Profile
Jennifer Shelley
My CV
-
Education:
Teversham Primary School
Bottisham Secondary School (GCSEs)
Hills Road Sixth Form College (A levels)
University of Sheffield (BSc)
Imperial College Longon (MSc)
Now: University of Edinburgh (PhD) -
Qualifications:
GCSEs including maths, English, triple science, French, history, textiles, catering,
A levels in Maths with Statistics, Chemistry, Biology and Sociology,
BSc in Biochemistry and Microbiology,
MSc in Immunology,
PhD (half-way there!) in inflammation -
Work History:
Shop assistant in CRUK charity shop,
Shop assistant in Clarke’s shoe shop,
Events waitress,
Summer student at the Babraham Research Institute,
Summer student at the Cancer Research UK Institute,
GCSE science tutor,
Achievers club (6-11 year olds) English teacher,
Lab manager/Research technician at Imperial College London,
Freelance writer (VERY occasionally paid for this!) -
Current Job:
PhD Student
-
About Me:
PhD student at University of Edinburgh…
Focused on all things skin – think rashes, wounds, infections and everything in-between!
Book nerd, yoga enthusiast, constant doodler -
Read more
I live in the centre of Edinburgh with my two lovely housemates and lots of plants. I read a lot of books (my favourite is the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society) and drink tonnes of tea. My favourite food is noodles and my favourite colour is blue.
-
Read more
My work is focus on the outside layer of the skin. When we have rashes or wounds, this layer of the skin gets damaged, which gives bacteria and other bugs the opportunity to cause an infection. My main focus is Atopic Dermatitis, which is a fancy name for eczema. It’s a very common disease but it’s not nice to have as it can be very red and itchy. Infections happen more often for people with eczema, partly because bacteria have clever tools to break down the skin even more. I am trying to work out a way of stopping this from happening.
-
My Typical Day:
I have a cup of tea when I arrive and then go to the lab. I spend lots of time looking after skin cells (the building blocks), which I grow in dishes. I also spend time in an office, looking through all of my work and writing things up in reports.
-
Read more
I normally get the bus to work, which is next to a hospital. I always listen to music on the bus and day dream out the window, mostly thinking about what I need to do that day.
Once I’ve arrived, I’ll go the office and open up my computer. I make a strong cup of tea and go through my emails. If any of them are urgent (like any from my supervisor), I will work on those right away.
Once that’s all done (and I’ve drunk my tea), I’ll go to the lab and check on my cells. I have lots of skin cells that I grow in dishes and then use for experiments. They take a lot of care, a bit like a houseplant. I have to use a special, extra-clean box to work in as well as wearing gloves and a lab coat.
I have a lunch break, normally with my friends who work in the same building and then go back to the lab to do more experiments. I also try to spend some time reading about other people’s research or writing up my work in a lab book or into reports.
-
What I'd do with the prize money:
I would buy pieces of kit for new games and activities to do at the science fayres that we take part in around Edinburgh
-
My Interview
-
How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Excitable, active and interested
What did you want to be after you left school?
Doctor
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Sometimes (I talked too much)
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Jade Bird
What's your favourite food?
Noodles
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
1. Ability to teleport 2. Never get cold 3. Never have to do laundry
Tell us a joke.
Why don't scientists trust atoms? They make up everything
-