Profile
Chiara Prodani
My CV
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Education:
I went to school in an international school in Wales with kids from all around the world. I left home (Albania) when I was only 16, because I earned a full scholarship to study there and it was the most life-changing experience!
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Qualifications:
United World College of the Atlantic, International Baccalaureate, Wales, UK
Brown University, BSc. Biology, Providence, RI, USA
Imperial College London, PhD Clinical Sciences, London, UK -
Work History:
Graduate Scientist, AstraZeneca, Boston, MA, USA (2014-2016)
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Current Job:
PhD at Imperial
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About Me:
I am a traveller and scientist, originally from Albania. I have lived and worked in the US and UK for the past 12 years, and I like learning about science that can be useful in treating different diseases and improving wellbeing.
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Read more
I use very special mice to answer scientific questions. They have been genetically modified to glow just like fireflies do. The gene that makes fireflies glow has been “copied” and “pasted” into the mouse DNA, right next to a gene that we are interested in. That means that when our gene of interest is ON, the mouse glows, and when it is OFF, the mouse doesn’t glow. You need to put the mice to sleep and take pictures with a special camera to photograph “the glow”. The gene we study is very sensitive to changes in the environment. So in a normal mouse embryo, it should be off, so not glowing, however if the pregnant mother is eating a diet with not enough protein, the gene is switched on and the embryos start to glow, when they shouldn’t. Too much of this gene can have a lot of effects in the mice not just when they are in their mother’s tummy, but also when they grow up. That is what I am trying to understand through my PhD.
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My Typical Day:
I start my day with coffee and reading about some new scientific findings, and answering any emails. Then I might go in the “hotel for mice”, where all mice are kept and fed, to check if they are doing OK. Sometimes I take pictures of the glowing mice. Then it’s time for lunch with friends and lab mates. Sometimes we have meetings, where someone will present their research findings, or discuss a cool research paper they have read. In the afternoon, I continue work in the lab, e.g. by using microscopes to take very zoomed-in photos of mouse brains. I also spend some time analysing the data from different experiments, and around 6pm is usually time to go home and relax. Of course, during the coronavirus pandemic I have been staying at home and writing my thesis, which is a big document where all the experiments I have done in the past 3 years are described and summarised.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would go around my home country, Albania, in different schools to talk about exciting careers that one can pursue in science. I would also start a blog for students interested in STEM subjects with tips on how to write university applications and prepare for interviews.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Honest, Trustworthy, Hard-working
What did you want to be after you left school?
Geneticist
Were you ever in trouble at school?
No, too much of a nerd
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Too many, but Adele maybe?
What's your favourite food?
I like all types of food....but I can't live without cheese, or ice-cream I think
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
The power of teleportation so I could travel all over the world, Make all weapons disappear, Good health to enjoy life
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