Profile – Gadolinium Zone

Education:

1998 – 2004 Queen Anne High School, Dunfermline, 2005 – 2008 Durham University, 2008 – 2012 Imperial College London
Qualifications:

PhD in Microbiology (2012), MRes in Molecular basis of Infection (2009), BSc in Biomedical Science (2008), Advanced Highers: Chemistry (B), Computing (B), Highers: Chemistry (B), Biology (A), Computing (B), English (B), Maths (B)
Work History:

Apart from science I have worked in pubs, cafes, as a camp councellor in New York, as a fundraiser and as a teacher
Current Job:

Reseach fellow at Glasgow University

Read more

The parasite I work on is called Toxoplasma gondii, although it’s not very dangerous to us, it is quite similar to the parasite that causes Malaria which infects about 200 million people and kills about 600,000 people every year. Both of these parasites need to live inside human cells in order to grow.

I’m interested in how the parasite is able to force itself into human cells and how it changes the human cell to help it survive.
My Typical Day:

My favorite thing is to use microscopes to look at genetically modified, glowing parasites to try to understand how they work
What I'd do with the prize money:

Fund crafty critters and help people make cuddly parasites!

Clare Harding