not just with ‘colleagues’ as scientists, but also with the people behind them – are unique.
Where do you see yourself (and your research) in 10 years’ time?
Although I am currently working as an independent researcher at Griffith University, I rely on the infrastructure of other research groups. I remain fascinated by the unusual signalling mechanisms of erythrocytes, and see myself in 10 years’ time as the head of a research group working on this topic. My basic research lends itself well to various clinical conditions, and one of my goals is to demonstrate the contribution of erythrocyte signalling molecules to various circulatory diseases. There are currently absolutely no drugs that target erythrocytes directly, and I hope that my research can support a new approach to erythrocyte-based therapies.
What advice do you have for our BSH students?
Based on my experience, I would advise current students to say ‘yes’ to as many opportunities as possible. Exposing yourself to different paths and possibilities is the best way to get to know your own preferences and strengths better, and thus to be able to make the best decisions. In particular, opportunities that may seem daunting at first glance usually hold the potential for significant growth, both personally and professionally. The BSH degree programme is extremely broad and therefore offers the opportunity to pursue very different career paths. The internship semester was important for my career because it gives the company or university enough time to get to know you properly and to invest in you through training and experience. Even if you don’t necessarily want to work there later on, it’s a very valuable reference and a good contact, so I would advise students to give the internship semester or Semester abroad a lot of thought and to send out plenty of applications.
Date of interview: August 2024