Profile
Mia Nuckhir
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About Me:
Hi! I live and work in Manchester but I am from Brighton ☀️ I am a Cancer Sciences PhD student in my final year and outside of work, I enjoy eating out in Manchester, going to gymnastics and swimming in the sea
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I have lived in Manchester for 3 years and before that I lived in Brighton. I grew up near there very close to the beach, and I studied my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science at the University of Brighton. After that, I knew I wanted to learn more about cancer so I also did a Masters degree called Cancer Cell Biology at another university in Brighton called the University of Sussex.
I came to Manchester 3 years ago to start my PhD at the Manchester Cancer Research Centre and I am in my last year now! Outside of work I enjoy going out to eat, going on holiday when I get the chance and going back to the beach to swim and go paddle boarding and visit my two dogs, Lola and Tilly
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My pronouns are:
She/her
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My Work:
I am a final year Cancer Sciences PhD student based at the Manchester Cancer Research Centre and I study breast cancer and why it spreads to other parts of the body
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I started my PhD in 2020. I research breast cancer, and how in some patients it can move from the breast tissue to other parts of the body (this is called metastasis).
I am interested in how the cancer moves to the lungs and I work in the lab with breast cancer cells to do this. We think that there might be cells in the lungs that signal to the breast cancer cells to help them move, and we hope to find something that can be targeted in patients to stop this, which would stop the patients cancer from getting worse.
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My Typical Day:
My day usually starts at 7am and I get to work at 9am. I will finish work any time between 5-6pm.
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On Monday and Tuesday mornings I have meetings with my lab group that start at 9:30am and last for one hour. I like getting my lab work done in the morning, so I will plan and prep for that before these meetings. I like to make a to do list for the day, so I will check and add to that before I go into the lab so I don’t forget anything! I mainly grow and work with cancer cells and depending on what experiments I have to do, this can be quick or I can be in the lab most of the day. I try to stop for lunch at around 2pm and keep on top of emails throughout the day. I often have a lot of image analysis to do, so I normally spend at least an hour at my desk doing this in the afternoon, and I will take time to plan and think about future experiments then too. I will always check my to do list before I leave work, and have a plan for the following day.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would like to arrange for students to visit the Manchester Cancer Research Centre where I work so that students could get an idea of the work we do and what it is like to work in a research lab. We could even set up some experiments!
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Education:
I went to school in Eastbourne where I chose to study triple science, history, and Spanish. I then went to college where I studied BTEC Science, Sociology and Health and Social Care at A-level.
In 2014 I went to the University of Brighton where I did my undergraduate degree in BSc Biomedical Science and after a year out to work and travel I did my Masters degree in Cancer Cell Biology at the University of Sussex.
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Qualifications:
10 GCSEs (A-C)
3 A-levels (A-B)
BSc Biomedical Science (First Class Hons)
MSc Cancer Cell Biology (Distinction)
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Work History:
From the age of 15-22 I worked in a few different retail jobs to earn money. I was a student ambassador during my undergraduate degree where I helped on open days and events for the university.
I did some volunteer work in a hospice and at a research facility in Brighton for 7 months to get some work experience in research.
I was a part-time laboratory technician at a private company whilst I was studying for my Masters degree and after in the year before I started my PhD. At the same time I was also a research technician for a year at the University of Sussex working on a small research project.
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Employer:
University of Manchester.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Dog-loving scientist
What did you want to be after you left school?
Nurse
Were you ever in trouble at school?
I sometimes got into trouble for chewing gum 🥴
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
A doctor or wildlife photographer!
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Fontaines D.C.
What's your favourite food?
Anything Mexican 🌯
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To complete my PhD, to travel around South America and own a golden retriever
Tell us a joke.
What did one cell say to his sister cell when she stepped on his toe? Ouch! That's mitosis!
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