What motivated you to come to Bristol and do this programme? 

The MRC IEU is fantastic for many reasons, and one that I was particularly excited by when applying was the range of disciplines within the department. Conducting research within a strongly multidisciplinary environment allows you to gain exposure to areas of science that you may not have had the opportunity to experience before, and also allows you to bring your own area of expertise to your projects and tailor your PhD to your own interests. 

What is the key research question of your PhD research project and what have you found out so far? 

My PhD involves leveraging high-content molecular datasets to identify drug targets. The attrition rate within dug discovery is very high, and a promising method to address this is to include genetics and bioinformatics at the target validation stages of drug development. So far I have been using a technique called mendelian randomization to explore how genetic influences on proteins within the immune system affect an individual’s liability to develop various diseases 

Where do you think your research could lead and what are your future career plans now? 

I am particularly interested in the application of epidemiological techniques in drug discovery, so I anticipate that I will pursue a career in this field either within academia or industry.