What is your name?
My name is Jiayu Xiang
Where are you from?
I am from Yichang, China
To which class do you belong?
MSc Translational Neuroscience 24/25
Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?
I completed my BSc in Biochemistry at Imperial College London before my Master’s degree
How did you find your Master’s experience at the College?
I think it was challenging, but in the best way possible. It pushed me to grow a lot, not just in research, but also in how to balance study and life and stay curious when things got tough. The research project, in particular, was such a rewarding part of the journey. One of the highlights was meeting students from diverse backgrounds, and I learned much from my classmates. Everybody was happy to share and help each other. The course was very interactive and open to feedback. It felt like the programme kept evolving with us, which made the experience even more engaging and supportive
Which research project did you work on?
I worked with Dr Kambiz N. Alavian’s group, investigating how mitochondrial efficiency changes during ageing using C. elegans as the model. I am grateful to have had the chance to explore different techniques and explore my curiosity throughout the project. During my time in the lab, I learned how to perform mitochondrial patch clamp recording and carry out various staining experiments. I also got to set up a machine learning model to track worm behaviour, which was a whole new and exciting area for me. It was a great experience that allowed me to combine my background in molecular and cellular biology with neuroscience, and to understand ageing mechanisms at the cellular level
Where are you now?
I am back home in China to rest for a bit
What are you working on?
My Master’s experience strengthens my passion for scientific research, so I’m now applying for relevant PhD opportunities. I hope to continue building on my postgraduate project if possible. It’s a field that feels both intellectually challenging and deeply meaningful and I’m excited to keep moving forward
What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master’s student?
Plan ahead, work ahead and stay organised. All the requirements and deadlines of the assessments in each module were released at the start, so it is crucial to balance lectures and assignments, starting early always pays off. Another valuable takeaway was learning how to present my work effectively. Working hard is the foundation, but being able to communicate your ideas clearly and confidently is important in academia and in any future career
How did the Master’s programme help you get to where you are now?
Coming from a biochemistry background, the Master’s programme was a great opportunity for me to learn neuroscience from the ground up, starting with the basic neuroanatomy and core concepts in the first few modules. Those modules helped me understand which areas of neuroscience I was most interested in. As the course went on, learning from experts in different fields helped me refine those interests further. When it came to the research project, it was a great chance to put what I learned into practice and explore my chosen topic in depth. The whole experience, from writing a research proposal to presenting our findings, gave me a real taste of what being a researcher is like. It helped me confirm my passion for this path, understand the challenges behind scientific research, and see what kind of work truly excites me