Réka Nagy

I think everything I did while at University has contributed in a small or large way - the work I do is directly relevant to what I was working on during my PhD (so I can apply the same statistical, and programming skills), and it also heavily relies on the biological knowledge I amassed during my undergraduate training.

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After defending my thesis, I stayed on at the University (within the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine) for half a year, in a role created specifically for me, as Public Engagement Officer and Postdoctoral researcher. This stemmed from the substantial amount of public engagement that I had done throughout my PhD, as well as finishing up my PhD research and writing a research paper.

Throughout my PhD, I became increasingly certain that I would like a career outside academia, and I was applying both for scientific roles, as well as for more science communication/public engagement roles. I got my first 'real job' in February 2018, with a company called Genomics plc, and I still work for them today.

What is your current role and what does your work involve?

I work as a scientist for Genomics plc, a University of Oxford spin-out that tries to understand the human genetic 'wiring diagram' by developing new ways to analyse large genetic datasets. Some of our areas of expertise are: a better understanding of disease genetics; the ability to identify novel genes that could be viable drug targets; or the ability to develop individual genetic risk scores to, for example, supplement clinical screening.

In my day to day work, I get to do a lot of coding to wrangle and analyse data. I also use my biological expertise to glean insights from the results, and a large part of my work also involves coming up with ways in which to best visualise and communicate these results both internally, and to our collaborators.

What experiences do you feel helped you get to your current position?

I think everything I did while at University has contributed in a small or large way - the work I do is directly relevant to what I was working on during my PhD (so I can apply the same statistical, and programming skills), and it also heavily relies on the biological knowledge I amassed during my undergraduate training - statistical analysis can get you so far, but to make meaningful insights from the numbers, one also needs to understand how the genetic variants affect biological systems to lead to certain diseases.

My participation in team competitions/activities throughout University (e.g. iGEM; BioYES) really helped me learn how to work well as part of a larger group of individuals, and has helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses in this area such that I can decide what tasks I would most efficiently be able to contribute to.

Having written for the University student newspaper, and having been encouraged to participate in (and in some cases win!) science writing competitions organised by e.g. Nature, means that I am able to communicate well in writing. Additionally, organising or interacting with visitors at science communication events (e.g. Edinburgh Science Festival, Doors Open Day, presentations at local schools, or the online 'I'm a Scientist, Get Me Out of Here' competition) in addition to presenting at scientific conferences and meetings, have all made me into a proficient communicator who can engage a wide variety of audiences. This really helps in my current work, where I have to clearly communicate my ideas/results to colleagues whose expertise may be in biology, statistical genetics, computer science, pharmacology, or a field entirely unrelated to any of these.

What do you think was the most valuable aspect of your time at Edinburgh in preparation for your career?

The fact that I was surrounded by many brilliant experts in the field, and that my colleagues and supervisors all took their time to really help me learn, teach me things, and encourage me to think for myself. Additionally, the freedom/ability to be able to participate in many extracurricular activities that were of interest to me has really helped develop the 'soft skills' necessary, but often overlooked, in a successful career!

What advice would you give to students who are interested in your area of work?

Whether it's a role within academia, or a role within a company, that you're after, you can feel assured that your skills are going to be in high demand. Be sure to highlight your technical proficiencies but also anything else that you have 'coincidentally' become proficient at due to extracurricular activities you have done - these will set you apart from other candidates who might also have a similar level of technical training, but may lack some of the 'nice to have' skills.

Interview conducted in 2019.