Profile
Lucy McGowan
My CV
-
Education:
University of Bristol (postgraduate) —
The University of Manchester (undergraduate) —
Blackpool Sixth Form College —
Montgomery High School —
Anchorsholme Primary School — -
Qualifications:
GCSEs: Biology (A*), Chemistry (B), Physics (A), Maths (A), English Language (A), English Literature (A*), Art (B), Spanish (A), French (A), ICT (Distinction). —
A-levels: Biology (A), Chemistry (B), Maths (B), Critical Thinking (B).
— British Biology Olympiad: Highly Commended.
— MSci Biology (1st Class Honours)
— PhD: Dynamic Molecular Cell Biology (ongoing).
-
Work History:
As well as working on my PhD, I am a radio presenter on a science show for BCfm Radio (voluntary). I also work as a lab demonstrator, which means I help to teach university students how to do experiments. I had lots of jobs when I was at university; I worked as a student blogger and
and as an ambassador for The University of Manchester. I also worked as a sandwich artist at Subway (yes, that was my real job title) for 5 YEARS. I did work experience at Blackpool zoo where I helped to look after the sea lions. When I was a teenager I worked at a food stall at Pleasure Beach Blackpool (theme park). I also worked at a petting farm looking after cows, pig, horses, chickens, sheep, llamas, donkeys and goats – that was one of my favourite jobs. -
Current Job:
Wellcome Trust PhD Student (research scientist)
-
About Me:
I am a scientist who loves biology, animals, cooking and swimming! I grew up in Blackpool (Lancashire) but I now live in Bristol.
-
Read more
I live in Bristol with one of my best friends, who is also a scientist. I spend a lot of time cooking with my boyfriend. I absolutely love dogs but since I can’t get my own, I’m always borrowing my friend’s dog, Rumba. I am happiest when I’m outside, surrounded by nature. My favourite place I’ve visited in the whole world is Costa Rica. I think pickled onion monster munch are the best kind of crisps. I’m a chocoholic. I’m not very good at running but I try anyway. I love to swim. I can make a mean roast dinner, especially the roast potatoes. I love talking to people about cool science. I’m a radio presenter on the BCfm science show. I have something called hemiplegia, which means the left side of my body doesn’t move very well and feels a little bit numb. I like to show people that you can have a disability and still be a great scientist, friend and human. My pronouns are she/her.
BCfm Studio
Rumba the Dog
Bristol Suspension Bridge
My roast potatoes
-
Read more
It’s really important to have healthy bones; our bones allow us to stand and move around, as well as being home to our immune systems, making the blood in our veins and storing important minerals like calcium. Our bones need to be constantly maintained to stay healthy. Osteoblasts are cells which make new bone and osteoclasts are cells which nibble away at old bone. A healthy balance between these two cell types keeps our bones strong. If too little new bone is made, or too much old bone is eaten, then bones become weak, fragile and can fracture. This is a disease is called osteoporosis. This is why older people are more likely to break their bones. We need to study what causes bone cells to misbehave so we can make better medicines for people with osteoporosis and keep our bones healthy for longer.
This is what an adult zebrafish looks like (above). Their tails are transparent which gives us a window to watch the living bones inside (bottom). Zebrafish bones are made of the same stuff as human bones, which means we can find out about how to keep our skeletons healthy by studying them.
We can make different types of cells, such as immune cells, glow in the dark with fluorescent tags. We can also use dyes which stick to bones so we can see them better, like you can see in red above. I then use high-powered microscopes which allow me to see the tiny, microscopic cells that make bone and study how they change. I look at how changes in DNA affect bone. I also study how immune cells help to look after bones and repair them when they break.
The picture below is of a live zebrafish fin bone shows immune cells (purple/yellow) responding to damaged bone (green).
The picture below shows broken bones in a zebrafish tail. The old bone is labelled blue and the new bone where the fracture is fusing back together is pink/yellow.
Here you can see bone-making osteoblast cells on the left, and the developing skeleton in a baby zebrafish larvae on the right. Can you see the immune cells (macrophages and neutrophils) zooming around?
By looking at the fluorescent pictures we take in the live zebrafish, we are able to understand which cells are important for keeping bones healthy and how these cells are controlled. That tells us which medicines might be useful to treat people who have weak bones to make them stronger.
-
My Typical Day:
I wake up bright and early and walk to work where I have a hot cup of coffee. Firstly, I check that my zebrafish are healthy and happy. I power up my microscope which I use to take beautiful pictures of the bones inside living fish. I study how their bones change over time and I can even watch the tiny cells in their bodies moving around. Then, I go back to my office computer where I can use the pictures to take measurements from the bones and make them look extra-pretty for showing other scientists.
-
Read more
Our fish live in a specialised aquarium and are cared for 7 days a week by expert technicians. The fish are fed 3 times per day and regularly health-checked. Zebrafish like it hot: 28 degrees Celsius to be precise! The aquarium room is uncomfortably warm for us humans. The water is checked daily to make sure it’s not too salty, not too acidic, just right! Zebrafish live for up to ~2.5 years but they grow up fast; they lay eggs which grow into breeding adults within just 3 months.
Zebrafish eggs which are just a few hours old.
I have my own section in the lab, this is where I do most of the preparation for experiments. We have lots of chemicals here which can be used for testing different biological processes. All of my imaging work using the microscopes has to be done in a room without windows as the fluorescent cells can only be seen in the dark.
Here (below) is one of the state-of-the-art microscopes I get to use to image zebrafish bones. We are very lucky in Bristol to have our own world-class bioimaging facility. The facility has lots of high-powered microscopes which allow us to watch how cells move and behave. Just this one microscope setup below is worth nearly half a million pounds! We borrow the microscopes a few hours at a time so that lots of scientists have access to this equipment.
A really cool thing about being a scientist is getting to travel to present your research at conferences. In the past year I have presented my work at an international bone conference in Budapest and to MPs at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.
One of the best things about my job, aside from the cool science, is the team of people I work with. Science is always a group effort but more than that, the people I work with are kind, funny, smart and some of the best friends you could ask for!
Prehistoric fancy-dress Christmas party
Our office
BBQ fun
-
What I'd do with the prize money:
Running a based comedy cabaret show for the public where people can learn about and laugh at science.
-
My Interview
-
How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Curious, excitable, geeky.
What did you want to be after you left school?
I wanted to be a vet. At the time, I didn't know I could be a scientist. I'd never even met a real scientist. Now I realise I wouldn't have enjoyed being a vet at all.
Were you ever in trouble at school?
I was a bit of a goody two-shoes for the most part. I did get told off a lot for talking to my friends in maths though.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Despite not even being born then, I love 80s music the most. If I have to pick one band for now though I'd say Crystal Fighters.
What's your favourite food?
Chocolate, it has to be chocolate.
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
1. To be healthy - you have nothing without your health. 2. To be able to sing. (well) 3. To get a dog.
Tell us a joke.
What did the shark say after eating the clownfish? That tasted a little funny!
-