While in lockdown, I decided to pivot my career in a more artistic direction. I've never stopped creating illustrations since I first learned how to draw, I take pride in bringing my characters to life by combining Eastern and Western influences.I took the initiative created a professional art portfolio, and dived head first into 20+ art contests which achieved top places in 50% of them. In particular, I participated in a challenge hosted by Gucci and Draw A Dot, which resulted in being featured in an article by Gucci. I have also had the pleasure of receiving commissions, this involved communicating with clients to fulfil their requests and create personal artworks for them.It is incredibly satisfying to see every piece of art come to life, and the emotions it evokes in different people.

A 12-week immersive course that was a highly rewarding and challenging experience. Working in this fast-paced environment demanded efficient orgaisation skills, coupled with excellent problem-solving. My passion for learning and researching allowed me to grasp new concepts at a faster pace.Along with gaining a many technical skills, I collaborated with diverse individuals. Having the opportunity to exchange ideas and see different perspectives was a valuable experience. I also worked independently on projects, improving upon my self-management skills.Completing the course provided me with a renewed sense of motivation to further my technical skills while gaining more hands-on experience to create more interesting softwares.

In order to enhance my laboratory technical skills, as well as gain more biomedical knowledge and experience I opted into this 2-month course. This involved using computational models to analyse a gene within a parasite, and writing scientific reports to state the results of the experiments.This experience gave me the perfect opportunity to combine my existing knowledge with computer-based techniques. It further established my interests in utilising modern technology to aid research, and the desire to understand how these programs work.

My first step into the scientific research industry was completing a postgraduate research degree at Imperial College, where I completed 2 6-month lab-based projects. I achieved a Merit for my Master's, which boosted my confidence and enhanced my technical skills. Moreover, it improved on my problem-solving abilities and teamwork, preparing me for a fulfilling research career.Project 2: ‘Urine Metabonomic Profiling of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients in European Populations’ (6 months)• Investigating a cohort of patient biological samples to conduct biomarker research• Preparing hundreds of biological samples in containment labs• Assisting in the calibration and operation of the NMR spectrometer• Self-studying Python language for the analysis of NMR metadata on MATLAB• Solving problems occurring in the code independently as I was the only lab member experienced in Python• Using Metaboanalyst (online analysis tool using R), Microsoft OfficeProject 1: ‘Stress and Survival: Defining the Physiological Roleof the Environmental Sensor AHR in Drosophila’ (6 months)• Investigating the AHR gene in fruit flies and its potential to detect environmental changes that may cause physiological changes• Organising experiments to observe the lifespan of mutant flies and their reaction to environmental stresses• Performing molecular analysis of flies using lab techniques such as RNA isolation, Western blot and RT-qPCR• Examining phenotypes of mutant and control flies with light microscopy• Supervising a new lab member and teaching them lab techniques• Presenting experimental findings to the lab team consisting of primary investigators, lab technicians and postgraduate students• Using Microsoft Office, Graphpad Prism