International Women's Day (IWD) 2021
- Oncology Student Network
- Mar 8, 2021
- 5 min read
In celebration of International Women's Day (IWD 2021), we thought we would take the opportunity to showcase some of the amazing and inspiring women+ students that make up the Department of Oncology at Oxford!
As well as this, 2021 marks 100 years since women were admitted as full members of the University of Oxford! The Medical Sciences Division (MSD) celebrated this through a project of 100 women that currently work across the division. We are very proud that one of our students, Kay Shigemori, was featured in this project!
Read about Kay's involvement at https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/100-women-of-oxford-medical-sciences/meet-our-100-women/kay-shigemori
And now it's time to take a look and meet some more students from the Department of Oncology! Find out about their projects, STEM journeys and they've all thrown in a fun fact for you too!
🌟 Time to get inspired 🌟
Project: Elucidating the functional role and therapeutic potential of LARP1B and its interplay with other LARP family members
STEM journey: BSc in Biomedical Sciences (Northumbria University), MRes in Cancer Studies (Newcastle University/Northern Institute for Cancer Research, 2 x Research Assistant (Northern Institute for Cancer Research) and Research Assistant (University of Oxford)
Fun fact: I am fluent in four languages!
Project: Molecular Imaging of DNA Damage Repair
STEM journey: MChem in Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry (University of Warwick), Industrial placements in chemical biology (Isomerase Therapeutics) and synthesis (AstraZeneca)
Fun fact: You can measure radiation in terms of bananas - the unit is called the banana dose equivalent 🍌
Project: The role of LARP1 in communication between ovarian tumours and their immune microenvironment
STEM journey: MBiolSci (University of Sheffield) and Associate Scientist (Redx Pharma)
Fun fact: I volunteered for the ChAdOx1 (Oxford/AZ) vaccine trial and was dosed last April! It's been a really interesting experience and it's inspiring to work in the same building as people who have made such a huge difference in the world over the past 12 months!
Project: Cell differentiation in colorectal cancer
STEM journey: BSc (Hons) in Biology (Baku State University), MSc in Molecular Biology (Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences)
Fun fact: I was selected 'Best Student of the Year' in the Baku State University during three consecutive years (2013, 2014 and 2015)
Project: Development of a blood-based DNA methylation biomarker to diagnose cancers with loss of histone H3K36me3
STEM journey: BSc in Biomedical Sciences (Queen Mary University of London), Amgen Scholars Program (Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge) and MSc in Cancer Biology (University College London)
Fun fact: I am a hobbyist juggler that unexpectedly caught media attention during the pandemic through a viral video and I was interviewed by the BBC, Yahoo news, SWNS, and Irish Mirror. Probably the most unexpected thing that has happened in my life (apart from the pandemic)
Project: Novel approaches to targeting ATM deficient tumours
STEM journey: BSc in Medical Sciences (University of Leeds), Research Scholar (Oregon Health and Science University), MRes in Translational Cancer Medicine (King's College London) and MRC Policy intern (Academy of Medical Sciences)
Fun fact: I have a science communication Instagram account (@thesciencenarrative) - feel free to go check it out!
Project: Characterisation of the miR-106b~25 cluster of microRNAs in the replication stress and DNA damage responses in breast cancer
STEM journey: BSc in Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences (Leiden University), Erasmus Exchange (Uppsala University) and MSc by Research in Oncology (University of Oxford)
Fun fact: Humans share 60% of their DNA with a banana! 🍌
Project: Establishment of ex vivo precision-cut lung slices to evaluate drug and radiation effects
STEM journey: MSc Pharmacy (Gothenburg University) Erasmus Exchange (University of Oxford) and Pharmacist (Sweden)
Fun fact: Only one letter does not appear in the periodic table - it's the letter J! If you don't believe me, go and check! 😂
Project: Mechanisms of the radiation leukaemogenesis, characterisation of the haematopoietic stem cells and modulation of risk
STEM journey: BSc in Developmental Biology (University of Manchester), MSc in Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (University of Sheffield) and Placement (University of Sheffield)
Fun fact: I joined my college Rowing Club in October 2019! Torpids’ was cancelled due to weather crisis! And guess what? I was so excited and dedicated for the next one, this time everything worldwide changed! COVID-Friendly! I will keep my hopes for the next one! AND I HOPE TO TASTE THE FUN BEFORE MY GRADUATION 🙂
Project: Exploring Topoisomerase 1 cleavage-complex (Top1-cc) repair at the nuclear periphery
STEM journey: PharmD (Paris Descartes University), MS in Biomedical Engineering (University of Paris/ParisTech)
Fun fact: I love travelling! s well as a lot of people. However, I am not doing it like a classic tourist. I can spend hours contemplating what remains of old civilisation. First time I have been to Pompei, I have spent 7hrs walking the city. My feet were sore and my friends were wiped out!
Project: Vascularization (vessel co-option) in lung metastases
STEM journey: Academic member (Saudi University), Masters in Molecular Genetics (University of Leicester)
Fun fact: I find our laboratory with 100% women inspiring, which reflect women empowerment and achievements!
Project: Ubiquitin Signalling in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Glioblastoma
STEM Journey: BSc in Chemistry (American University in Cairo), MPhil in Chemistry (University of Cambridge)
Fun Fact: I’m doing this DPhil which is almost entirely molecular biology based and I have never had any formal education in biology (let alone molecular)! Learning on the job is simultaneously the most challenging and the most rewarding experience ever, and I think it’s great that my supervisor tries to diversify his team’s backgrounds as much as possible; science is so interdisciplinary after all!
Project: Investigation of the contribution of redox stress to the therapy resistance of cells experiencing cycling oxygen levels
STEM journey: MSci in Biochemistry and Biological Chemistry (University of Nottingham) and 2 x funded summer studentships
Fun fact: I was actually born with 11 fingers, looking back maybe it would have come in useful whilst juggling everything in the lab!
Project: Understanding the immune microenvironment of pancreatic cancer
STEM journey: BSc in Cancer Biology and Immunology (University of Bristol), Industrial placement (Protein Degradation Discovery Performance Unit, GlaxoSmithKline), Associate Scientist (Cancer Research UK Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories)
Fun fact: I auditioned for the role of Lyra in The Golden Compass movie!
Project: p97/VCP inhibition causes excessive MRE11-dependent DNA end resection promoting cell killing after ionising radiation
STEM journey: BSc in Biomedical Sciences (Imperial College London), MRes in Oncology (University of Oxford)
Fun fact: This is very nerdy, but I find it incredible that one molecule of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, which important in red blood cells, catalyses the conversion of 600,000 molecules of substrate per second
Project: Links between the unfolded protein response and the DNA damage response in hypoxia
STEM journey: BA in Molecular Cell Biology (UC Berkeley), Placement (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Masters in Translational Medicine (UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco)
Fun fact: Did you know that you can build origami out of DNA?
Project: Studying role of ISGs in BRCA-deficient cells
STEM journey: BSc of Life Sciences (Ewha Womans University)
Fun fact: I can make a great mulled wine 🙂
I have felt truly inspired finding out more about some of the incredibly talented women+ that make up the student body in the Department of Oncology and I hope you have too! The IWD2021 theme is #ChooseToChallenge so now I hand over to you, how will YOU choose to challenge gender bias and inequality to help forge a gender equal world?
"Celebrate women's achievement. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality."
It seemed fitting to end with a statement from one of our students:
Be passionate and be involved in what you believe in. Do it as thoroughly and honestly and fearlessly as you can!
- Melis Karabulutoglu
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