“It’s hard to put into words how thankful I am to the Edwards family. I feel extremely fortunate to be a recipient of the Studentship, it has been a life changing experience.”
About me
I was born in Brazil and always loved going to school. When I couldn’t decide between studying Biology, Chemistry or Maths at university, I opted for an interdisciplinary major focused on preparing students for an academic career.
I went on to pursue a research-based Masters degree in Biology. However, the reality was very challenging: the resources were very limited, imported reagents took almost a year to arrive and the constant technical issues meant there was little time to discuss science. I felt very discouraged and had decided that academia was not for me.
It all changed when I received a studentship to carry out a 6-month research internship in the US. Even though I was working on a similar project, the environment was completely different. I remember describing it to my colleagues in Brazil as a “science playground”: any reagent or piece of equipment you could possibly need was accessible and the budget was sufficient carry out the experiments to test our hypothesis. It is funny to think about it now, because after a year working in Cambridge, it’s so easy to take it all for granted. I didn’t mind the long working hours and would wake up excited thinking about the experiments we would perform each day. This made me realise that I did in fact want to stay in academia, leading me to apply for PhD positions.
At the time, I was working with stem cell-based embryo models, structures that resemble early embryos that can be generated in large scale. The models would allow us to study human preimplantation development without the need for precious human embryos. However, I was constantly running into the same issue: we know so little about actual human embryos that it was hard to tell how good our models were! This was particularly true about the hypoblast, an extra-embryonic lineage that gives rise to the yolk sac and, among other functions, provides nutrition to the embryo during the first trimester. I decided that my ideal PhD would involve characterising the hypoblast during early development. When I came across a funded project to do exactly that, I couldn’t believe it. I am so thankful to my supervisors, Kathy Niakan and Thorsten Boroviak, who helped me with the application process and have been extremely supportive.
The impact of the Sir Robert Edwards Studentship
Without the Sir Robert (Bob) Edwards Studentship, I would not have been able to pursue a PhD degree in Cambridge. High student fees and the cost of living in the UK are challenging for most postgraduate students. However, weaker currencies make the situation especially prohibitive for those of us from low- and middle-income countries. Without financial support, pursuing a PhD outside of Brazil would have been impossible for me, forcing me to leave academia altogether.
It’s hard to put into words how thankful I am to the Edwards family. I feel extremely fortunate to be a recipient of the Studentship, it has been a life changing experience. Coming into the lab here at Cambridge, I look at Bob Edward’s commemorative plaque outside our building and think about his work and his legacy. I am really inspired by his trajectory in science, and want my work to reflect his ideals.
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of meeting Bob’s daughter, Jenny, who is very much involved in managing the fund. I want to thank her again for taking the time to meet with me and for sharing her family’s stories.
The Churchill College experience
I was surprised to find that, just a few months after moving from another continent, Churchill already felt like home. The strong sense of community is probably what led me to feel this way. From formal dinners to the communal kitchens, the College offers a large array of opportunities to connect with others. The MCR organised events, such as the Conference of Everything and ‘Pints of Churchill’ have been fantastic opportunities get to know the postgrad community and broaden my horizons. Joining Churchill College Boat Club is also something I would recommend to any incoming student. Although the cold early mornings can be tough, taking part as a team makes it all worth it.
I also love the College grounds. I feel incredibly lucky to be just a short bike ride from the lab while enjoying the tranquillity of being slightly removed from the city centre.
Morning runs around the College site were quickly incorporated into my routine. Thanks to the College’s infrastructure, I was able to host potlucks and board game afternoons, whether in the outside tables during summer or in the cosy MCR room in winter.
Looking ahead
After completing my PhD, I plan to further my development as a researcher by pursuing post-doctoral training. Ideally, I would love to establish my own laboratory in a Brazilian university at some point. Life in the UK is great, but I feel that I would make a greater difference back home. I want Brazilian science to advance, and the only way to help achieve this is by working for it. I have been extremely fortunate to have amazing mentors during my time in academia. It would mean the world to me if I could also be a positive influence in student’s lives in the future.
The story of the Sir Robert Edwards Studentship
The College received a generous bequest from Ruth Edwards, the wife of Sir Robert (Bob) Edwards, past Fellow, Nobel Laureate and pioneer in IVF medicine, to help fund a studentship in the bio-medical field, in memory of her husband who died in 2013. Find out more about the story behind the bequest here.
We are currently fundraising to add to the endowment fund for the Edwards studentship, which was originally generously established by Sir Robert and Ruth Edwards’ bequest, as it currently stands at £250,000, whereas to fund a student every year the funds needed are approximately £1million. We can currently fund our Edwards studentship holder, Ana Orsi, thanks to collaboration with funds allocated from the Centre for Trophoblast Research and thanks to leaving the fund ‘fallow’ so that income can accumulate, in between studentship awards.
In order to continue funding this groundbreaking and important research we need annual funding to be added to the Edwards fund of at least £50,000 per year. If you would like to add your support, every donation makes a difference, no matter how small. Please contact Fran Malarée (use dev.director@chu.cam.ac.uk) for more information.
