Heather Owston

I completed a BSc in Human Physiology from the University of Leeds in 2014, currently in year one of the CDT Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine.

What attracted you to the Centre for Doctoral Training in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine – Innovation in Medical and Biological Engineering
I knew that I wanted my career to move into medical engineering early on in my degree and thought that a PhD would give me the best chance of doing do.  I was attracted to the CDT as a way of gaining further insight into the field before starting a PhD and broaden my engineering knowledge.

How did you hope the CDT integrated PhD would give you an advantage over a conventional PhD?
By having a year gaining knowledge in the area you have a better understanding of your PhD subject by the time you get to start it.  Also as the PhD will be multidisciplinary in nature your knowledge base remains broader.

What have you most enjoyed during your time on the CDT Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine – Innovation in Medical and Biological Engineering programme?
You form a tight knit group within your CDT year and make friends quickly!  The lab placements have been enjoyable and really help you narrow down the area you want to go into.

What benefits do you feel you get from the interdisciplinary nature of the course?
As both biology with engineering concepts are combined you are given the skills to be able to approach your PhD question from a broader understanding