Alumni Brains

What is your name?

Kevin Francis Marcaida

Where are you from?

I was born in Manila, Philippines, and currently reside in a small town in Suffolk, England.

To which class do you belong?

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2021

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

I did my undergraduate in BSc Biomedical Science at the University of Essex and graduated in 2019. I specialised in drug discovery and development. After this, I studied and passed the Financial Modelling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) designation at the Corporate Finance Institute. I wanted to combine two of my passions – Science and Business, so I decided to take the MSc Translational Neuroscience course

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

The Master’s program is very stimulating and challenging because of the wide variety of theoretical content, which challenged me to approach each lesson with an open mind. The professors were friendly and inspiring as they went above and beyond accommodating student needs, despite the ongoing pandemic. I thought the program was insightful as it delves deep into relevant and upcoming issues in neuroscience and biotechnology, where we are exposed to contrasting views to get a balanced understanding of the field. Overall, I really enjoyed this course, and I recommend it to anyone wanting to study.

Which research project did you work on?

I was a Data Analyst for the MS Register, a UK-wide database supported and funded by the NHS and MS Society. I worked with Dr Richard Nicolas and Dr Jeff Rodgers on the largest European investigation on the long-term efficacy of therapeutics and drug repurposing candidates on multiple sclerosis patients. I am fortunate enough to soon publish my work in an abstract and research journal on Sage Publications and was subsequently invited to speak at the 2021 Vienna ECTRIMS Congress.

Where are you now?

I’m currently the Equity Research Lead at a Shanghai-based fintech company ChineseAlpha.

What are you working on?

I am responsible for leading a team of analysts to produce comprehensive reports of small to mid-cap publicly traded companies, where I specialise in analysing pharmaceutical and technology businesses. I regularly meet C-level executives and managing directors to develop synergistic joint ventures whilst playing a lead role in the company’s strategic development.

With the reputation I’ve developed, I am regularly featured as a business commentator on Reuters, Fortune Magazine and US News and Reports on trending financial news. I am also invited to guest lecture at over 20 universities across the US and UK, some of which include Imperial College London, University of Cambridge and Yale University

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

The importance of personal branding and networking effectively. I learnt that networking is more than just a “connection” but the opportunity to build long-term tangible relationships based on mutual value creation and friendship. These tools have been a great way to showcase my achievements – and differentiate myself on what I bring to the table, which has unlocked hidden opportunities

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

The programme honed my ability to read and interpret research articles more effectively by being constantly exposed to a variety of publications in different fields. This is particularly useful in Biotech equity research, where the analyst must efficiently deduce the primary drivers behind research themes to accurately forecast the performance of a project, company, or industry. This skill has helped me land various internships at J.P Morgan and Citibank and my current position at ChineseAlpha.

Read Kevin Francis Marcaida: ‘I learnt that networking is more than just a “connection” but the opportunity to build long-term tangible relationships based on mutual value creation and friendship’ in full

What is your name? 

Nadhrah Izmi

Where are you from? 

I’m from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

To which class do you belong? 

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2020

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London? 

I studied BSc Biomedical Science at King’s College London

How did you find your Master experience at the College? 

A different experience compared to my undergraduate degree: the course was fully assignment-based with no exams, which I found refreshing, but also very stressful at times. Still, I’m glad for the skills I improved. It was also refreshing because there were only less than 40 of us in the course, all around the same age and with the same enthusiasm for neuroscience and mental health. My peers were so kind; our course had a healthy social environment and stimulated independence, which was great. Time management is certainly something I struggled with, yet improved on throughout the year. Unfortunately, COVID-19 robbed us of the last six months we all had together. Still, I’m fortunate enough to have experienced my first and a bit of my second term on campus

Which research project did you work on? 

I worked on the acute and long-term effects of psychedelics in adolescents, supervised by Dr Robin Carhart-Harris and Hannes Kettner at the Centre for Psychedelic Research

Where are you now?  

I’m in London

What are you working on? 

I am finalising a manuscript derived from my MSc thesis to submit it to a high-impact journal. I am also picking up Python through online courses and actively applying for jobs in London and abroad

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student? 

Be proactive: don’t wait for an opportunity to fall into your lap. You only have one year of Master’s so make the most of it! Meet amazing new people and create lifelong friendships, network with excellent researchers at Imperial, attend career and social events, explore all the opportunities available to you as an Imperial student (there are many!). Most importantly, enjoy your time as a Master’s student as much as possible

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now? 

