Birkbeck ISMB summer intern wins Biochemical Society’s Eisenthal Prize for her internship report
Abbie Curd, a student on the Department of Biological Sciences’ Summer Internship programme in 2017, funded by The Biochemical Society , has been awarded the Eisenthal Prize. The Prize, instituted by the Society to honour Professor Robert Eisenthal’s commitment to science education, is awarded to the top student report submitted on completion of their summer studentship.
Abbie was supervised by Dr Cara Vaughan and investigated the structural properties of the Hsp90-Cdc37 complex using EPR spectroscopy, research which is linked to understanding the molecular mechanisms of cancer development. Abbie, who is at UCL studying Biochemistry, found the internship inspiring on many levels both from the research she worked on to the insights it gave her into a career in research. She commented: 'For me, the Summer Vacation Studentship was truly invaluable. It enabled me to apply the theories that I have learnt in my degree and to contribute to real, exciting research. I now have a much better understanding of what an academic research career involves and despite the challenges and hard work, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I recommend the programme to anyone wishing to improve their lab skills and spend their summer doing something worthwhile. Thank you to both the Biochemical Society and to my supervisor for making this possible!'
Further Information
Further information
- Original news story on Biochemical Society’s website
- Read Abbie’s report
- You can read more about the general Birkbeck Summer Internship Programme and more about Biochemical Summer Vacation Studentships which close on February 23 2018.
[Photo of Abbie Curd and Dr Cara Vaughan from the Biochemical Society's news story.]