Question: Jean why did u decide to work on making sugars ????

Jean Bourke answered on 22 Nov 2012:

It’s not so much that I decided to work with sugars, it’s more that the opportunity came along and it seemed perfect so I went for it and luckily get the position.

I knew that I wanted to work on something related to disease and not just pure chemistry. I’ve always really loved microbiology too and find it fascinating. At the start of my fourth (and final) year in college, there was a new lecturer in the department. He gave a talk on his research and areas of interest and during that talk he spoke about a proposed project working on sugars associated with tuberculosis. He also spoke about other works he does but that was the bit that really jumped out at me. I went and spoke to him about it and he offered me a position in his research group as a PhD student. I got the necessary results and started my PhD the September after I finished my degree.

I feel really lucky to be where I am, though I have worked to get here, sometime I think there may have been a bit of luck involved too…

The project is great and I love it. Sometimes when things are not going too well my enthusiasm keeps me going and eventually stuff does work out. All the hard work I’ve put in has been worth it and I have really enjoyed working as part of this group on such an interesting project.