My Master’s really helped me shape my choices and open doors to people who have helped me discover where my career interests truly lie. I’ve always wanted to contribute to the mental health industry, and my time at Imperial has helped opened my eyes to the plethora of opportunities available to me. Also, I have never dreamed of working with data science, or anything computational for that matter, but taking the Computational Neuroscience stream was really game-changing: I now know this is what I want to dive into

Read Nadhrah Izmi: ‘Enjoy your time as a Master’s student as much as possible’ in full

What is your name?

My name is Federico Licini

Where are you from?

I am originally from Valdobbiadene, a small town in Northeast Italy

To which class do you belong?

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2021

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

Before joining Imperial, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Western Michigan University in the United States

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

Given the ongoing pandemic, my Master experience was a bit different than what I expected. Indeed, I completed the entire programme remotely! Despite the typical challenges that come with virtual learning environments, I found that I was still able to make great connections with peers and field professionals. What is more, the administrators consistently asked for feedback and were generally receptive to it

Which research project did you work on?

I worked on a research project at the Centre for Psychedelic Research, under the supervision of Robin Carhart-Harris, Fernando Rosas, and Hannes Kettner. Specifically, I built statistical models aimed at predicting the best contextual setting for a psychedelic experience based on an individual’s psychological and demographic profile. This project allowed me to apply and further improve the coding skills that I learned during the Master’s computational modules, which was a great “real-world” experience!

Where are you now?

I am currently in Italy while conducting research remotely with the Centre for Psychedelic Research

What are you working on?

At the moment, I am working on formatting my MSc thesis into a publishable research article, which involves conducting some additional data analysis. Moreover, I am collaborating with an exciting start-up, Mindleap, to educate the public on topics related to psychedelic science

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

Refusing to believe that I cannot do something is the most important thing I learned from this Master. Coming from a psychology background, I often felt like the biology-intensive modules would be impossible for me to succeed in. With the right time management and study strategies, I was able to pass them all with results that were much better than I would have ever thought!

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

This Master allowed me to make connections and gain academic and research skills that I would not have otherwise. While I am just now starting my career, I am confident that this programme was the right choice to help me further it

Read Federico Licini: ‘Refusing to believe that I cannot do something is the most important thing I learned from this Master’ in full

What is your name? 

Linshan Chu

Where are you from? 

China

To which class do you belong? 

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2020

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London? 

I completed my bachelor course in Bioengineering at the University of Sheffield

How did you find your Master experience at the College? 

The course structure is quite impressive: for the first six-month, it consists of a series of modules, one after the other one, instead than all the lectures at the same time. The second six-month is entirely dedicated to the research project. It took me some time to adjust to this teaching model, but it suited me, and I became more efficient in organising my time. However, although there were no ‘exams’, there were several assignments to work on: it was quite hard to concentrate on the course content as well as the assignments at the same time. For the project, it was exciting to be fully involved within an actual research environment and work alongside PhD students and post-docs. I trained in several experimental techniques, and it was a precious scientific experience for me. Overall, this year really made me grow a lot: besides the neuroscience knowledge I was exposed to, I learnt how to develop personal qualities and habits as a young scientist

Which research project did you work on? 

The title of my project is ‘The underestimated role of leptin: Leptin signalling in neuroregeneration’. Professor Simone Di Giovanni supervised me

Where are you now?  

Oxford, UK

What are you working on? 

I am currently doing my PhD at the University of Oxford

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student? 

Be true to science, do not ignore anything that seems not right, however tiny it might be

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now? 

The high-pressure studying pace made me study more efficiently, and I learnt how to be calm when I face challenges. Moreover, the six-month project helped my current academic life. It made me realise how amazing it is to be a scientist and made wanting to continue working in the neuroscience field

Read Linshan Chu: ‘I learnt how to develop personal qualities and habits as a young scientist’ in full

What is your name?

Neta Fibeesh

Where are you from?

I was born in Israel, but I have been living in London, UK since I was 3 years old

To which class do you belong?

MSc Translational Neuroscience 2021-2022

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

BSc Biomedical Sciences at the University of Birmingham

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

I found the MSc experience challenging yet immensely rewarding. It has been an opportunity to be taught by world-leading scientists who are driving current research and meet like-minded peers.

Which research project did you work on?

My research project involved elucidating the link between microglial senescence and circadian rhythm disruption in Alzheimer’s disease at the Marco Brancaccio lab, which is involved in the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI). Throughout such, I have developed invaluable skills varying from practical technique to critical thinking. I am very grateful for the lessons learnt and the supportive guidance I was provided with by the entire lab and in particular, my supervisors Natalie Ness and Dr Brancaccio

Where are you now?

I am in Israel due to start a PhD at Tel Aviv University under the supervision of Dr Ben M. Maoz and Professor Uri Ashery

What are you working on?

