My mammoth 4 year journey - Amy Contreras

I am currently in the last few months of this mammoth 4 year journey… the end is in sight! I chose my research project primarily due to it being industry-sponsored by Neotherix Ltd. which means that all of my hard work could be of use in the ‘real-world’ one day.

My project aims to produce a prototype soft tissue regenerating scaffold with a twist. The twist is that I am loading a dye into the scaffold which can be light activated on-demand to kill bacteria should an infection arise during the time it takes for the new tissue to form. During my project, I have been lucky enough to have had access to funding which has allowed me to travel to several conferences and for me to organise two external placements; one at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (in the USA!) and one at the University of Sheffield.

Right now, I am completing my final few experiments which are studying the way in which the scaffolds interact with bacteria and cells. I am also writing up chunks of my thesis whenever I get the chance!

The part of my PhD which I have enjoyed the most has also been one of the most challenging aspects. I have worked across at least 5 different departments in the University of Leeds in countless labs. This has meant that I have felt a bit like a ‘PhD nomad’ and have had to be very organised with my work to manage the different equipment booking systems and training procedures. On the other hand, this has ensured that my project has never felt mundane!

Now that the process is coming to an end, I feel so grateful for all of the opportunities I have had to develop my skills (both science-related and otherwise) and all of the people who have helped me along the way.