Hi everyone! I’m Donna, and I have just completed my second year studying Molecular Bioengineering at Imperial College London. I’m interested in how research can move from scientific ideas into real-world healthcare impact. I enjoy learning about the biology behind disease and technology, but I’m also curious about what happens after a discovery is made: how it can be translated responsibly into something useful, accessible, and meaningful. This summer, my Laidlaw research project will focus on wearable muscle-signal interfaces for assistive control after spinal cord injury. More broadly, I’m excited by healthcare technologies that are not only technically impressive, but also practical enough to make a difference in people’s daily lives. Through Laidlaw, I hope to better understand the role leadership plays in helping research move beyond the lab, from shaping ideas thoughtfully to connecting them with people and communities who may benefit from them. I’m looking forward to learning from people across the Laidlaw community, especially those working in bioengineering, healthcare innovation, neural engineering, or protein de novo design. Please feel free to reach out. I’d be very happy to connect.

Hi! I'm Amanda, a third year Neuroscience student and Laidlaw alum from UCL. I'm Swedish-Persian and grew up in Sweden before moving to London for uni. These days, alongside my studies, I work for the Foundation as a Marketing Assistant. For my first year research project, I worked on optimising alginate hydrogels for 3D astrocyte culture systems. In simpler terms, I was figuring out the best way to prepare a jelly-like scaffolds so that star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes could grow in three dimensions rather than flat on a dish. This matters because 3D environments mimic the brain more realistically, which could help researchers develop better treatments for neurological disorders!  For my Leadership-in-Action project, I co-created Beyond the Books, a resource designed to help students from underrepresented backgrounds navigate the unwritten rules of university life, from internships and networking to professional opportunities that aren't always obvious if you're the first in your family to go to uni. Always happy to connect, whether you want to chat about neuroscience, widening access, the Laidlaw experience, or just say hello! One of my favourite things about this community is getting to meet people from different universities and backgrounds, so please do reach out! 🌟