Biochemistry Personal Statement Example

The real-world effects of biochemistry are what initially drew me to the subject. Having Perthes disease inspired me to look into the biochemistry behind it, and through the Genetic And Rare Diseases Information Centre, I found that it is caused by one or more genes not working properly. The gene responsible for the abnormality is the COL2A1 gene, which is in charge of the development of connective tissues.

This is what inspired my passion for clinical biochemistry. The idea of analysing specimens to help diagnose and treat diseases within a laboratory and improving people's quality of life through biochemistry excites me. I found the Inside Cancer course by the University of Bath gave me a great introduction to molecular biology, helping me develop an understanding of cancer.

I was fascinated by the fact that nearly all species, including dinosaurs, could develop cancer, except for one species-the naked mole rat. This species has a type of sugar called hyaluronan which causes the cells to become sticky, therefore preventing the overcrowding of cells in one area, thus preventing tumours. A species resisting cancerous growth gives hope for future biochemical research.

The molecular mechanics of angiogenesis also intrigued me, and how tumour cells secrete vascular endothelial growth factor, which binds to receptors on endothelial cells that release proteases, integrins, and platelet-derived growth factor. These secretions contribute to the growth of tumours via chemical pathways, but there are multiple drugs which disrupt the series of reactions to prevent the growth of tumours. I found Sutent interesting, acting as an inhibitor to the VEGF receptor. Enzyme inhibition has been familiar to me since learning about it in my biology AS Level. Completing this course made me curious about how biochemistry can help to solve more modern-day problems.

My decision to write my Welsh Baccalaureate project on whether we will ever find a cure for all cancers was influenced by this course. During the summer, I was selected for a Nuffield research placement, where I was allocated to Swansea University for a project on the development of an experiment to determine the Ka of weak acids using visible spectroscopy of indicators. I gained invaluable experience when working alongside other ambitious students inside a laboratory with lots of new equipment, which I grew familiar with.

My IT and technical skills improved when I completed my project and wrote my scientific report. Finding and correcting errors in experiments and multiple maths problems such as the Beer-Lambert law, Ka calculations, and logarithms challenged and improved my problem-solving skills. This helped me gain a greater understanding of the content covered in AS Level chemistry.

Being prepared for potential failures in experiments is important in science. Sometimes, the results of my experiments did not match the hypothesis. Trying to understand why allowed me to develop my analytical and research skills. For example, the Ka in the experiment did not match the assumed Ka. I found that the anomalies were due to contamination and equipment issues. It was exciting to be involved in scientific research.

I gained a silver CREST award for my work. Outside of academia, I completed the DofE bronze award, which has helped me understand the importance of teamwork. I also ran and organised a school film club, which improved my leadership and communication skills. I learnt that these skills are important in a laboratory from my 40 hours of virtual work experience with the NHS, which demonstrated multidisciplinary teams working together and communicating effectively within the workplace.

I hope to someday be at the forefront of biochemical research where I will be able to unravel the complex chemical reactions and biological phenomena that occur in the variety of life forms around us and use the information to benefit people's lives.