Susanne Holst Williams will expand her network and her scientific horizon in the NAD PhD programme.
Susanne Holst Williams originally wanted to become a doctor. While studying for a bachelor’s degree in Medicine, she found that she was much more interested in understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of disease to support the development of treatment rather than the actual clinical work. She then went on to do a master’s degree in Immunology in the UK and another master’s degree in Neuroscience in Denmark. Susanne’s clinical experience informs her approach to research, keeping her motivated and making her aware of translational perspectives within her work.
Susanne’s main research interest is the field of neurodegenerative disorders and neuroimmunology. During the pre-PhD year, she wants to explore this field further:
“In the pre-PhD year, I hope to learn a lot of new methods and potentially identify multiple groups that would be relevant to collaborate with for my PhD-project. I also hope to expand my network in general. For the PhD project I hope to develop into a more independent researcher, while continuing to learn. I hope to be able to collaborate with multiple groups, as I think having multiple perspectives will strengthen the project,” Susanne says.
Susanne will do her first lab rotation in the Fossat Group at the University of Copenhagen. The group mainly focuses on neurotrophic viral infections, as well as RNA biology, including developing methods to assess regulation of RNA-translation. During her rotation, Susanne will improve her skills in working with stem cells.
Susanne is an active and social person, and she enjoys spending time with friends, travelling and dancing.