Profile
Danielle Nader
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About Me:
I am from the USA. I am a microbiologist, so I study infection and how to stop it! My favorite snack is Terry’s chocolate orange π«
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I am American-Lebanese, 25 years old, and am in my final year of completing my PhD at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Dublin).
My favorite drink is peach iced teaπΉ, my favorite hobby is going to the gym ποΈββοΈ, I like my coffee with a dash of cinnamonβ, Spiderman is my favorite Avenger π·, and Frank Ocean is my favorite singer π!
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I am a microbiologist, so my work involves studying ‘bugs’ that cause harmful diseases, like viruses, fungi and bacteria. These organisms are so small you need massive microscopes to help you work on them, that’s where the word ‘microbiology’ comes from!
I also work in drug development, where we are testing a compound that has the ability to stop the virus from attaching to the cells in our body. When the virus cannot attach to our cells, it cannot enter and divide, and cannot cause infection.
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My Typical Day:
On average, my day starts at 9am and ends at 5pm. Sometimes, I need to stay in a little late or come in earlier because I may have to do a really long experiment that could last over 10 hours. Every Monday, I plan some experiments to do for the week that could best answer my hypothesis. I then start my day in the lab, where I do lots of experiments. I go for a quick lunch and a coffee, then back to the lab to continue my experiments. I finish around 5pm where I go to the gym. The next morning, I come back and study my results.
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All of my experiments are based on infection, so that is a very important experiment I do a lot of the time. We grow human cells in the lab under similar temperatures and other conditions that our body is used to. I then take the COVID-19 virus and infect the cells while maintaining very high safety levels – there is no chance of us being infected or the virus spreading outside the lab!!! π¦
Another experiment I do a lot is studying the virus and the cells using a microscope. I add a marker to the virus that reacts to light – when I shine a light on it, the virus glows, and we can track its movement as it infects the cell! π¦
We also study the protein levels in the human cell after it has been infected. This is the most important part, because it helps to let us know if the drug is working. π
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I think getting students involved in the lab is so much fun, and I would love to have a student join me in the lab here at RCSI to do some experiments with me! The prize money would go towards getting the student some lab equipment like lab coat, goggles, and some material they need to run their very own experiment. π§ͺπ§«π₯Ό
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Education:
Bachelor degree of Science in Biology (2013-2017)
Masters degree of Science in Microbiology (2017- 2018)
Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology (2018-present)
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Qualifications:
International Baccalaureate (IB) – high levels Biology, Chemistry, Psychology and standard levels Mathematics, French, Physics.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Mushroom loving microbiologist! ππ
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Frank Ocean and J. Cole
Tell us a joke.
Two bacteria walk into a bar and head into the backroom. The bartender yells, 'Hey! You can't go in there!'. The bacteria say, 'Don't worry, we're Staph!'
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