![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/alumni-brains\/files\/2025\/10\/Nan-photo-scaled.jpg\")
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What is your name?<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
Nan Wu<\/p>\n
Where are you from?<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
Qingdao, China<\/p>\n
To which class do you belong?<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
MRes Experimental Neuroscience 2025<\/p>\n
Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
Before coming to Imperial, I studied Clinical Medicine at Shandong University (China). At the same time, I trained in basic medical research under Professor Lining Zhang, focusing on the immune microenvironment in tumours and metabolic diseases. For example, I worked on the mechanisms of how D-mannose could be used to treat obesity and depression<\/p>\n
How did you find your Master\u2019s experience at the College?<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
This year at Imperial was rewarding! It is an experience I will never forget. Imperial has world-class teaching staff\u00a0and researchers, and our course director, Dr Stefano Sandrone, always reminded me\u00a0to\u00a0enjoy every assessment<\/i>. I really took that advice to heart. Although I\u2019ve now graduated, this is not the end, but the beginning of my journey as a researcher. This programme gave me far more than technical skills: it trained me in critical thinking and communication. Rather than simply becoming a \u2018machine for experiments\u2019, the ability to think independently and communicate ideas effectively has been the most valuable takeaway<\/p>\n
Which research project did you work on?<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
The programme is divided into three projects, and all of mine focused on glioblastoma. For project 1, I worked in Dr Nelofer Syed\u2019s group under the supervision of Dr Maria Chatziathanasiadou, I worked on identifying biomarkers of response to arginine deprivation therapy in glioblastoma. I learned how to analyse Visium data and perform immunohistochemistry. I also did my second project in Dr Syed\u2019s lab, this time with Dr Richard Perryman. We discovered that arginine deprivation sensitises radiotherapy in ASS1-negative glioblastoma by epigenetically silencing DNA damage repair genes. For my third rotation, I joined Professor Simone Di Giovanni\u2019s group. Supervised by Dr Marco Milano, I explored the intersection of cancer and neuroscience. We developed a small-fibre neuropathy animal model and found that epidermal neurodegeneration was associated with immune infiltration. We cultured dorsal root ganglia sensory neurons with glioblastoma-conditioned medium to study effects on neurite outgrowth and used proteomics to identify key factors<\/p>\n
Where are you now?<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
I am about to return to China<\/p>\n
What are you working on?<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
Back in China, I will continue collaborating remotely with Dr Syed on a project using Visiopharm to analyse changes in the glioblastoma microenvironment before and after metabolic therapy. Next June, I will begin my PhD at the University of New South Wales, focusing on epigenetic therapies for diffuse midline glioma<\/p>\n
What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master\u2019s student?<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
The most important lesson is: never lose the ability to think independently. Regardless of how bold or unconventional your ideas may be, discuss them with your supervisor. An invaluable tip I learned from Dr Syed is that when reading a paper, especially the results section, look at the figures first and try to interpret them yourself. Then compare your interpretation with the authors\u2019. This practice helps you maintain your critical thinking<\/p>\n
How did the Master\u2019s programme help you get to where you are now?<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n
The three pillars of this MRes \u2014technical skills, critical thinking, and communication \u2014are exactly what prepared me for the next step. Beyond experiments, being a researcher means thinking independently, questioning even high-impact publications, and having confidence in your own discoveries. The MRes transformed me into a junior researcher, and I am ready to continue my journey in the scientific world<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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