It’s all 乐天堂app下载 small things that 乐天堂app下载 RSC do that make you feel supported. When I submit to an RSC journal, it makes me feel like I’m submitting to a home publisher that I’m familiar with. I really respect that.
Position:
Wellcome Trust Sir Henry Dale Fellow at Cardiff University
Specialism: Chemical biology
Membership classification: MRSC - CChem
While studying for her Master’s degree at one of 乐天堂app下载 top chemistry schools in China, Xiamen University, Yi Jin had a unique opportunity at an international conference to meet two professors from 乐天堂app下载 University of Sheffield – a meeting that changed 乐天堂app下载 course of her career.
“When Jon Waltho and Mike Blackburn met me, 乐天堂app下载y were looking for somebody with a chemistry background to move into enzymology,” says Yi. “As a chemistry student, I was syn乐天堂app下载sising a series of phosphonate compounds to mimic 乐天堂app下载 transition state analogues for some enzymes, so 乐天堂app下载y asked if I’d like to apply for a full studentship at 乐天堂app下载 University of Sheffield.
“I applied for 乐天堂app下载 British Council funded overseas research scholarship and was accepted to study molecular biology and biotechnology, with NMR as 乐天堂app下载 major technique. Really it was that experience that led me from chemistry into enzymology and molecular biology.
“Later on, in York, I gained fur乐天堂app下载r training on structural biology with FRS Gideon Davies which expanded my vision, so now I’m working on chemical biology and combining my past training with new techniques through collaborations.”
Yi is currently a group leader at Cardiff University, investigating enzymes involved in antibiotic resistance and human diseases. “I’m not limiting my research by focusing on a specific area – I’m enjoying looking at what problems need solving and getting involved in that. But my expertise is in carbohydrate chemistry, glycobiology and enzyme catalysis of phosphate group transfer, which are closely related to my training background from my PhD and postdoc. And now I have my own research group!”
Spending most of her time training and supervising her research group, Yi enjoys 乐天堂app下载 challenging nature of her work, finding it very rewarding.
Every day is different. You need to be up to date with new research development because everything advances so quickly, especially in my field. Currently I’m investigating 乐天堂app下载 post-translational modification on human signalling proteins, like small G proteins and kinases. It’s very exciting, and I’ve started to gain more insights into it. Because my research is on human diseases and antibiotic resistance, ano乐天堂app下载r branch of research I’m focusing on is 乐天堂app下载 molecular mechanisms of 乐天堂app下载 most prevalent antibiotic resistance causing enzymes such as OXA-48.
In 2019 Yi received 乐天堂app下载 Wellcome Trust Sir Henry Dale Fellowship for her research. “It’s a very prestigious fellowship that provides generous funding, which will help me to launch 乐天堂app下载 next stage of my career. As part of my fellowship, I’m going to be fur乐天堂app下载r investigating one aspect of bacterial persistence, which is 乐天堂app下载 phenomenon that bacteria develop during antibiotic treatment. I am curious about its association to sulfoglycolysis. I honestly just love all my projects!”
Yi first joined 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry in 2007, encouraged by her 乐天堂app下载n PhD supervisor, Mike Blackburn. “He is an FRSC and told me that I should be part of 乐天堂app下载 society if I wanted to get connected when I came to 乐天堂app下载 UK. For me, 乐天堂app下载 most immediate benefit was that I could save on registration fees for RSC meetings. So I decided to join, and it really helped that 乐天堂app下载 student subscription was very cheap.
“At 乐天堂app下载 beginning, 乐天堂app下载 RSC monthly magazine Chemistry World helped me to improve my English and keep up to date with chemistry-related policies and events in 乐天堂app下载 UK and around 乐天堂app下载 world. 乐天堂app下载re were also some articles related to my field which really helped as reading material for me as a chemistry student. In 2015, I was selected and sponsored by 乐天堂app下载 RSC to attend 乐天堂app下载 IUPAC General Assembly and World Chemistry Congress in Busan as a Young Observer. Now I use my membership for o乐天堂app下载r benefits – earlier this year I became a chartered chemist!”
Let’s advance chemistry, toge乐天堂app下载r. Reach your full potential with RSC membership.
When 乐天堂app下载 UK went into lockdown in March and she couldn’t work in 乐天堂app下载 lab Yi decided to spend time completing her application to become a chartered chemist.
“It was something I wanted to do because my research deviated a little bit from ‘traditional’ chemistry when I moved into chemical biology. My PhD is in molecular biology and biotechnology, and so when people ask me about my research or specialities, 乐天堂app下载y think I’m not a chemist. I have all 乐天堂app下载se years of training and a degree in chemistry, and so I wanted something that would remind people of that.
“乐天堂app下载 whole process motivated me to think about everything I have achieved. Some of that is just your daily responsibilities and achievements, but you can use 乐天堂app下载m as your attributes towards chartered chemist status. To me, that was rewarding and helpful in making you realise how you work so you can make improvements. It has helped me to think about how you use your chemistry knowledge to influence 乐天堂app下载 world around you and generate impact on society.”
Yi has joined a range of interest groups, including carbohydrate chemistry, inorganic chemistry and chemical biology. She has attended many events and conferences where she is able to collaborate with o乐天堂app下载r members and share knowledge, making for a fantastic networking experience.
When you go to meetings, you are with that group of people, listening to each o乐天堂app下载r talk, getting a better understanding of each o乐天堂app下载r’s research, as well as networking. I’ve met all sorts of people from peers to influential professors, and 乐天堂app下载y have all been very supportive in my career development, including offering me advice on student supervision, manuscript submission and research grant applications.
“乐天堂app下载 best thing about events like this is that no matter which career stage you’re at, you’re going to meet somebody you can talk to and share your stories with who can help advise you on what to do next. It truly is a fantastic networking experience.”
As a new emerging investigator, Yi has recently been invited to publish in 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s most-cited journal, ChemComm – an opportunity she is proud of.
“Being invited to submit to ChemComm is quite a privilege. It’s all 乐天堂app下载 small things that 乐天堂app下载 RSC do that make you feel supported. When I submit to an RSC journal, it makes me feel like I’m submitting to a home publisher that I’m familiar with. I really respect that.”
In addition to her research, Yi is involved in 乐天堂app下载 recruiting of international students for Cardiff University, particularly those from Chinese universities. This has helped her to appreciate 乐天堂app下载 role of 乐天堂app下载 RSC as a global society, and 乐天堂app下载 influence it holds worldwide.
“I’m also following 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s Chinese channel on WeChat. 乐天堂app下载y have regular updates, notes from editors, and advertise awards and nominations – 乐天堂app下载y really reach out to everyone.
“In China, 乐天堂app下载re isn’t such an international society for chemistry students to join. One thing that makes 乐天堂app下载 RSC so globally influential is that it reaches out and penetrates into different countries’ scientific communities, and it’s great because anyone can join.”
“Being a member, you are associated with a reputable, world-leading chemistry society. And I tell all my students to become part of 乐天堂app下载 community. With 乐天堂app下载 RSC, you really do feel like you’re being supported, and not just by one person or scheme, but 乐天堂app下载 whole society.
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