Profile

Photo:

Sophie Stephens

    • About Me:

      Hi! I’m Sophie and I live in London. I’m a PhD student and lead Biomedical Scientist. I have a cat called Pearl and love playing video games. My favourite food ever is chocolate!

    • Read more

      My job is my main hobby and I feel lucky to have a job that is also fun to me. But outside of this I love to keep healthy, so I go the gym, swim and cycle (daily to work). I grew up on a farm so have a very close connection to animals. I love to travel when I can and have many places I’d love to visit including Australia this year!

    • My pronouns are:

      She/her

    • My Work:

      In my role as a PhD student I am in the department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction. I investigate how gynecological (female reproductive system) cancers form and risk factors that increase the risk of gynecological cancer development. As a lead Biomedical Scientist I run a start up laboratory in a reproductive health clinic.

    • Read more

      I have three projects ts currently as a PhD student: seeing how the gut microbiome (all the microorganisms and what they produce) affects hormone levels, establishing a cancerous endometrial (womb) organoid (bundles of human cells that resemble a mini organ) line and seeing how HPV (human papilloma virus) infection and persistence is affected by the cervicovaginal microbiome.

      In the start up laboratory I’m setting up tests for all conditions related to reproductive health from sexually transmitted infections to infertility to pain syndromes relating to the reproductive system.

    • My Typical Day:

      I wake up at 8am, cuddle my cat for a bit and then get a coffee and breakfast. I check my schedule and emails after breakfast and plan my day accordingly. Normally I will head to campus, do any reading/writing for my PhD followed by lab work for my experiments. Then I’ll spend a couple hours analysing data from the start up laboratory remotely. After this I’ll head home between 6pm and 7pm.

    • Read more

      My days vary massively! I also have work across currently two campuses so depending on where each experiment is at I’ll move between campuses. I even get to attend and observe gynecological cancer operations in surgical theatre which I find very cool. Occasionally I’ll also need to be on site at the start up laboratory so that involves a trip to Birmingham.

    • What I'd do with the prize money:

      I would love to be more involved with charities focusing on gynecological health and help them put out some information about what researchers are working on. I’d also love to do more outreach with young people as I feel gynecological health is still not talked about enough and still very stigmatised. So I would use to money to do more engagement talks/online videos with the public and young people.

    My CV

    • Education:

      Saltash community school for GCSES and A levels

    • Qualifications:

      11 GCSEs at A*-C including separate science, art, French, statistics and geography

      A levels – A in English language, B in biology, C in chemistry

      University BSc in Microbiology at the University of Reading – 2:2

      MSc at the University of Edinburgh in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases – Distinction

      PhD at Imperial College London – ongoing

    • Work History:

      Assistant housekeeper at age 16-18 and summers at university

      Medical laboratory assistant – 2016

      Assistant healthcare scientist  – 2017- 2020

      Biomedical Scientist – 2021

      Laboratory Manager – 2021-2022

      Biomedical Scientist – 2022-2023

       

       

    • Current Job:

      Lead Biomedical Scientist – 2022

      PhD student – 2023

    • Employer:

      PhD at Imperial College London

      Lead Biomedical Scientist at Clarewell Clinics

    • My Interview

      • What did you want to be after you left school?

        A vet, I made a very last minute change when applying to UCAS

        Were you ever in trouble at school?

        I think I got in trouble for not concentrating and daydreaming a lot

        If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?

        That's a tough one! Maybe I would've pursued medicine given I know what I know now. I still prefer the lab though!

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        Anything upbeat! Sigala and Galantis currently

        What's your favourite food?

        Chocolate!

        If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

        I would wish that all my experiments work, that all my pets would live forever and that my headphones never ran out of charge

        Tell us a joke.

        Why did the bacteria cross the microscope? To get to the other slide

Questions answered by Sophie

View all Sophie's answered questions