Question: Yo Jemma What exactly does your work include, and is there any specialist training involved? Helena

Jemma Ransom answered on 19 Mar 2011:

Hi Helena, thanks for your question.

My work involves a whole host of different things. For instance last week I was talking to you guys on here, running around the lab doing experiments with my cultured brain cells, I taught a first year undergrad course how to use a bit of lab kit called a pippette, I took a first year tutorial about the ethics of animal research, and I had a lab meeting with my boss where I have to present my work once a week. So if you get into science I can promise you;ll find it difficult to be bored!.

There is specialist training involved in my job, although there are many different routes into science. I did science A levels and then a four year undergraduate degree in Physiology (how the human body works) I am now onto the last leg of my training and completing a PhD which is a three year stint in a lab completing a project that I will be assessed on (I must write a rather long lab report – thesis)

Hope that answers your question