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Being in a researcher’s shoes for eight weeks gave me a dream to work towards: Simran’s summer studentship experience.
I started my degree knowing that I wanted a career doing microbiology research in a university. I applied for a Summer Studentship to get laboratory experience in an active research group without worrying about finances. I especially wanted to research CF because chronic lung infections affect so many people, and my small project could make a big difference. The Trust’s scheme also gave me the chance to share my results with other researchers at what would be my first academic conference.
What was your summer studentship about?
My studentship was under the supervision of Dr Andrew Edwards and Dr Simon Stoneham. We investigated two antibiotics, colistin and murepavadin, for treating lung infections caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa).
People with CF develop infections from many different strains of P. aeruginosa, and the medicines used to treat them are different. One of the most common medicines to treat CF lung infections is colistin. However, certain strains of P. aeruginosa can defend themselves against colistin, making it less effective as a treatment. This is called antibiotic resistance.
In my lab studies, I investigated how the addition of murepavadin could improve the effectiveness of colistin as a treatment for P. aeruginosa infection. My results built on previous findings from my supervisors. We hope that in the future, this could mean more effective treatments for people with CF.
What was a typical week like in the lab?
On Mondays, I planned my experiments for the next few days and prepared the materials I needed. I also attended weekly talks by early-career researchers from across the Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology. It was inspiring to see how passionate they were about the disease they were studying and how composed they were while answering tricky questions from more experienced academics.
I conducted experiments on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9am to 5pm, where a typical lab session would last up to three hours. I was testing bacterial growth in different concentrations of antibiotics, tracking how many bacterial cells are killed by the antibiotic over time, or mixing bacteria with a fluorescent dye to measure the damage caused to P. aeruginosa. Since the bacteria need to grow overnight, I would only know the results of my experiments the next morning, which led to a few sleepless nights!
On Fridays, I would clean up my lab space – microbiology experiments generate a lot of waste! It was also when I discussed my results from that week with a supervisor.
What was the best bit of doing a summer studentship?
Sometimes, I did experiments that no one had ever done before me. It felt special to collect, analyse, and share these brand-new findings which could eventually contribute to a new way of treating chronic CF infections.
Being able to talk biochemistry and microbiology with experienced academics was an honour. I had opportunities to do this every week in my catch-up meetings and at the UK Cystic Fibrosis Conference last October. Every academic I met was very friendly regardless of career stage.
Any challenges?
The most surprising aspect of my studentship was how difficult laboratory techniques are. Keeping my experiments sterile was a challenge, with contaminants setting my plans back every week. These mistakes wasted both the time spent on the experiment and the overnight waiting time. However, the reward of brand-new findings and the thought of what my research could do for people with CF made the setbacks worth it.
I would, without a doubt, recommend the Cystic Fibrosis Trust Summer Studentship to anyone. If you’re successful, have as many conversations with academics as possible during your placement. Being in a researcher’s shoes for eight weeks was eye-opening, and it gave me a visible, tangible dream to work towards for the rest of my degree.
Simran who completed a Summer Studentship in 2023
This studentship confirmed that I want to pursue an academic career, so I have started applying for postgraduate study in microbiology.
And from a supervisor’s point of view, how was the experience of having a summer student?
“I often have bright and enthusiastic students asking to spend time in the lab. While I can provide access to a lab, training and my expertise, it’s important to have a means by which students can support themselves financially,” explained Dr Andrew Edwards, Senior Lecturer at Imperial College and one of Simran’s supervisors.
“The support from Cystic Fibrosis Trust was invaluable in enabling Simran to learn important research skills and help her develop her career. She was able to move our work forward in a couple of important directions, and we’re already building on her findings.
“A huge bonus of the scheme was the opportunity for Simran to present her work at the Trust’s conference, providing an exceptional forum to share her findings, network and gain additional experience in science communication. I’ll be applying again next year!”
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