Interview of Pablo, currently doing an internship at Harvard University

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO COME TO FRANCE AND CPE LYON FOR YOUR STUDIES?

Even though I was born in the US, I spent many years in Bogota, the capital city of Colombia, were I attended a French institution (the Lycée Français Louis Pasteur) for kindergarten, middle and high school since it was one of the best and most renowned schools of the country. During high school I first learnt about the “Grandes Écoles” system in France, and I knew I specifically wanted to join an Engineering School, which had an Integrated Master of Science and Engineering program. I also knew about the “royal” among the different ways of entering these “Écoles Supérieures”, which is through scientific preparatory classes (“classes préparatoires”, or CPGE), and I was very excited to follow that path. It is indeed the most challenging way, but the most rewarding and interesting to my eyes. I am actually glad I did it.

One of the reasons why I then wanted to join CPE Lyon was the singularity of its engineering degree in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. It is indeed one of the very few schools, if not the only one, through which it is possible to graduate in both careers. Furthermore, I know from a first hand that CPE is very committed to maintaining strong relationships with companies, which is definitely beneficial for all parts alike, students, the university and the companies themselves. Being fully aware of the importance of building a strong professional network nowadays more than ever, I wanted to take profit on that.

Finally, having visited France before (since I spent a year in Paris during middle school), I realized that Lyon is a great city and has many perks as a student city. It is indeed affordable, has different activities and is well connected.

YOU DECIDED TO DO AN OPTIONAL GAP YEAR, WHAT MADE YOU TAKE THIS DECISION? DID YOU HAD A PROJECT IN MIND?

I carefully start thinking about this possibility since I first heard of it. First, I knew it would allow me to have a first-hand experience on a specific scientific area but also a good insight on what working on that area would be.

Furthermore, it is nothing new that candidates are nowadays more and more competitive than ever, which makes it crucial to be able to stand out and bring exceptional value. Spending a year abroad for a co-op at this age not only shows autonomy, independence and many other capabilities, but also allows students to graduate with experience, which is highly sought-after and can make a difference when being considered for a position.

As for personal projects, I did have some in mind. I knew I wanted to come back to the US specially because of the opportunities in my area of interest. I also wanted to do more research. I had had some of my first experiences back in CPE and I was determined to keep gaining research experience.

While it is true that there are exceptional universities and leading companies in which one could work back in Europe, there are likewise world-renowned institutions and highly competitive positions available here. Being aware of this, I soon began to chart my own path and quickly identified a potential opportunity in my current environment. I pursued it — and ultimately secured the position.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS TOPIC/AREA OF CHEMISTRY?

One of the mains reasons of why I decided to focus on microbiology, more specifically in structural and molecular biology, is simply because it is a field I am drawn to. I also believe that it is a very promising area that holds very important and revolutionary discoveries yet to be made. I firmly believe that progresses in this area will contribute to improve human condition.

For instance, let us take example of my lab’s research: we focus on parasites, mainly the one causing Malaria, and also Leishmania and Babesia divergens. The latter is a bit unheard of, but that does not make it less dangerous and lethal. On the contrary, there is no actual current treatments for Babesiosis, hence the importance of finding one.

Simultaneously, both are very polyvalent areas, specially structural biology. One can find scientists with different backgrounds, from (bio)physicists, to physicians, chemists and microbiologists (and more), all working and collaborating together in these same topics. This really encourages scientific cooperation and knowledge sharing, which has been very eye-opening to me.

HOW IS YOUR INTERNSHIP GOING SO FAR?

Just fine! So far I have had different projects to work on. Our lab’s main focus is parasitic protein synthesis, and so our areas are principally structural and molecular biology.

When I first arrived to the lab there was a big project on Babesia divergens. I was then tasked to work on the biological and structural characterization of translation initiation factors found in B.d.. Our goal is not only to understand better certain characteristics specific to this apicomplexan protozoan, but also pursuing novel drug targets to counter its infections.

Right now, I have been working for the past weeks on some new cell strains of genetic modified cell lines of B.d. This has been great because I have had a lot of insight on the power, potential and possibilities of genetic modifications, and we are hoping that this new strains will take us closer to our goals!

On the other hand, working in this environment has allowed me to have hands-on on a big variety of analytical and experimental methods of which I had only heard before during some classes back at CPE. In fact, I am grateful for this since some of the electives I took back then served as “survival toolkit” for my work here and allowed me to faster understand some concepts and methods. That being said, I have also had the opportunity to assist to lots of different talks on a very generous variety of topics, including PhD dissertation defenses, seminars from exterior faculty, and internal talks about ongoing research at the department. I was even lucky enough to assist to a conference given by Nobel laureate Prof. David Baker on de novo protein design!

ASIDE FROM YOUR INTERNSHIP, DO YOU ENJOY LIVING IN THE US AND MORE SPECIFICALLY BOSTON? WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING YOU DO/DID SINCE YOU HAVE ARRIVED?

I sure do! The US is a really big country, specially in comparison with France.

Each state has its own landscapes, particularities and appeals. I do have my preferences and Massachusetts has always been one of my favorites. Even though it is also known for its “New England” weather, it has many allures. For instance, MA is known for being one of the main and most important hubs in Biological and Biomedical Sciences. And its capital, Boston, is a great city to live in! I would even compare it slightly to Lyon—while keeping things in perspective. It may not be a very large city, but it offers all the conveniences and services one could need within easy reach, and it is very well connected. It also has beautiful landscapes. In fact, one of my favorite activities has always been simply walking through the city—visiting the city center, exploring the Seaport and Financial Districts, and mainly just enjoying the sights.

Another place I would like to point out is Cambridge, which is where the historical campus of the Harvard College is. It is definitely a great place to spend some time discovering, and furthermore, the student ambience and spirit through the city and near Harvard Square and Harvard Yard can make it highly appealing.

WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR?

I will be joining Oregon State University, as it has a partnership with CPE, which allows me to take part in an academic exchange. This will allow me to pursue graduate studies in Toxicology, which is an area that I really fancy, and that to my eyes is the perfect blend between chemistry and biology. This will also be a great opportunity to continue pursuing further research, this time in a different field. If everything goes well, I may choose to stay for a few additional months to work in one of OSU’s laboratories.

Precisely, after this semester, I am planning to complete one last internship before graduating. I am aiming for a six-month duration, which seems appropriate as it would allow for a brief yet effective training period, after which I could contribute efficiently and deliver results within a defined timeframe. While I am considering taking a more industrial approach this time in order to gain further experience in the sector, I must admit that I have truly enjoyed research so far. I have some solid and promising leads, but I remain very open to all kinds of opportunities.

But this is all still unfolding — so stay tuned for what comes next.