Stories of Oxford

Posted by NicoleS on June 14th, 2018

Dr. Luc Yates, lecturer, a researcher at the Center for Genetics (a division of structural biology), Oxford University.

My scientific work led me to Oxford. I am researching cancer problems, searching for new drugs. I started working in this area when I was still a Ph.D. student - in the same laboratory at Oxford University, where I still work. The theme of my research: the effect of drugs on the human body, is a rather narrow specificity.
It was rather difficult to get here as a Ph.D. student - a big contest. But I won one of the state scholarships, so my studies and living expenses were paid, I was even paid a salary.

When I started working on the thesis, I was 21, three years later I finished my thesis. In the end, it was a 400-page volume, 88,000 words.

By this point, I already knew that I wanted to continue to do science, to conduct research. In addition, they were very successful. My works have been published in international scientific publications. I made a number of discoveries in the structure of the enzymes that we were interested in. Based on my research, we wrote a letter to the charity fund Cancer Research UK, which sponsors scientific projects, asked for money to continue working in this direction. And this money was given to us. And with them, I got a job at the University of Oxford.

But this is not a typical story. Usually, after defending the thesis, graduates leave to work in other laboratories, or universities, or commercial enterprises around the world. To stay here, you need to have an impressive research resume that will allow you to raise funds for new research and to assemble a working group. And this is a very competitive environment. I worked on the international recognition of my work, attended conferences, gave lectures. So the scientific world is arranged. Even if you are very smart and bright, but you do not do all this, the work will not be offered to you.

Perhaps I will also have to leave Oxford, do research in other laboratories, get a new experience. Then, maybe, I can come back here, at a more mature age.

Here you can get a permanent position of the professor and writer at kiwi papers focus on teaching and work here for the rest of your life. But to achieve this, we need a research career of top-level.

You should be known all over the world, you must be able to attract investments for your projects. Usually, this happens to 50 years.
Now, most of my working time is spent on research. And, in fact, the only thing that can limit them is their own imagination. Even if a completely crazy idea appears, at first sight, there will always be someone at the university who will support you, share their knowledge, expertise, and provide technology that will help in research. That's why I find it so wonderful. It is really possible to turn to the world's greatest specialists from various fields and get their support.

I also teach - like all university researchers. Among my students, there are bachelors and students of the magistracy. I am 28 years old, and often the students of the Master's program are older than me. But it does not matter. Oxford students are always in love with their subject, they always want to know more, they really do care. It happens, of course, that the students do not give me any jobs on time, but I forgive - I understand perfectly how much everything lays on them. Students, like teachers, have a flexible schedule, but a lot needs to be done.
Well at least that the city is small. At work, like most Oxford residents, I always ride a bicycle - regardless of the weather. Here in the laboratory, I take a shower, sit down for experiments, study new materials and articles on my topic, then meet with students, then again experiments 

When I have free time, I attend painting lessons, this is my passion. I even sell my paintings and send money from the sale to a charitable organization that transplants organs. I also help this organization with some scientific questions, on a voluntary basis. Well, besides, I lead the usual life of a young guy. I go to the gym, climbing, meet with friends, drink beer in the pub, often go out to London - in general, everything is like everyone else.

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NicoleS

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NicoleS
Joined: June 14th, 2018
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