By Anju Kirby, AMR Surveillance Development Co-ordinator at DEFRA (BSc Biology 2019 and MSc Biology 2021)
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anjukirby
My time at Royal Holloway
When I started my undergraduate degree in Biology at Royal Holloway, I did not have a distinct plan for my career by any means. I started a degree with a love for my subject and an openness to explore the breadth of Biology, from Ecology and field work to Microbiology and Lab Work.
Though I took full advantage of the varied modules during my first and second year, I began to specialise more towards Microbiology through my third-year project by designing and proposing my own project investigating the efficacy of honey as a topical antibiotic. Through this work I learned a lot about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the problems it poses to not just human health but animal health, food security and more. As I learned more about the field of AMR, I decided that I wanted to use my scientific training and knowledge to contribute to the solution.
After completing my undergraduate degree, I decided to continue my research - I had not quite got my love of lab work out of my system! So, I developed a proposal to complete as a Master’s by Research at Royal Holloway, which allowed me to further my AMR interest. This work looked at comparing the efficacy of honey as a novel antibiotic with conventional treatments both in the lab and through bioinformatic and genomic analysis. This combination of using ‘wet lab’ approaches alongside ‘dry’ computer-based analysisis definitely something that I would recommend to any biological sciences researcher or student.
Data science is becoming increasingly valuable in the world of research so this is not only ‘CV gold dust’ but also allows you to learn incredibly valuable skills for your career. Through my postgraduate course I developed skills in bioinformatics, lab work, project management and project delivery – an MSc by research project is the perfect setup for further study such as a PhD or a career in research. Research projects also help you to become a self-sufficient worker which is crucial in most professional roles.
Also, just a note to say that all experience is good experience and get as much as you can alongside your degree. Whether you want to aim for lab-based placements or any of the fantastic on-campus jobs that we have. All of these positions offer you valuable skills that will help you to progress your career. For example, learned public speaking, organisation, and leadership skills from my work as a student ambassador and volunteering as a peer guide leader on campus. These roles have also helped me to build up my confidence for the world of work.
Working after Royal Holloway
I work within the Veterinary medicines directorate (VMD) which are a part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) in the civil service. My primary focus is developing surveillance initiatives for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR refers to the reduced efficacy of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections as the bacteria evolve mechanisms to survive. It is important that we keep a track of how high levels of bacterial resistance to antibiotic treatments are so we can effectively treat disease in humans and animals. The primary aim for my team is to develop systems for monitoring AMR in livestock populations and inform policy for the regulations of antibiotic use.
My role is focussed on developing new surveillance projects to enhance our existing work. A large part of my role includes project management, troubleshooting and building effective relationships with colleagues across government, and with various stakeholders to support the development of new and pilot surveillance work. I also contribute to interpreting AMR surveillance results and writing reports to communicate surveillance outcomes. My work utilises many of the skills I have gained from my Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses at Royal Holloway. These include an understanding of Epidemiology, Microbiology, AMR and data analysis (pay attention in your R module- statistics and data analysis is invaluable in any scientific field!).
Advice and Tips
- Take some time- 1hr a week for learning and development – there are lots of free online training courses, but even reading a chapter in your field of interest is good. This helps to refine and broaden your skillset and knowledge and you can gain certifications to add to your CV
- Don’t hide from statistics! Data analysis is increasingly more important in anyscientific graduate role. An understanding of R or any other coding language(python, SPSS, STATA etc) is desired by employers- if you find it tough on your course, ask your lecturers for help or even look online, there are so many free resources/courses for you to get a good start with stats!
- Dream big- a total cliché but for a reason! I mentioned earlier that a top-notch CV is invaluable to any job hunt- easier said than done right? If you are struggling to write your CV or to find a job you are interested in, then try this little exercise. Look for your 1-in a-million-dream job- be that astronaut, CEO or UK Chief scientist – doesn’t matter! The point is, pick something that you are passionate about and write a CV and cover letter for it. You may not be at the stage in your career to go for it just yet, but the excitement that you have for the work will show in your writing and will make for some great sentences/paragraphs that you can use to apply for jobs now! It will also get you to think about the skills that you need for your dream job and show you what parts of your skill set may need some work- then you can address these with work experience, a training course or online course in the meantime.