Health Science Reviews

By Rosalie Brouckaert

When it came time to apply for university, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew what I didn’t want to do, which frankly, included most things, so I chose what sounded the most interesting: a BSc in Genetics and Computer Science. Luckily, I loved it. But when graduation and the working world loomed over me, I opted to continue studying and went for an Honours in Bioinformatics. It was the perfect marriage of my two majors so I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

The transition from upper campus to med campus was easier than I expected. At first, I was constantly lost and needed my student card to open doors at every turn, but I quickly familiarised myself with the area. Soon, I came to appreciate the shade of the big tree between the Barnard Fuller and Wernher & Beit North buildings and most of all, the spinach quiches at Food&Connect.

Now, halfway through the year, what I appreciate most, especially in bioinformatics, is the openness. In the last six months, I’ve learned more critical-thinking skills than I did in my entire undergrad. When selecting a research topic, we could take a supervisor’s idea and make it our own, broadening its scope and charting our own path. What initially attracted me to bioinformatics was its rapid expansion in every direction. With machine learning, novel modelling techniques, and AI, technology is accelerating the research and enabling molecular-level discoveries that were once impossible. I’ve really enjoyed the closeness of med campus, the coursework and the varied assignments so far. I look forward to diving into my chosen research topic in this second semester.