The preliminary title of my PhD is ‘Utilising induced human neuronal cells and a Brain-On-a-Chip platform to decipher the molecular consequences of mutations linked to familial Parkinson’s disease’ and I am highly looking forward to getting started

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

The most important lesson I have learnt is to maintain resilience and motivation. During my research project, I spent a significant amount of time attempting to optimise a technique which was not working the way we hoped it would. Despite such, I persevered and ended up introducing a new technique to the lab which had not been used prior to my project. This experience has taught me that research does not always go the way you plan, and that hard work definitely pays off, because we ended up producing some exciting results!

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

The master’s reaffirmed to me that I have a keen interest in cellular and molecular neuroscience. The taught component of the MSc consolidated my conceptual understanding of various topics within the field and the subsequent research project has enabled me to put this understanding to practise. I would like to think I have developed as a scientist, and I hope to apply these skills to my future studies and research

Read Neta Fibeesh: ‘Hard work definitely pays off’ in full

What is your name?

Hamida Mussa

Where are you from?

Tanzania

To which class do you belong?

MSc Translational Neuroscience, class of 2022

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

BSc in Biomedical Sciences at University of Warwick

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

Overall, the experience was amazing. It taught me a variety of new skills, exposed me to a more challenging environment and gave me the opportunity to meet with lots of wonderful people that I now call my friends. It was the most perfect year!

Which research project did you work on?

My research project was titled ‘The role of arginine deprivation therapy on the tumour microenvironment of arginine auxotrophic glioblastomas’. My research entailed trying to understand how arginine deprivation affected the immune microenvironment of a subset of glioblastomas that cannot make their own arginine. I worked under the supervision of Dr Nelofer Syed

Where are you now?

I am currently applying for research assistant jobs in many universities so that I can continue my research on glioblastomas

What are you working on?

I hope to continue working on arginine deprivation therapy as a potential therapy for glioblastomas

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

The most important lesson I learnt is how to be more independent and drive my own research. During my research project, I was given the opportunity to design my own experiments and take control of my research because it was my project. I was given advice by my post-doc supervisors and the principal investigator. Together, we came up with a feasible and well-structured final experiment while maintaining my original idea. Although this was very challenging, it was very rewarding too and taught me a lot about research and how much thought goes into ensuring an experiment is designed to be robust.

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

This programme allowed me to be part of a dynamic research group, where I learnt a variety of different wet lab skills I previously had no experience. Without this programme, I don’t think I would have been so certain that I wanted to continue doing research and working in a lab as part of my career. I am very proud of where I am today and am grateful for being able to complete this MSc at Imperial amongst some of the best researchers.

Read Hamida Mussa: ‘It was the most perfect year!’ in full

What is your name?  

Yuyang Yan

Where are you from?  

China

To which class do you belong? 

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2020

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?  

BSc Biochemistry at The University of Liverpool

How did you find your Master experience at the College?  

Perfect. It gave me the opportunity to explore the area I am really interested in. It also provided me with the basis of scientific research and how to be a young scientist

Which research project did you work on? 

Studying the mechanisms underlying axonal regeneration

Where are you now?

​I am a research assistant in Professor Simone Di Giovanni’s lab

What are you working on? 

I am working on the characterization and correction of Cdkl5 nuclear function in human CDD neurons during maturation

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student? 

To solve a problem independently, to work independently as well as in a team

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now? 

All the modules are instrumental in understanding the basics of neuroscience as well as designing experiments to answer a specific research question. Moreover, my personal tutor gave me many useful suggestions, not only for my master, but also for my future plan. Last but not least, I am so lucky I could develop my interest in axonal regeneration. I did my master project in Prof. Simone Di Giovanni’s group, which was friendly and lovely. This lab experience deepened my interest in axonal regeneration, I became familiar with all the lab members, and I decided to stay in this perfect lab for my future study

Read Yuyang Yan: ‘I am so lucky I could develop my interest in axonal regeneration’ in full

What is your name?

Cynthia Lam

Where are you from?

Hong Kong

To which class do you belong? 

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2020

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?

I completed my BSc in Biochemistry at the Chinese University of Hong Kong

How did you find your Master experience at the College?

My Master experience at Imperial has been a kind of magic. A mix of rewarding experiences, inspiring new technology, intellectual discussions, respectful and genuine people, stressful deadlines, fear of coding (at the beginning), and also life-long friendships. I have learnt so much from everyone I met in the course, and I am very grateful to be part of this cohort. We were also taught the most up-to-date neuroscience topics and knowledge and useful, practical skills like neuroimaging techniques and analyses. Apart from the academics, Imperial has also given me a lot of support and opportunities: I was able to find a balance between academics and having fun, which made the whole experience less stressful!

