Profile
James Beswick
My CV
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Education:
Bedford Modern School and Sixth Form;
University of York (Chemistry with a year in Industry);
University of Manchester (Currently PhD in Drug Design, Development and Delivery).
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Qualifications:
GCSE’s in English Language, English Literature, Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, IT, Latin, Geography, Spanish + FSMQ in Additional Maths;
A-Levels in Chemistry, BIology, Physics;
Degree – 1st Class (Hons) Chemistry with a year in Industry.
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Work History:
Holiday Activity Course Leader (Bedford Modern School);
Next Step York e-mentor (University of York);
Student Ambassador (University of York, Chemistry);
Medicinal Chemistry Industrial Placement Student (LifeArc, Stevenage). -
Current Job:
PhD Researcher at University of Manchester;
Widening Participation Fellow at University of Manchester;
Graduate Teaching Assistant….. at University of Manchester.
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About Me:
I love science, teaching, and Manchester United. I am a Medicinal Chemistry PhD researcher… Which means I spend most of my time trying to make drugs!
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I live near Manchester Piccadilly train station with my girlfriend of six years, who is also a PhD researcher at the University of Manchester (she is a biologist who works with fruit flies). I am a season ticket holder at Manchester United and go to every home game – I sit near the front of the famous Stretford End and you can just about see me on TV! Last year I ran the Manchester 10K for the Michael Carrick foundation (he is the assistant manager of Manchester United – see picture!)
I am a ‘Widening Participation Fellow’ at the University of Manchester, which means I spend a lot of time working with schools (from primary right up to sixth form) delivering workshops, science fair activities as well as helping with things like the EPQ.
I also help train undergraduate pharmacists at the University by ‘demonstrating’ in teaching laboratories and I was lucky enough to be awarded the Doctoral Academy’s ‘Outstanding Graduate teaching Assistant Award’ in 2020.
My pronouns are he/his.
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I make drugs.
Or at least I try to. It is highly unlikely that I will ever create a new drug that people can buy at the pharmacy – because it is very difficult, very time consuming and very expensive to get a drug from the laboratory to the pharmacy shelves. But I can dream!
I am part of a group of scientists at the University of Manchester, called the BIG. That stands for Brain Inflame Group! We don’t put out fires in people’s brains – but we are interested in inflammation.
Inflammation is normally a very good thing in the body – it is a natural response to harmful things like germs (pathogens). But in some diseases, too much inflammation can lead to more harm than good – which is why I am trying to make drugs to target inflammation!
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My Typical Day:
Most of my time is spent in the lab, mixing chemicals together to make new molecules for biologists to test. In the lab, I also purify the compounds that I make – which sometimes gives me lovely sparkly crystals! My time out of the lab is spent designing the molecules to make, and then figuring out how to actually make them in the lab. I also have to confirm the purity of my compounds using complex machines worth hundreds of thousands of pounds!
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Enthusiastic, engaging, patient.
What did you want to be after you left school?
A lab based scientist.
Were you ever in trouble at school?
No - I once got my whole class (including me) out of a detention because my head of year couldn't believe that I got told off!
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Coldplay
What's your favourite food?
Sunday Roast
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Time travel, teleportation and flight
Tell us a joke.
Did you hear about the horse that twisted its ankle? It is now in a stable condition!
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