The MSc in Epidemiology of Infectious Ailments and Antimicrobial Resistance (EIDAR) is the latest programme addition to the Faculty of Biodiversity, One Well being, and Veterinary Medication (SBOHVM), launched in 2019. I used to be enrolled on this program from 2023 to 2024. The programme is led by Dr. Tiziana Lembo and Dr. Jo Halliday, and different instructors are Prof. Louise Matthews, Dr. Harriet Auty, Dr. Katarina Oravcova, Dr. Taya Forde and Dr. Kareen Macleod. This can be a postgraduate taught (PGT) programme involving two phrases of programs and one time period of an unbiased analysis venture.
I first realized in regards to the microbiome in my undergraduate first-year writing seminar class on the College of Pennsylvania and needed to additional pursue its research in my postgraduate training. I used to be drawn to this course for its specialisation within the microbiome—the one of its form in all the UK. As a world pupil hailing from New York who had beforehand accomplished trade research on the College of Edinburgh in my third 12 months of undergraduate research, I used to be desirous to return to Scotland and immerse myself in a brand new metropolis!
As with all SBOHVM’s PGT programs, the majority of Time period 1 is spent within the core course, Key Analysis Abilities, which is taken with all Masters’ college students in SBOHVM. Right here, college students study the basic expertise and instruments to achieve their programs together with scientific writing and communication, an introduction to R, experimental design, and generalised linear fashions. Then, Time period 1 includes the course ‘Core Abilities in Epidemiology of Infectious Ailments’, the place college students study the basic expertise and instruments to achieve epidemiology together with historical past, terminology, diagnostic testing, and research design varieties. My favorite a part of Time period 1 was with the ability to apply my studying from Key Analysis Abilities to our closing project. For this, we independently developed and fitted a Generalised Linear Blended Mannequin to a dataset on family behaviour traits (reminiscent of antibiotic use, milk consumption, boiling of milk earlier than utilizing it, and so forth) to determine attainable threat elements for multi drug resistance. Probably the most difficult a part of Time period 1 for me was studying and writing my very own code in R as my prior expertise was restricted to solely inputting pre-written code into R throughout my trade at College of Edinburgh. Nevertheless, with the assistance of my course instructors, instructing assistants, friends, and my very own curiosity, I realized and commenced to get pleasure from coding for its systematic organisation.
Time period 2 is spent in a sequence of brief, intensive programs on particular points of antimicrobial resistance together with epidemiology, genetics & genomics, infectious illness ecology, and society. I gained alternatives to use my studying in actual world relevant assignments all through these programs, together with writing an idea word proposing an epidemiological research centered on antimicrobial resistance and pitching it for funding, conducting genetic sequencing evaluation utilizing a printed gene sequence, or debating “if the EU is true to ban imports of animal merchandise from international locations the place antibiotics are used as progress promoters” in entrance of UK authorities and coverage representatives. As a result of distinction with my city upbringing in New York, my favorite a part of Time period 2 was getting the chance to go to the College of Glasgow’s Cochno Farm and Analysis Centre led by Dr Harriet Auty and George King. I actually loved the chance to study in regards to the milking course of first hand and consequently, was higher capable of recognize the nuances of dairy farms.
The ultimate time period is spent on a supervised unbiased analysis venture. College students have the chance to select from pre-proposed tasks or suggest their very own venture. This course of begins in late December to early January. For my unbiased venture, I used to be capable of apply the statistical modelling expertise I realized throughout the educational 12 months from Professor Dan Haydon to discover my mental curiosity in microplastics and their impression on the intestine microbiome via two meta-analyses on mice in experimental research. I used to be lucky to haven’t just one, however two great supervisors for my venture: Dr. Jelle Boonekamp and Dr. Davide Dominoni with assist from PhD pupil Rachel Reid, all in SBOHVM.
I like to recommend this program to any pupil enthusiastic about epidemiology to additional develop their quantitative and qualitative expertise from an interdisciplinary perspective. As an elected Pupil Representatives Council Class Consultant, I labored first-hand with the SBOVHM employees and may attest to the dedication everybody has to not solely amassing, however in the end implementing pupil suggestions from one time period to the subsequent, and from one educational 12 months to the subsequent. As a Class Consultant, I additionally had the chance to take a seat on the panel of the 2024 SBOVHM “Ask your Lecturers” session for incoming college students the place we mentioned the six packages we provide!
As I moved to Glasgow with out ever having visited and with out realizing anybody within the metropolis, I actually imagine Glasgow is among the greatest cities to be in as a world pupil to immerse your self in historical past, discover beautiful structure, be a part of a group tradition, and most of all, really feel secure while dwelling away from house.
General, my favorite points of the course have been the application-based project alternatives in my space of curiosity, the microbiome, and the supportive SBHOVM employees. My favorite points of dwelling in Glasgow have been the secure and efficient public transportation infrastructure which have allowed me, to call just some, feed furry coos in Pollok Park, eat complete lobster in Ayr, hike in Loch Lomond, witness the breathtaking Culzean Citadel, or go seal-spotting on the Isle of Arran! I used to be additionally very simply capable of journey forwards and backwards to Edinburgh as I wanted, as the 2 cities are very nicely linked by public transportation. Pictured under are just some highlights from the breathtaking sights of Scotland.
Written by Anika Kalra, a Masters pupil on the EIDAR MSc program, 2023-2024. Anika is now making use of her scientific background in life sciences technique consulting as an Analyst at ClearView Healthcare Companions.
Banner picture: EIDAR cohort area outing to New Lanark, 2024
