My work experience at TwinsUK

30th Jul 2026 – by Ryan Pokharel

If I could describe my work experience at TwinsUK with one word, out of the limitless options such as “enjoyable” or “intriguing”, I would pick “unexpected”—but not in a bad way.

Arriving a whole hour early on my first day, I frantically asked AI to prepare some questions I could ask if things felt awkward. Although I didn’t remember a single one of them, I simply didn’t need them! As I frantically navigated the complex maze known as St Thomas’ Hospital, I found myself huffing and puffing at the entrance to the fourth floor of Block D in the South Wing. Being 10 minutes late on my first day of work experience, I was honestly ashamed and nervous about what was to come.

Instead, I was greeted by Adna, the supportive, energetic and amazing Operations Assistant. On that first day, we toured the whole department, and I was surprised to see so many offices despite this being a research department. Frankly, I thought I had accidentally walked into a finance firm! But then we headed downstairs, where I finally saw the labs I had been expecting.

After meeting a variety of people, including PhD students and undergraduates, I can confidently say that there are countless opportunities at TwinsUK for a wide range of interests, whether that’s diet, nutrition or even ageing. The first day finished with a meeting with Professor Claire Steves, which was such an interesting conversation. When else would you get the chance to ask a professor about the possibility of slowing ageing and regeneration?

The second day was no better for me in terms of timing. Expecting to arrive at Waterloo East station a whole 40 minutes early, I was confident I wouldn’t repeat the same mistake as the day before. It still wasn’t enough. Another train delay meant I was late again. Despair filled me as I ran up the stairs, and by the time I reached the top, I was covered in sweat. There, I was greeted by Johanna, whose kindness I truly appreciated. I immediately began shadowing Maxine and Josh as they carried out tests and experiments with a pair of twins. They enthusiastically answered all my questions and helped me understand why these tests are so important.

By the third day, I expected to be early after being late two days in a row. I failed. Once again, I had planned to arrive 40 minutes early, but it seemed I was cursed. The highlight of Wednesday was chatting with Aaruthy, the amazing Communications and Engagement Officer. One thing that really stuck with me was her advice that, “you do not need to have it all figured out yet.” On top of that, being the person behind all the TwinsUK social media accounts sounded like an incredibly fun job!

Luckily, on my fourth day, I finally arrived on time at the fourth floor after sprinting half the way there. The highlight of Thursday was definitely talking to researchers Bano and Ruth. Their work particularly interested me because they analyse and interpret data, which really appealed to my interests. I also watched Sam and Callie working with samples in the lab. Although analysing faecal samples doesn’t sound—or smell—particularly appealing, it was fascinating to see what hands-on laboratory research actually looks like (despite the overwhelming scent!).

Overall, my time at TwinsUK has been such a fantastic experience, and I hope I might be lucky enough to come back in the future. Thanks to the friendliest and most supportive staff, I was able to gain incredible insights while also having a lot of fun. If there is one message I took away from everyone I met, it is that I don’t need to have my entire life mapped out right now. There is plenty of time to choose, and so many exciting paths to explore.

Thank you so much to all the staff for allowing me to shadow you, ask endless questions, and feel so welcome!