Arianna
Arianna has studied Molecular Techniques in Life Sciences (MTLS) a joint programme with KTH, Karolinska Institute and Stockholm University. She is Italian, but she spent all her university years in Germany – first studying Bioengineering in Kleve, then working in Leipzig. Her favourite way to recharge is by reconnecting to her body by dancing, reading in nature, and surrounding herself with beautiful events to go to with beautiful people. She is a big fan of anything interdisciplinary – especially when interactive – so science-inspired art exhibitions are her favourite spots.
Why did I choose Molecular techniques in Life Science (MTLS)?
I have chosen this programme because I wanted to acquire the skills to perform extensive data analysis but still retain the possibility to conduct experiments rather than turn entirely computational. The programme seemed like the perfect combination of theoretical and practical subjects that would give me the flexibility to choose still an experimental route in case dry lab was not for me. The programming curriculum seemed beginner-friendly and extensive, and I did not require a heavy load of laboratory practice. Another attractive aspect was that the universities offering the programme are also renowned and cutting-edge in their respective fields.
What are the best aspects of the programme?
The aspect that attracted me the most to MTLS was the curriculum, with its heavy emphasis on bioinformatics and programming. Although we still receive solid biological knowledge, the focus is often on high-throughput techniques. On top of that, each semester has a dedicated programming module that taught us how to programme, and we got to apply this knowledge in hands-on projects. Although I had never opened a terminal before – now I can create my own bioinformatics tools and use them to analyse -omics data – how exciting!
Being in a joint master’s programme, students get to explore and take advantage of the offers and strengths of not one but three universities: KTH, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm University. I consider myself a social butterfly who craves variety, so this format works well for me. I could find both a niche that makes me feel comfortable and at home but also activities that are challenging, creative, or innovative.
Lastly, the people. Classes are small (25-30 people), international, highly interactive, and with a flat hierarchy. Professors know you by name, and you can refer to them by their first name. Programme directors and professors frequently ask for students’ opinions and feedback and tend to implement the suggestions immediately.
Have you chosen a specialisation track?
The programme does not have official tracks – yet students can tailor their studies towards either dry lab or wet lab during the summer internship, the third-semester project, and the Master thesis. Because I think that big data analysis is the natural evolution of the field of biomedicine and because it is a skill that is becoming more and more crucial in a scientist’s toolkit, I want to focus on consolidating what I have learned in my programming classes. For this reason, I will work with proteomics using Python and R this summer and hopefully deal with fully computational projects next.
How do studies at KTH differ from previous studies?
Stockholm, KTH, and MTLS have a lot to offer. My previous university was much smaller and limited in what it offered. Here, there is an almost endless offer of appealing activities (outdoor clubs, sports clubs, TED initiatives, university competitions, book clubs, language courses…), only hindered by the fact that days are only 24h long. Swedish education is also different from what I had had: many more group projects, more flipped classrooms, less frontal classes. I have also never studied at a university with such strong ties with local institutes and groups: many of our professors and teaching assistants work at SciLifeLab. This highly respected research infrastructure merges cutting-edge technologies and in-depth expertise in molecular biology.
How would you describe your time at KTH so far?
I am having a blast! I love challenging environments, I love growing, and I love feeling connected to my community. My experience here completely fulfils all these aspects. I am comfortable now with subjects, tools, and (programming) languages that I had previously thought inaccessible. With this new realisation, I am now considering career tracks with a different sense of purpose. In this dynamic, highly demanding, but enriching environment, I have learned how to go the extra mile and set boundaries to thrive for longer. I also feel very close to my classmates: we often do things together, and from them, I have learned just as much as from the more traditional teachers. Lastly, Stockholm is a beautiful city, especially in the summer.