Sara Anjomani Virmouni

"I am a lecturer in Biosciences at Brunel University London. I teach laboratory research methods, anatomy and physiology and genetics to undergraduate and postgraduate students. As well as teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students, my research interests focus on finding a cure for a genetic disorder, Friedreich’s Ataxia that causes progressive damage to the nervous system. I have an extensive portfolio of published research in academic journals."

"There are three main elements to my job, teaching, administration and research. I teach laboratory research methods, anatomy and physiology and genetics to undergraduate and postgraduate students. The amount of time I spend lecturing can vary from 2 to 10 hours per week. Setting coursework is also a part of my job. As well as lecturing, I also supervise final year undergraduate and postgraduate students. My job as a lecturer provides me with an opportunity to develop my academic research further without sacrificing my income. My role also involves lots of administration, including exam boards and liaising with other members of teaching staff, organising the timetable, attending and speaking at induction events and open days and monitoring students’ feedback and making the necessary changes if required."

"I started out with a first-class degree in Animal Sciences from the University of Tehran, and then moved on to complete an MSc in Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research at Brunel University London. I completed my PhD in Biological Sciences and continued my work as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Brunel University London. I then joined the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in 2015. In 2018, I was awarded a research grant and joined Brunel University London as a Principal Investigator and subsequently, I was appointed as a lecturer in Biosciences."

"A career as a lecturer is flexible and for work life balance, this career can be a good one. However, it does not mean that I will not need to work hard and sometimes I have to make up my time by working late and starting early. I also have the opportunity to take a few months off from my teaching duties to do additional research. I often get the opportunity to visit other universities in different parts of the country or even overseas to share my research outcomes with other researches and discuss the collaborative opportunities."

"BSc: Animal Sciences, University of TehranMSc: Molecular Medicine & Cancer Research, Brunel University LondonPhD: Biomedical Sciences, Brunel University LondonPostgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PgCAP)"