Dai Thien Nhan Tram
Nationality:
Vietnam
Faculty and Department:
Faculty of Science, Pharmacy
Year of Study:
4
Undergraduate University:
National University of Singapore
Why did you choose to do a PhD?
To contribute to the collective efforts in combating antibiotic resistance while satisfying my personal thirst for knowledge.
Why did you choose to do graduate education at NUS? If you received offers from other universities, why did you pick NUS?
Having spent 4 years pursuing undergraduate education at Department of Pharmacy at NUS, I’m familiar with the facilities and the Professors. It was my personal assessment that this Department and this University will offer a conducive environment for me to take the first steps in my research journey. And now that my PhD journey is drawing to a close, I can share with confidence that my assessment was spot on.
How does graduate school compare to your undergraduate experience?
Graduate experience was far more challenging, but at the same time immensely more rewarding. There can be long nights of racking your brain to come up with a sound solution for optimizing an experiment, but the incredible feeling that overtakes you the moment you successfully solve said problem is indescribable. The fruit of research is indeed sweet. Or sour if that’s your preferred flavor!
Briefly share about your research or thesis (i.e. dissertation topic for Masters by Coursework students).
My thesis focuses on the development of peptide nanonets for trap-and-kill activity against drug-resistant bacteria
What impact do you hope to have with your research?
To help tackle the antibiotic resistance problem, while developing a novel anti-infective approach.
Do you have any interesting personal stories to share? For example, about your journey to get into graduate school, personal hobbies/interests.
Before the COVID pandemic took over, I used to play soccer once a week on NUS campus. Physical activities that you enjoy are a perfect way to relieve stress and clear your mind. You are more likely to make a breakthrough in your problem-solving. As the saying goes, a healthy mind resides in a healthy body.
What message would you like to give to students interested in graduate studies in NUS?
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but only if you learn from your mistakes and persevere in the face of pressure. You are the master of your own (graduate) journey!