Dr Nikeisha Caruana
Research Fellow, Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology and the Bio21 Institute
What does your research focus on and why is it important?
I am a bioinformatician – which means I analyse data that comes about from biological experiments. In particular, I look at proteins, metabolites (such as vitamins) and lipids (fats) that are involved with mitochondria – the powerhouse of the cell! I am a bit like a detective: I take all the evidence and I sift through it, making connections to come up with a result. Being able to shed light on biological problems is really exciting and helpful to the wider community.
Did you have a part-time job whilst at school/studying?
I did have a part time job whilst studying, I worked at Coles from the age of 16 to 27!
What did you learn from your biggest mistake?
That there is not just one pathway to achieving what you want to achieve so it's okay if one pathway doesn’t work out.