2022
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Why did you choose to do graduate education at NUS? If you received offers from other universities, why did you pick NUS?
Having studied in NUS for my undergraduate degree, I am familiar with the learning environment. Besides, NUS has a dedicated cancer research institute (Cancer Science Institute, CSI) that provides access to various research facilities and the opportunities to interact and learn from a diverse team of scientists in an intellectually dynamic environment.
How does graduate school compare to your undergraduate experience?
Graduate school offers me to study in a specialised field, surrounded by like-minded individuals, while my undergraduate degree exposed me to a broad education across various branches of science. Both have been instrumental in my development and graduate school is a natural progression for me as I sought to pursue a research career, engaging in work that lies in the area of cancer biology and translational research capabilities.
Briefly share about your research or thesis (i.e. dissertation topic for Masters by Coursework students).
My research focuses on understanding the role of ADAR1 in multiple myeloma.
Briefly share a highlight from your graduate school journey.
Thus far, my graduate journey has been fulfilling. One of the biggest takeaways would be having the opportunity to be under the guidance of mentors like Prof Chng Wee Joo and Dr Teoh Phaik Ju that provided me with many invaluable advice, help and assurance. I also count myself very lucky to be surrounded by supportive and helpful lab members, peers and administration staffs, which makes this journey an enriching one.
Share a challenge you faced in graduate school and how you overcame it.
The biggest challenge I faced in graduate school was and still is learning to overcome myself. Learning new techniques, experiencing failures, optimising experiments and delving into the unknowns are part and parcels of research. However, without resilience and positive attitudes, it is hard to keep moving forward. Though challenging, I believe this graduate experience is immensely rewarding and has definitely made me stronger.