Profile
Marikka Beecroft
SO much lab work to do!
My CV
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Education:
Aylsham High School: 2003-2008. Paston College: 2008-2010. Aberystwyth University: 2010-2013. Durham University: 2013 – current.
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Qualifications:
GCSEs: 9 A*- B. AS & A levels: B – D. 1st class Bsc Hons in Microbiology. PhD Microbiology & Biochemistry: TBC
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Work History:
I’ve had jobs all throughout college and university, some are related to my job now and some not. At university I was sports officer for my student’s union and that was great as it taught me how to organise my time, resolve problems and materialise my ideas. All helpful in the work place and during your studies! I’ve worked on trying to figure out what and how many microbes live in the human mouth, whether or not these can be changed and if they affect your health. This information is now being used as a foundation for future work to see if microbes can effect your chance of getting oral or lung cancer.
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Current Job:
Community representative, Lab Demonstrator and PhD researcher.
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Read more
Certain chemicals (called chelators) can bind to metals. Certain metals, are needed by bacteria to grow because they use them to produce energy or help them cope with unpleasant environments. If you manage to bind the metals already or if you manage to stop the bacteria picking up those metals the bacteria can’t survive very well. Sometimes they die off or they try to find a different metal to use, overall though they can’t grow or divide so that’s when other antibiotics can come in to finish them off.
I am specifically looking at a chemical called EDTA, it is found in many (if not all household products) and helps antibiotics or preservatives kill bacteria. It is not known how they do it so I have to try and find out!
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My Typical Day:
Not everyday is the same!!
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Read more
I grow bacteria up and sometimes smash them open to read their DNA and RNA,this is a good indicator of how bacteria are reacting and what they are “seeing” around them. Sometimes instead though, I look at their proteins specifically the ones they use to survive and see if they’re working properly. I grow bacteria and see how my chemicals are affecting them/how they are growing and I look at their structure and see if it is altered in some way with a microscope! This sounds boring but the microscope thing means I have to use a dye that glows and its actually really pretty!
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What I'd do with the prize money:
Lots of fun interactive things with students!
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Full of Energy
Were you ever in trouble at school?
No, my mum would’ve killed me! (My mum’s got a death stare that terrifies me even to this day).
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Artic monkeys or Royal blood.
What's your favourite food?
Spaghetti
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Publish in Nature, be happy for the rest of my life and to own a basset hound.
Tell us a joke.
A mushroom walks into a bar and the bartender says “Sorry we don’t serve drinks to the likes of you” To which the mushroom replies “aww come on mate I’m a fun guy!”
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