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What is your name?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Parnaz Sharifi<\/p>\n Where are you from?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n London, England<\/p>\n To which class do you belong?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2021<\/p>\n Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I graduated from King\u2019s College London with a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n How did you find your Master experience at the College?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I found the Master\u2019s experience to be challenging but extremely rewarding. Being taught by internationally recognised researchers and exploring multiple neuroscientific fields at one of the powerhouses in neuroscience research, provided me with the skills and in-depth knowledge needed for a career in neuroscience. Additionally, taking part in grant proposals, editorial reviews and live debates on cutting-edge neuroscience topics was a novel and enriching experience. I\u2019m also very lucky to say that some of my coursemates have become amazing friends of mine<\/p>\n Which research project did you work on?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n My MSc laboratory research project aimed to elucidate the mechanisms underpinning the region-specific degeneration observed in the midbrain of Parkinson\u2019s disease patients. Supervised by Dr Kambiz Alavian, my thesis focused on the role of the R-Type Ca2+\u00a0Channel and the mitochondria in the preferential vulnerability of nigral neurons in Parkinson\u2019s post-mortem and\u00a0in vitro\u00a0<\/em>models<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Where are you now?\/ What are you working on?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I am currently preparing my MSc research paper for journal submission, which is an exciting development in my academic journey. I am also applying for positions as a research assistant at a few universities to continue my passion for neuroscientific research<\/p>\n What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n This MSc has taught me to speak up more and be brave in presenting my ideas for discussion, instead of being concerned about how my ideas would be judged. This is all due to the kind encouragement, inclusiveness and respect that I received from my classmates and teachers during my studies<\/p>\n How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Not only did the Master\u2019s programme equip me with an extensive understanding of the different fields within neuroscience, but working in the Alavian Lab and being trained in the experimental methodologies used to investigate the underlying mechanisms of conditions like Parkinson\u2019s, helped me realise that this is the type of research I want to be doing during my PhD. I think the work I conducted in the lab has certainly prepared me well for this<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is your name?\u00a0 Parnaz Sharifi Where are you from?\u00a0 London, England To which class do you belong?\u00a0 MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2021 Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?\u00a0 I graduated from King\u2019s College London with a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science\u00a0\u00a0 How did you find your Master experience […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1219,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"yoast_head":"\n