Liz Zuccala
Why did you choose the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute for your Honours year?
I was lucky enough to be part of a research project at the institute while I was completing the final years of my undergraduate degree, so I got to experience research first-hand before I started honours.
I really enjoyed the welcoming and collaborative atmosphere, the excellent facilities and the opportunity to be part of the world-class research being conducted at the institute.
What do you see as the benefits of doing Honours at the institute?
I really like the opportunity to focus on research. The honours course has very little coursework compared to other programs I looked into, and after five years studying already, I wanted the chance to spend as much time in the lab as I could.
I also like the high-quality projects on offer to students at the institute. When you do a project here, you know the work you’re doing is important and has the chance to contribute meaningfully to the aims of the lab you are part of.
Have there been any highlights?
At the beginning of the year the students went as a group on a retreat, and I found that was a great way to get to know a lot of honours and PhD students away from the lab. And, of course, it’s exciting to start getting some good results out of my project already.
What is the subject of your Honours research?
I am using cellular and molecular techniques to investigate how malaria parasites gain entry into red blood cells. The stage of the parasite life cycle where they reside within red blood cells is responsible for all of the symptoms of malaria disease, so understanding how these parasites invade our cells is important for the development of new treatment and prevention strategies for malaria.
What does a typical working day involve?
I spend most of the day in the lab doing experiments, and regularly spend quite a bit of time culturing malaria parasites and doing fluorescence microscopy. I also attend seminars and lab meetings a few times a week, and I try to make time to read papers in between
doing lab work.
What did you study at uni?
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science with majors in history and genetics.