Health Science Reviews

by Romi Blom

As I reflect on my journey as an honours student in Bioinformatics at the University of Cape Town, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of gratitude and excitement. Being part of this vibrant academic community has been nothing short of intellectually and personally transformative.

After the first lecture, I was immediately fascinated by the scope of the subject matter. As far as I understood, bioinformatics combines biology, computer science and statistics. Surprisingly, our first assignment was to modify an asteroid video game. This was not what I expected at all! I enjoyed the task immensely, but I was confused about how it was related to my field in any way. After spending some time with it, I realized we are learning extremely valuable skills in a fun and creative way. It’s great to see the variety of ways we’re gaining new skills, making learning much more enjoyable!

One of the most significant realizations so far has been that this course feels like something other than studying. The lectures make the work interesting, and you can see the professors’ passion for their subjects. I may sound nerdy, but I genuinely look forward to attending them and working on specific assignments. Nothing we do feels like a chore, and I often find myself spending too much time on tasks because I delve so deeply into them.

UCT has a vibrant community, and I am honoured that I could be a part of it. My peers are incredibly talented and diverse, bringing unique perspectives and skills. We are learning from each other more and more each day.

As I look ahead, I am filled with optimism and excitement. The field of bioinformatics is rapidly evolving, and I am eager to contribute to its growth. The knowledge and skills I have acquired here at UCT have prepared me well for the challenges and opportunities that lies ahead! I can’t wait to see what is coming up next…