PhD student

e-mail: HXB799@student.bham.ac.uk

I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Damascus University and started my career to pursue my passion into the field of biology with a great focus into microbiology. I was involved in the pharmaceutical industry in the quality control sector involved in microbiological analysis and quality assurance. As a Microbiologist at Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company; I obtained, valuable experience, which allowed me to develop my skills in analysing varied products and media. This enhanced my knowledge into the impact of microbial contamination on public health. I became more competent, with the manufacturing field of microbiology and systems such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Good manufacturing practices (GMP) and Good Laboratory practices (GLP) together with, following up and controlling daily net weight activities. I pursued my career journey by completing a master’s degree at the University of Birmingham in 2018 with a distinction in Food Safety Hygiene and Management; which allowed me to understand the impact microbiological factors affecting our future. This opened my career pathway by allowing me to submit a poster presentation based on my thesis project ‘The use of innate microflora of honey in dairy’ on behalf of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) in Greece. I then worked as a research assistant at the University of Birmingham and was given the opportunity to complete my research project on the isolation of Lactic acid bacteria from honey. Having proved my hard work and commitment I was offered a research associate role to lecture undergraduates at the chemical engineering department and supervise MSc students with their individual research project. I was also nominated to attend the examiners panel to viva MSc student on their thesis projects and provide feedback. Now my career focuses on the completion of my PhD with the aim to achieving valuable results and the submission of publications to allow us to understand the predictors of DVT and finding global solutions to its prevention.