Lydia Kitchen

"I'm very analytical/logical (very stereotypical of a scientist but I don't think always necessary), good with detail and reliable (quality control). If a job needs doing in lab, I'm willing to take control and get it done. I've recently taken on more responsibility in a supervisory capacity, and found I could listen to the needs of multiple people and keep things running smoothly (coach and influencer).I actually wouldn't have predicted the results of my personality test, but upon reflection I can see how they work. Although I'm not comfortable speaking in front of a huge number of people, I'm able to work very well both independently and in a small team, including being a good listener and understanding (coach). In all honesty, I think the only thing you need to be a research scientist is a passion for research. I certainly haven't found it all easy, and I really don't get along with exams but, in my 4th year at Durham, I'm finding my strengths and starting to see how I can use my personality to help my career. "

"I'm in the second-year of an independent research project - looking into how COVID-19 and other diseases affect the brain. To do this, I work with fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), seeing what happens to their brain if I give them a disease and then try to treat it. I have just started working with cells too, which I grow in the lab using techniques called cell culture. I'm personally very interested in the biology of mental health conditions, so will hopefully be able to look into this too. I love that my project is flexible as I can incorporate all the things that I'm curious about! I also love being able to manage my own time, learning about other research happening in the field of neuroscience, and solving problems. You can't beat the satisfaction of when your experiment finally works after weeks or months (or even years) of trying.As I'm a student, my salary works a bit differently: there's the costs of the lab (a bit like tuition fees for undergraduate students) and also a stipend which is money I use for rent and food and all the things like that. Different researchers pay in different ways - some people get a loan, some people are self-funded and some people, like me, are funded by external organisations. In my case, a company which makes devices to treat all kinds of diseases have paid for my research because they're interested in the science behind their devices. "

"I chose to study Natural Sciences (a course for indecisive people like me who enjoy more than one subject) for my undergraduate degree at Durham University, where I did 3 years of Biology and Chemistry. I did a bit of work experience in a few labs over the years and knew I wanted a job working in a laboratory. I chose neuroscience because I find the brain, in particular the biology of mental health problems such as depression, really interesting. It's also a field that desperately needs better treatments, there's so much societal interest in helping all kinds of brain disorders: strokes, neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, mental health, epilepsy, tumours - we need as many researchers looking into these as we can get!I like to say I chose science because when I was a young teenager I loved an American forensics TV programme called Bones. I watched these (admittedly fictional) people in the lab solve problems with all these satisfying conclusions, and although I didn't choose a university course based on this, I certainly chose my GCSEs based on this, and then I just kept choosing the subjects I enjoyed the most at each stage, until here I am!"

"In my spare time, I do a lot of crafts! I love to crochet and embroider; my next project is actually to embroider a brain onto my lab coat. I spend a lot of time with my housemates - nearly all of us are scientists so we all know how important it is to have down-time after a busy week in lab. We like to play on Mario Kart or Just Dance together! I'm from Morecambe in the North West and have 2 younger brothers (aged 6 and 15), so I like to visit home often (in non-COVID times) to see my family.An unexpected fact about me is that I've been a scuba diver for over 10 years (my step-Grandad owns a diving shop so I was taught when I was tiny)."

"In a typical day, I check on my flies and often perform some experiments on them, for example recording how they behave and move. I normally have some assays to do on samples I've taken from flies in previous experiments - I keep these in the lab freezer and run analysis on them, measuring different chemicals in their brains. I spend a lot of time replying to emails, mostly with my supervisor, and occasionally go to online seminars or group meetings. I also have a thesis to write (a really long dissertation covering all of my research - a bit like a 50,000 word lab report!) so I try and do a little bit of work on that every now and again too."

"After GCSEs, I chose Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics at AS-level, and in year 13 I dropped down to Biology, Chemistry and Maths (as I had decided my university course by then so didn't need the extra work of a 4th A-level!) I didn't chose my AS-levels with a particular goal in mind, I just knew I liked those subjects and my teachers thought they would be a good match for me. I then studied Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) at Durham, where I got a 2:1 degree in June 2020. In September 2020 I started in my current position, which began as an MScR (Master's by Research) but I converted into the first year of a PhD in 2021 so I am now mid-way through my second year."