Pamela Niem – a 22 year old UK biomedical student – is having a gap year with a difference.
Ms Niem is combining her love of travel with a six week student work placement at the Ingham Institute.
Why? Because it’s an opportunity to learn from some of Australia’s best cancer researchers.
Ms Niem completed a Biomedical Science degree with First Class Honours at University College London in 2015.
She then embarked on a gap year travelling abroad through Indonesia, Bali and Australia to see the world and determine her career direction.
Having developed an interest and passion for medical research throughout her degree, she included a stop at the Ingham Institute as part of her itinerary and is gaining experience working in the Institute’s Circulating Tumour Cells (CTC) and clinical trials departments.
“What really drew me to the Ingham Institute was its focus on translational medical research,” says Ms Niem.
“The institute’s close proximity to the [Liverpool] hospital means that the research can be shared and transferred with doctors and clinicians quickly and readily, making it an ideal learning environment to see first-hand how research is both developed and applied,” she said.
Working with the CTC cancer researchers in the laboratory, Ms Niem is learning how to analyse tissue samples and isolate CTCs for colorectal cancer.
CTC researchers at the Ingham Institute are working hard to develop CTC blood tests which will help to stop further growth and spread of the cancer, while also giving clinicians vital insights on the most effective treatment for each individual patient.
To get a 360 degree view of what it’s like to be a medical researcher, Pamela is also combining this with work in the oncology clinical trials department to learn how findings from the laboratory are applied to human trials of new medical treatments and approaches for cancer treatment.
“We live in an ageing population where cancer statistics are continually on the rise,” Ms Niem said.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“I really want to work in the oncology field so that I can play a role in developing new treatments and methods of care so that we can turn around these terrible statistics,” she said.[/social_quote]
Learning valuable new skills
But Ms Niem is also gaining valuable one-on-one training with researchers that will help her to gain an edge in her career development when she returns to the UK.
“The researchers here are so friendly and knowledgeable and the equipment is cutting-edge, making it an ideal learning environment,” she said.
“The medical field in the UK is highly competitive so the experience and knowledge that I gain at the Ingham Institute will definitely help me to firm up which area I would like to specialise in and set me on my career path.”
Ingham Institute chief operating officer, associate professor Greg Kaplan, said that the institute’s student placement program welcomed university students from both Australia and abroad to help harness and grow their careers.
“The Ingham Institute research teams are conducting vital research on diseases that threaten both Australian and worldwide populations such as cancer, diabetes, injury and mental health,” he said.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“The opportunities for student to learn and gain practical experience at the Ingham Institute are limitless,” Prof Kaplan said.[/social_quote]
“Our facilities have some of the most high-tech equipment in the world that will help shape the next generation of health and medical researchers.
“We are also fortunate to have some of world’s best research talent working here who will give students valuable hands-on experience and teach them the tricks of the trade to help progress their careers,” he continued.
For further information about the Ingham Institute’s student work placement program contact Ingham Institute chief operating officer, associate professor Greg Kaplan by phoning 8738-9000 or emailing research@inghaminstitute.org.au.
