Question: What inspired you to become a scientist and in particular to research cancer?

Sarah Thomas answered on 17 Jun 2011:

Firstly, Chemistry and Biology were my favourite subjects in school. I had nice enthusiastic teachers and I really liked doing the experiments. My lab partner and I once SET FIRE to our desk during a distillation experiment by getting the distillate everywhere and mucking around with bunsen burners… turned out the distillate was flammable – oops! Playing with chemicals and fire, and things changing colour and fizzing and going BANG! I thought chemistry was really exciting!

😀

During my Advanced Highers (equivalent of A levels in England) we had to do a series of practicals for the course but my school didn’t have the necessary equipment. So the teacher arranged for us to go to Edinburgh University for 2 days to do the experiments and stay in student accommodation. After 2 days for running around a university laboratory in a white coat, and staying up all night with my friends in the student halls, I knew that I had to come to Edinburgh University and study chemistry!

I think it’s really important to just go with your heart when you are trying to decide what to do with your future, do the things that you enjoy, cos you’ll find it so much easier to study if you are passionate about the subject and you’ll stick with it throughout all the years at uni. Find your own inspiration and motivation and go for it!

3 years ago I decided I wanted to use my chemistry degree to go into cancer research. To be completely honest, I lost somebody I needed in my life to a sudden and painful cancer. I saw her deteriorate in a matter of weeks and then she was gone. The doctors tried to give her chemotherapy but she was too weak by then and it effectively killed her. I miss her all the time and at the time I felt so lost without her. I remember sitting at her dining table doing a lab report during all of this, and it came to me like a flash of inspiration – I should go into cancer research! The current treatments for patients with cancer are just not good enough, and neither are the methods are diagnosing cancer in patients quickly.

This is why i decided to work on creating a diagnostic blood test for cancer, to help doctors diagnose cancer in patients as quickly as possible, to get them treated as quickly as possible.

I remember how strong she was in life and I try to be strong too, and work hard, be inspired and be motivated always.