Q&A with past CCRG Honours Program participant, Talvin Lee
What initially inspired you to join CCRG and how did your time there meet your expectations?
Like many others before me, I approached the daunting task of selecting a research group for my honours year after having just finished a basic degree in science. Over those past three years I had grown a keen interest across a broad range of subjects ranging from immunology all the way to biostatistics. Likewise, I was eager to continue this generalist trend and hesitant at abandoning my various interests to instead focus intensely on a single subject. My desire for a well-rounded research experience was what ultimately led me to choose CCRG’s student research program. I was not disappointed.
During my time with the CCRG, I focused on investigating how medical devices such as heart-lung bypass work and how their use could be improved. This project was itself quite diverse and had me peering down microscopes to cutting open artificial lungs. I was also supported in taking on some responsibility for the project. This allowed me to gain key insights into aspects of research normally hidden from students: project design, grant applications, the publication process, and more!
In addition to my own work, I was also actively encouraged to take part in other projects too. I got to scrub into operating rooms to look at surgeries, visit off-site facilities to use advanced facilities like electron microscopes, and participate in multidisciplinary meetings. Overall, throughout my time at the CCRG I have gotten the chance to dip my toes across all aspects of research. Because of this, I left my honours year feeling that I had developed a solid foundational repertoire which would be useful no matter what direction my career would take.
Where did your career lead to following your time at CCRG?
After my honours year at CCRG I transitioned to studying medicine at the University of Queensland. I’m just about to finish my second year of the program and even to this day I have found my time as a student at the CCRG quite impactful. In fact, I’ve enjoyed my time at the CCRG so much that I have stayed on as a volunteer too! It’s a great privilege and enriching experience to be able to see patients in the hospital who are directly benefiting from the type of research that the CCRG is conducting. After finishing my medical studies I hope to pursue a higher degree in research to eventually become a clinician-scientist who will deliver the treatments that I once worked on to the patients who need it most.
How did CCRG help you grow as a researcher / academic / medical professional?
Apart from gaining a solid foundation working in the lab, the CCRG really encouraged me to participate in a multitude of activities related to more general professional attributes. For example, as a student I not only had a great relationship with my supervisor, but I also assisted in teaching high-school and undergraduate students during their visits to the group. I also got to participate in the CCRG group meetings which allowed me to interact with a lot of other professions including front-line clinical workers, engineers, and technicians. I even got the chance to help out with charity events raising funds for the various research groups based at The Prince Charles Hospital! These activities are key parts of what it means to be a researcher at all levels and I’m really glad to have gotten to experience them so early on.
Lastly, the CCRG also supports their students pursuing opportunities to set themselves apart from competition. Because of this, I have achieved goals that I wouldn’t have expected to accomplish otherwise. In one year alone the CCRG helped me apply and attain a $10,000 new investigator grant as a principal investigator, publish two peer-reviewed articles, and presented my findings at a research conference. I feel like I could not have gotten these opportunities anywhere else but as a student at the Critical Care Research Group.
What advice would you give to a student or professional interested in joining CCRG?
My advice would be to just get your foot in the door. If you’re interested in the type of work and opportunities the CCRG has to offer, then express your interest and come and visit the lab. I remember during my initial visit how welcoming and inclusive everyone at CCRG was. I got to greet everyone, see all of the work they do, and had a really nice chat to my potential honours supervisor. Ultimately, the CCRG is involved in very cutting edge and relevant research (as we’ve seen from the pandemic) and everyone at the lab is super passionate about their work. This makes it a great environment for conducting learning and conducting research so make sure to bring your passion too!