Syaza is in the final year of her Ph.D. at Monash University, Melbourne Australia. She is part of the digestion team in the Boyd lab, whose research is centered around the influence of the digestion of lipids on the fate of poorly water-soluble nutrients.
Her doctoral research investigates the formulation of a colostrum substitute for the enhancement of nutritional outcomes in premature infants. To paint a clearer picture of the structural behavior of lipids during digestion, her current work heavily uses X-ray scattering technique at the Australian Synchrotron.
Outside of the lab, Syaza is also a teaching assistant for pharmaceutical science undergraduate students at Monash and is a social media representative for the Monash American Association of Pharmaceutical Science Student Chapter.
A typical day for me includes…
Going to the gym in the morning (got to get the endorphins level up) before heading to campus. When I am at my desk, I typically go through my to-do list for the day and reply to emails. The tasks for the rest of the day would either be conducting experiments or doing some writing or even a mash up of both — depending on the goals I set out for the week.
My favorite part of my job is…
Attending conferences. Although most conferences are now held virtually, being able to listen to other researchers present about their work fascinates me. Also, by showcasing my own research, I am able to gain new insights from others in the scientific community.
Away from work, I like to…
Go road tripping with my friends. Being in nature definitely has its ways of relaxing you and refreshing your mind. Also, video calling my family who are back in Singapore is another way for me to unwind. Lastly, I enjoy going to pet stores and cat cafes — might adopt a pet soon!
If I could meet anyone, it would be…
Martijn Bijker, the founder of “From Science to Pharma,” a platform that equips those with a scientific background with the necessary transferable skills that can be applied in an industry. It would be amazing to hear how Martijn transitioned from academia to working as a medical science liaison and was able to connect with clinical, medical disease experts and regulatory affairs departments of a pharmaceutical company.
When listening to the radio I listen to…
Comedy and horror podcasts, which is a pretty weird combination, but it takes my mind off work even if it means laughing or scaring myself. Aside from podcasts, the choice of music I listen to varies from 2000s R&B hits to pop and Latin music. It all depends on my mood that day.
Thanks for sharing your valuable research and your life outside of work with us, Syaza!
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