Biology Personal Statement Example 26

The living world will never cease to amaze me. From the workings of a human cell to the balance of a complex ecosystem, I find the lives of organisms fascinating and this has compelled me to pursue a degree in biology. I hope to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to make a substantial contribution to the scientific community, which plays such an active and significant role in today's society.

The biology A level course has allowed me to build on my previous curiosities. With the advancement of gene-editing curing Layla Richards' leukaemia last year, for example, I took an interest in the role of T-cells and was able to understand this more when studying immunology. The structure of DNA is also intriguing as it makes sense of many other areas within biology. Subsequently, I have read about the synthesis of proteins from DNA in 'How We Live and Why We Die' by Lewis Wolpert, which explains how proteins carry out the majority of cell functions, and that their value cannot be understated. My chemistry AS level has helped me to understand the fundamentals of the subject which will be advantageous in my future studies. Maths and geography A levels have also proven to be complimentary in this way, with statistics (in which I achieved 100 UMS) and the overlapping ecology topic enhancing my biodiversity knowledge.

Ecology is definitely an area that I would like to explore further as I have always shown a specific interest in wildlife and the environment, organising family holidays from the age of 12 to biodiverse areas, including the island of Borneo, where I found the behaviour of a long-tailed macaque troop crossing the Kinabatangan river captivating. Sir David Attenborough's documentaries opened my eyes to nature and it is in conservation and behavioural research that I envision my career.

Attending a biology masterclass at the University of Cambridge last year assured me that my course selection was correct. Aside from learning about the threats to global antibiotics and discussing alternative options, I benefitted from the lecture-style of teaching on the day. In contrast, I appreciated independently exploring the 'States of Mind' exhibition at the Wellcome Collection as well as the Science Museum's 'Who am I?' as this taught me about the Seven Basic Emotions and gave me an insight into human behaviour - something I found interesting to compare to the primates' actions seen in Borneo. For example, while the baring of teeth may show joy in humans, it is commonly associated with threat in other species. I am excited to learn about the evolution behind this, as studies have shown that facial expressions are in fact acquired by instinct rather than taught. My interest in this area has inspired me to complete an EPQ titled 'Has human evolution ended?' as we may be the first species to voluntarily stop natural selection.

Aside from academia, I am heavily involved in my school choir and musical productions, playing lead roles in Les Miserables and Miss Saigon and demonstrating that I am a confident and committed individual; I am also an enthusiastic campanologist, which combines my musical and mathematical abilities well. I captain my club hockey team, and have also played to regional standard, both of which require responsibility and outstanding communication skills which I will use at university and in the scientific sector. Additionally, I was appointed Head Ambassador for my school in Year 11 and Manager at my part time job, proving my ability to lead a busy lifestyle alongside my academic career.

I believe there has never been a better time to study biology and the prospect of learning from leading researchers appeals to me greatly. This is why I am determined to work hard and take on the academic challenges that university will pose to achieve a well respected degree.