What were you doing before the Scholarship?

Biomedical Engineering MSc at Imperial in Neurotechnology.

What are you researching?

Soft robotic suits for the rehabilitation and assistance of the upper body.

What excites you most about your research?

I find human-robot interfacing and integration really exciting. Being part of a large lab involved in all aspects of this means I get to see cutting edge research and have conversations that inspire my own research. Doing a PhD is also really exciting for me because of how much freedom it gives, I am able to explore new areas and direct the PhD towards what I want to learn and I can also structure my time to continue doing my own stuff outside of academia.

How has the scholarship been so far?

It's been good so far, its the first time I have had access to mentors which has been very helpful. As one of the first year scholars it has been interesting being involved in how the scholarship will look in terms of support for us and students in following years.  

What do you do in your spare time?

Cycling, white water kayaking, working with a cycling workshop.

What were you doing before the Scholarship?

I worked as a Public Involvement and Engagement officer in the Patient Experience Research Centre (PERC) within the School of Public Health directed by Prof Helen Ward. PERC is a core facility of the Imperial Biomedical Research Centre. 

What are you researching?

Exploring the physiology of serotonin signalling, between the gut and the brain. 

What excites you most about your research?

The opportunity to better understand the pathophysiology of depression. 

How has the scholarship been so far?

Great!

What were you doing before the Scholarship?

An undergraduate degree in Mechanical engineering

What are you researching?

AI applications for use in neurotechnology

What excites you most about your research?

It's cutting edge, futuristic and has the potential to change lives

How has the scholarship been so far?

Amazing. Wouldn't be here without it

What do you do in your spare time?

Play basketball, go to the gym, music production

What were you doing before the Scholarship?

After Graduating From my Bioengineering Undergrad I began working as an Engineer in a Biotech Startup called ProtonDx - focusing on a Lab-on-chip platform for rapid point of care diagnostics applications.

What are you researching?

Spine Biomechanics:  I'm performing finite element modelling of spinal vertebrae in order to evaluate and inform the treatment options for degenerative conditions, such as total disc replacements and fusion cages.

What excites you most about your research?

I'm most excited about clinical applications. My Work aims to have direct clinical translation and and as such requires collaboration with Patients, Surgeons, Radiographers and many other clinical staff who I haven't typically interacted with as an engineer.

How has the scholarship been so far?

So far I've managed to meet the other scholars who, despite being in the same department , have really disparate projects and research areas. Talking to them has been a nice way to bounce ideas and learn about fields other than my own.

What do you do in your spare time?

A lot of my spare time goes to playing basketball- I've re-joined the imperial team since being back and starting my PhD.

Additionally I'm a member of the West Nile Welfare Association- a charitable community initiated by Ugandans from the West Nile districts currently living in London. We run Cultural events and support networks where people of all backgrounds are welcome!

What were you doing before the Scholarship?

Working at HSBC Innovation Banking (previously SVB UK)

What are you researching?

Methods of advanced physiological monitoring.

What excites you most about your research?

Being able to understand the underlying mechanisms of how things work and use this for real world clinical applications

How has the scholarship been so far?

Great! 

What do you do in your spare time?

Lots of things! From painting and reading, to fencing and taekwondo, oh and also puzzles

What were you doing before the Scholarship?

Before the scholarship I was working in Medical Administration.

What are you researching?

I am researching in the field of Artificial Intelligence and how to use AI to assist with creating models that can predict if a medication will work for a patient depending on their genetics.

What excites you most about your research?

I am excited about the potential for my research to help people in a real world setting. This research will enable health care practitioners to more confidently prescribe treatment plans to patients with diseases like cancer. Treatment plans which have a higher chance to provide actual therapeutic benefits to the patient in the short and long term rather than the patient having to wait to see if the treatment plan or drug will work and then having to try different drugs whilst their condition worsens.

How has the scholarship been so far?

The scholarship has enabled me to study and research with more ease as I don't have to worry about my finances. I have also met inspiring and helpful people on the scholarship committee who have provided me with help when needed and also interesting insights into how academia works and my prospects after the PhD. 

What do you do in your spare time?

In my spare time I play the piano and learn languages. I am currently learning Chinese which is very interesting. I also watch tv, Kdramas mostly, listen to music and read books. 

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I am thoroughly grateful to the people on the committee that worked towards creating this opportunity and I offer my help for the future in creating more of these opportunities.