Profile
Courtney Povey
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About Me:
Hi All,
I live in a small town near Oxford where I work as a research scientist. In my free time I enjoy long walks in the countryside with my dog and going to the gym 🐶 🏞️
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I also enjoy watching tv shows, particularly Greys Anatomy and Criminal Minds 📺. I think public engagement in science is very important and love the opportunity to teach students interested in science and show them that it can be very fun!
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My pronouns are:
She/Her
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My Work:
I work as a research scientist in reproductive health. My aim is to help us understand more about pregnancy and to develop clinical tests that can help people have a healthy baby.
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My work is focused on IVF patients so I develop tests that help to make sure both the embryo created through IVF and the environment the embryo will develop in (the endometrium) are healthy for the best chance of a successful pregnancy.
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My Typical Day:
A typical day for me begins bright and early, around 5am, when I walk my dog. I get to work at 7am and have lots of coffee to prepare me for the day. Most of my morning is spent in the lab processing patient samples. In the afternoon, I will analyse my data and plan my next working day. I leave work at 4pm and my evenings are equally as busy as I walk my dog, go to the gym and have dinner all before getting an early night ready for the next day!
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The patient samples I receive are usually blood, vaginal swabs or endometrial biopsies. I have to extract DNA from these samples so that I can then use them to answer my research question. At the moment, I am looking at the role of certain bacteria in successful pregnancies so I analyse each sample to see what bacteria is present and if this has any relationship with healthy pregnancies in my IVF patients.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would use the prize money to host interactive sessions for young students to learn about all the different areas of science that you can work in. I would get various scientists for different science disicplines so we can show young people there is something that will excite them in the science industry!
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Education:
I went to King Alfred’s Academy and then attended their Sixth Form
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Qualifications:
3 A levels in Biology, Psychology and History (AA*A)
12 GCSEs (A-A*)
BSc: Neuroscience, Univeristy of Leeds
MSc: Molecular Medicine, Univeristy of Leeds
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Work History:
My past jobs were mostly in retail working as a shift manager at Tesco to help fund my time at University.
While at University I worked as a PASS leader supporting first year students through their degree.
After graduating I had my first job as a Research Assistant working in blood disorders. After gaining some experience here, I moved to my current position which specialises in reproductive health.
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Employer:
I work for a biotech company called Juno Genetics.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
animal, books and outdoor loving
What did you want to be after you left school?
A neurosurgeon
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Sometimes for talking too much
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I would be a vet
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Noah Kahan
What's your favourite food?
Pizza
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To own a dog rescue, live nearer the beach, have a bigger house on a farm
Tell us a joke.
What did the biologist wear to impress their date? Designer genes
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