Hi there! I’m Emily ESR 7 in the CONSENSE consortium.
I’m here to introduce a little bit about myself so I’ll dive right into my academic background. In 2020, I obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Southampton. Here, I became interested in the topic of synthetic biology, so I decided to continue my education in this area. In 2021, I graduated with a Master of Research in Systems and Synthetic Biology from Imperial College London. Whilst learning about many different aspects of synthetic biology and its potential uses, I became fascinated by the topic of DNA origami, a technique which allows the delicate folding of DNA. I decided to explore a little more in this field by taking an 8-month long research project which involved using DNA origami nanostructures together with time-resolved cryo-EM. Currently I am pursuing a PhD, still within the field of
DNA origami, now under the supervision of Professor Kurt Gothelf at Aarhus University within the CONSENSE ITN. My PhD project involves the design and fabrication of DNA nanostructures using DNA origami to create a continuous biosensor to detect small biomolecules which are relevant for illness and disease.
There are many reasons why I decided not only to pursue a PhD in the field of DNA origami but also specifically within the CONSENSE network. Firstly, I am fascinated by the technique and its potential uses in the future. I hope to be able to use my time to become an expert in the field and advance it further into industrial applications. Secondly, I was interested in the idea of joining an ITN because of all the other opportunities it would provide me during my time as a PhD student. I look forward to the secondments in both an academic and industrial setting as it will allow me to experience another new work environment, further my knowledge in different fields and opens doors for collaboration. Along with the secondments taking place abroad, as well as the biannual CONSENSE conferences, this ITN will allow me to further my international experience and develop other personal traits.
I am privileged to be a part of the CONSENSE ITN and look forward to seeing myself develop scientifically, professionally, and personally in the next few years. I hope this gives you a little idea about myself!
Until next time!
Author: Emily Tsang