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Helen Ross-Adams,
MSc in Genetics, Stellenbosch University
PhD (in progress) at the University of
Aberdeen, Scotland
How did you end up studying
genetics? What and who inspired
you along the way?
I always loved biology and nature
sciences at school, and was quite active
in those sorts of societies.
I went to university thinking I was
going to come out an engineer, but
found it was really not for me! I switched
over to a BSc, which offered a wider
variety of subjects, all of which I could
get excited about. Genetics was great,
and I had a fantastic lecturer whose
enthusiasm and love of the subject was
infectious.
It was so exciting to know what made
each of us unique in the world, and how
everything about us was carried like a
master plan in our genes. I majored in
genetics and psychology in my final year,
with aspirations of becoming a forensic
profiler, just like on TV!
I did my Honours in genetics, which
was a lot of hard work, but also lots
of fun. It was a natural progression to
continue with my Masters. I worked on
grapevines, figuring out their genetic
fingerprints for the farmers (yes, they
have fingerprints too!).
Now I’m in Scotland, and trying to work
out what genes cause high
blood pressure in people,
so they can avoid things
like strokes, heart attacks
and other nasties.
It was basically through
a combination of luck
and a love of all things
living, that I fell into
genetics.
If you’d asked me at
school where I’d be eight
years on, I wouldn’t have
had a clue. In fact, I had no
future plan and was quite
scared at the thought of
having to grow up. Now,
I’m glad I didn’t plan too
carefully.
What do you love best about
what you do?
The feeling of finding something out for
the first time is so satisfying and exciting.
Every little piece of information you get
is like a piece of a larger puzzle.
South Africa is considered a
third-world country. Would you
say that this affects the quality
of our genetics research?
Although research in SA is really a
luxury many think we can’t afford,
the actual work done is top-notch,
and the country is crawling with the
most amazing minds! I’ve also realised
that the saying "necessity is the mother
of invention" is certainly true in SA. So,
although we may be strapped for cash,
the quality of the research done is comparable
to that of international institutes.
What is the title of your PhD?
Why did you choose your
specialty?
I’m looking for genes that contribute to
high blood pressure, and consequently
strokes. I’m interested in having my
research make a real impact on people’s
lives.
What words of warning and
encouragement do you have for
someone who wants to study
genetics?
The field is growing so quickly at the
moment, now is definitely the best time
to get into it. You will learn all sorts of
exciting things and hopefully make a
bundle of cash in a couple of years
time. It’s a good idea though, to consider
marrying a love of biology with
computers, as this area (ie, bioinformatics‚
is taking off too.
On the down side, be prepared for the
long haul. It can take about four years
of full-time study to get an Honours
degree, and longer if you study further.
It’s daunting at first, but the time really
does fly by.
Any last comments?
When I was at school, I didn’t know
what was on offer in the big wide world
career-wise. However, I’ve now realised
that if you enjoy something, there is
probably a career out there, tailor-made
for you. Don’t get locked into thinking
you can only be a doctor, lawyer or
engineer; if you put your mind to it and
some effort, you can make a career out of
doing something that really inspires you.
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