Looking to Launch Your Research Career?
Postdoctoral Researcher Rhianna Blyth is here to answer your questions about what it’s like to be a researcher. Having worked in both industry and academia across Europe, she brings a wealth of experience and is ready to share her insights to help guide you on your career journey.
Ask Rhianna about the duties of a postdoctoral researcher, application advice, useful skills and experiences, how she got where she is today, and more!
Questions will be open from 9 am on the 21st to 12 pm on the 25th of September.
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Meet the Host
Rhianna Blyth is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Sheffield Hallam University. She currently works on a project funded by The Humane Research Trust on utilising patient-derived decellularised tissues as scaffolds for developing immunocompetent models of bowel cancer. These innovative models aim to better replicate the complexity of tumours and their surrounding environment, with the ultimate goal of testing immunotherapies alongside stroma-targeting agents.
Rhianna began her scientific career with an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Genetics at Aberystwyth University. Following her studies, she spent 10 months working in industry as an Associate Scientist, where she gained experience in developing T cell therapies for cancer. In 2020, she began an integrated PhD at the University of Southampton, completing an MRes year before undertaking a three-year PhD project investigating the inflammatory environment associated with obesity in breast cancer, using 3D models. Afterwards, she undertook two short Postdoctoral Researcher positions in The Netherlands and Ireland, working on 3D tumour models, prior to returning to the UK.
Alongside her research, Rhianna is passionate about science communication and supporting the next generation of scientists. She regularly takes part in the In2Research programme, mentoring students who are considering a career in research. She particularly enjoys sharing her experiences of working in science and helping others understand what a PhD actually entails, and the variety of career paths available within research.
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