 Which research project did you work on?

My research project was on the “Effect of psilocybin therapy for depression on low-frequency brain oscillations produced by music listening”, supervised by Dr Matthew Wall at Invicro

Where are you now?

I am now in Cambridge, UK

What are you working on?

I am now doing an MPhil at the University of Cambridge and looking for PhD opportunities. I have also started my own company in the therapeutic drug monitoring field

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

It has been challenging this year due to the pandemic, and therefore I have learnt to be flexible and adaptive

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

This program has definitely made me grow as a scientific communicator and have widened my perspectives of what research is like. I also really enjoyed my research project; hence I hope to pursue a career in academia

Read Cynthia Lam: ‘My Master experience at Imperial has been a kind of magic’ in full

What is your name? 

Dragos Gruia

Where are you from? 

Romania

To which class you belong to? 

MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2020

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London? 

I studied Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Essex

How did you find your Master experience at the College? 

My experience at Imperial has been a unique and enriching one. I knew I wanted to be a researcher before starting the MSc, but many aspects of neuroscience were still relatively new to me, mostly due to my background in psychology. The wide breadth of topics covered in the course allowed me to explore the field. It has also led me to an area of research that I love, but that I never considered before starting my course. More specifically, it led me to neuroimaging research and computational neuroscience, which I now hope to pursue during my PhD. In addition to this, I met many fantastic people which I now consider close friends, and whose paths I am very excited to watch unfold

Which research project did you work on? 

I worked on a computational project. I analysed fMRI data from a large sample of participants, focusing on resting-state and task-driven dynamics. I used brain connectivity estimates to explain individual differences in individual intelligence using a machine learning approach. This involved exploring different types of connectivity (functional vs effective) and different fMRI paradigms (resting-state vs task-related designs), and assessing which one is most predictive of intelligence and why.

Where are you now?  

I am at Imperial College London where I am currently  pursuing a PhD in the Department of Brain Sciences

What are you working on? 

My thesis focuses on longitudinally mapping cognitive deficits in stroke patients. The over-arching aim to is design and develop a clinical tool that can be used in the NHS acute stroke clinics, in combination with brain imaging metrics, to guide (and hopefully improve!) rehabilitation

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

The most important lesson I learnt is to work independently. Throughout the 6-month thesis, I was given a lot of freedom in choosing the analyses to run. This meant that I often needed to use my own judgement to come up with suggestions and modifications to the experiments, based on my literature review. These suggestions were often presented to my supervisors, and we all convened to a final decision in a joint meeting. This was very different from the typical dynamic where the PI tells you what to do, and you simply do it. Admittedly, it was somehow challenging at first, as I was new to computational neuroscience. But now I realise how lucky I am to have gained this skill and how key this is to become a young researcher 

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now? 

If it were not for the MSc programme, I probably would not have given computational neuroscience a try, thus missing out on an area I now find fascinating and that I rely on for my PhD heavily. Also, I would have never obtained the research position at Imperial that I currently hold. I am extremely pleased with where the course has taken me so far, and I am excited to see where it will take me next!

Read Dragos Gruia: ‘I am extremely pleased with where the course has taken me so far’ in full

What is your name? 

Ana Morello Megias

Where are you from? 

I am originally from Panama but I lived almost all my life in Madrid

To which class do you belong? 

MRes Experimental Neuroscience, Class of 2021

Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London? 

I did a Bachelors in Biomedicine at the University of Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain

 How did you find your Master experience at the College? 

Great! It allowed me to explore different fields of research within neuroscience and to try and learn new methods, which is exactly what I was looking for in a masters program

Which research project did you work on? 

I did three projects. The first one was computational, with Professor Payam Barnaghi. The aim was to develop learning models for in-home sensory data analysis in dementia care. The second one was at Dr Marco Brancaccio lab and I studied the daily expression of the astrocyte water channel AQP4 in the context of Alzheimer’s disease. I did my last project in Madrid, Spain, at the laboratory of Dr Javier DeFelipe. I studied the dendritic spine morphology in layer III pyramidal neurons from the entorhinal, transentorhinal and temporal human cortex, using imaging and 3D cell reconstruction techniques

Where are you now? 

I started a PhD in Anatomy and Neurobiology at Boston University

What are you working on?

At the moment, I am studying

What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?

Research projects may have long-term and short-term objectives. It is important to know and focus on the priorities

How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?

I believe this program has helped me to improve not only my curriculum but also my technical skills and my scientific thinking, and, therefore, helped me become a good candidate for the PhD

Read Ana Morello Megias: ‘This program has helped me to improve not only my curriculum but also my technical skills and my scientific thinking’ in full