The 2015 series of Careers After Biological Sciences talks at the University of Leicester (UK) included two presentations by current PhD students. They had taken very different routes from their initial undergraduate degree into their further studies. In this presentation Ananthi Ramachandran [BSc(Hons) Biological Sciences (Microbiology), 2009] describes stepping out of academia and then back into it several years later.

1. Careers after Biological
Sciences
Destination PhD via the Scenic Route
By Ananthi Ramachandran

2. About me
WHO AM I?
• Ananthi Ramachandran
QUALIFICATIONS:
• BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences (Microbiology)
CURRENT OCCUPATION:
• 1st Year PhD student- interactions between bacteriophages,
epithelial cells and C. difficile.

3. My Journey from BSc to PhD
 Graduated in July 2009 from UoL
 First job September 2009
I am NEVER
going back to
uni again!!

4. In the Working World
 MSD Animal Health (Merck Sharp and Dohme)
 Animal pharmaceutical company
 Veterinary vaccines
 Scientific Officer, maternity cover. R&D department
 “Campylobacter team” – Reduction of Campylobacter present
in chickens
 Consolidated and put into context basic microbiology skills
learnt at uni
 Great team, great friends
 Based in my home town- Milton Keynes.

5. In the Working World
 Maternity cover- 1 year
 Job hunted after 6 months of being in position -
unsuccessful
 2 positions opened up in MSD AH
 One in same department, one in BTS (Biotechnology and
Support)
 Went for the BTS role-New skills, better career progression
(more likely to be promoted)
 Dec 2010. Scientist- BTS, temporary contract with a view to
be made permanent.

6. In the Working World
 BTS- production support and troubleshooting department.
 Other projects linked with other departments
 My allocated project- development of cell line tests to
replace the use of mice in QC testing.
 Involved developing, optimising and validating cell line assays on
Clostridial toxins.
 Training and management of cell culture team
 Transferring methods to QC department.
DEC 2011-
MADE
PERMANENT

7. Meanwhile at home….
Family were making a list of things
I should be doing to develop my
career:
• Think about what I really
want to do
• Will I really get any more
opportunities at MSD AH?
• Job hunt  change jobs
• Further qualifications
(MSc)
• Additional courses

8. Difference of opinions
FAMILY ME
Think about what I really
want to do
Laboratory work was something I
enjoyed and I was happy to continue
with it.
Will I really get any more
opportunities at MSD AH?
I was in the best possible department in
the company. But I had to be realistic
about career progression in the
department.
Further qualifications (MSc) Couldn’t afford it, plus a few years
working in industry equates to an MSc.
Additional courses Too much “working from home” not
motivated enough for that
Job hunt  change jobs I decided this was the best option for
me, keep job hunting and applying for
jobs that interested me.

9. Time was flying by…
 2012 came and 2013 was looming
 Job applications  rejections
 A few interviews  rejections
 More responsibilities given at work but no recognition.
 Started to feel more demotivated
What should I do? How can I
progress? Maybe I should have
done an MSc

10. An opportunity arises…
 Team leader and main boss suggested….
 Initial reaction 
 I thought my bosses had lost the plot!
 Why on earth had they suggested that?
I SHOULD DO A PHD!!

11. Difference of opinion #2
Me
 Not smart enough
 Intimidating
 Struggled with my BSc so
PhD I had no chance
 Didn’t have “that way” of
thinking
Bosses
 Very supportive
 Listened to me
 Simplified PhD
 Suggested I do it through
work
 6 years part time
 YOU CAN DO IT!!

12. DECISION MADE! (sort of)
 This was it. I was going to do a PhD.
 I CAN do it!
 BUT…..
 Did I really want to spend 6 years on a PhD
at MSD AH?

13. Decision definitely made
 I wanted to do a PhD, but not while working at MSD AH
 Job hunting stopped, PhD hunting began.
 Applied for a few in London (commutable from MK).
 And Leicester.
 PhD applications were as competitive as job applications
 Lucky break came…Back to Leicester Oct 2013!
 Pathogenesis of Acanthamoeba keratitis.

14. Extraordinary Events
 First PhD student in the lab- thrown in the deep end.
Expected to learn everything myself. Work experience
helped!
 More students joined after 3-8 months.
 8 in total, with me being the most senior student
 All the projects overlapped.
 No distinctive aims and objectives.
 End of 2014 decision was made by the department to give
all of us new projects and new supervisors.
 Starting from scratch…. Best in the long run, short term
stress for long term gain.

15. What I have learnt
 It’s never too late to do a PhD.
 Ensure support network is there if doing a PhD
through work.
 Pick a subject you are going to enjoy working on.
 What techniques will you learn throughout your
PhD?
 Try and speak to the students in the lab, are there
post docs/other PhD students to support you?

16. THANK YOU
 ANY QUESTIONS?