Profile

Photo:

Lucia Montero

    • About Me:

      Iā€™m a cancer researcher from Spain currently living in Manchester. In my free time I love reading fantasy books, travelling and going to musicals!

    • Read more

      I was born in Alcorcon, a city just to the south of Madrid, in Spain. Growing up, I have always been very interested in all sorts of science, especially when one Christmas morning I found a toy microscope where I was able to start observing the little things in nature. Despite my day-to-day work involves lots of colourless liquids in tiny tubes, fancy machines and lots of computer analysis, my love for the outdoors hasnā€™t disappeared, which is why I love spending my weekends going to the Peak District and discovering new hikes. My favourite way to unwind after a long day in the lab is reading a good book (mainly fantasy), especially if I can then discuss it with my friends! I have always loved live music, which is why going to concerts and musicals makes me so incredibly happy (despite not being able to sing or play any instruments ā˜¹).

    • My pronouns are:

      she/her

    • My Work:

      I spend my days in the lab working with different types of samples so that we can better understand different characteristics of cancer, as well as developing techniques that will make our experiments work better.

    • Read more

      In the lab, we receive blood samples from patients with different cancers and characteristics. We can process these samples to just keep the elements that we want to look at in our experiments, which can take between a day or a week! After the samples have been through, we can look at the information they provide us in our computers, where we try to make sense of it and decide what the next experiments will be. On the side, I am also very involved in organizing events and activities that give us the opportunity to show schools, science fairs or the public what research we do.

    • My Typical Day:

      I wake up and have breakfast (avocado toast and orange juice). I get to work at around 9am, where I do lots of experiments in the lab. Then I go to the hospital canteen and have lunch with friends, and in the afternoon itā€™s back to my desk to look at my results. I go home at 4.30pm.

    • Read more

      After I have breakfast at home, I walk for 10 minutes to the research centre. Once I get there, I start my computer and print all the forms I will need for my experiments that day. Before going in the lab, I am able to have a quick coffee with my friend from another team. After spending the morning in the lab, I can grab my lunch from the hospital canteen and enjoy my break with my colleagues. About once a week, we have a seminar where a visiting researcher talks to us about their job, which is a great way of learning about science all around the world! In the afternoon, I can look at the results from the morning and be on the lookout for any samples that might arrive from the different clinical sites that collaborate with us. After making sure all the paperwork is in order, I leave the office for a relaxing afternoon.

    • What I'd do with the prize money:

      We want to develop a ā€œcancer colouring bookā€ where we can display all the different types of cells that surround and interact with the cancer cells (tumour microenvironment), and by using some colour-changing pens we can display how some cells might change behaviour after certain treatments are administered (e.g. immunotherapy).

    CV

    • Education:

      I went to a state school and college in my hometown to the south of Madrid, in Spain. My final college year I had the opportunity to travel to Washington State, attending an American high school to improve my English. When it was time for university, I stayed in Madrid as well, studying Biology. During my undergraduate degree, I had the opportunity to do a year abroad at the University of Manchester. Lastly, I completed my masterā€™s degree at Kingā€™s College in London.

    • Qualifications:

      1. Spanish University Admission exams which included Spanish language, English, History of Spain, STEM Maths, Chemistry and Physics.
      2. BSc in Biology from the Universidad Autonoma of Madrid
      3. MSc in Genomic Medicine from St George’s and King’s College, University of London

    • Work History:

      The summer before I started university, I worked at a dog grooming facility, getting to bathe and pet dogs all day! During my university years, I worked as an academic tutor for GCSE-level students in areas such as maths, biology and physics.

    • Current Job:

      Soon after I finished my masterā€™s degree, I was lucky enough to land my current position as a Scientific Officer.

    • Employer:

      Cancer Research UK National Biomarker Centre.

    • My Interview

      • What did you want to be after you left school?

        I wanted to be a vet!

        Were you ever in trouble at school?

        I was always a bit chattyā€¦ which means I was distracting my friends a bit too much!

        If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?

        I love pets, so I would be working at an animal shelter!

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        I really canā€™t choose! I love listening to Harry Styles, Fleetwood Mac and Lewis Capaldi, for example.

        What's your favourite food?

        My favourite food is a potato omelette- a typical Spanish dish.

        If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

        1- more confidence in myself 2- better musical skills 3- be more patient

        Tell us a joke.

        What do biologist post on Instagram? Cell-fies

Questions answered by Lucia

No questions to show