24th July 2024 – by Ulani Arkhurst

As a BSc Biomedical Science student at Imperial College London, I had not been lucky enough to interact directly with many participants of research studies. On only the second day of my internship with TwinsUK I was able to watch a pair of twins throughout their visit to the study clinic. The twins were extremely friendly and a pleasure to talk to, but I was most surprised at how happy  they were to take part in the study. I do not know many twins personally, so it was heartwarming to sense the connection between two people who seem to be so in tune with each other. The particular set of twins that I shadowed live in different parts of the country and so aside from taking part in the study, the clinic visit was a nice opportunity for the twins to catch up with each other.  

My typical experience of science has been studying samples at the lab bench or analysing results on the computer. It felt refreshing to observe the twins on their visit to begin to establish an idea of how the data I so often work with is actually produced. I believe that experiences such as this, where researchers are confronted with the faces behind the data they receive, are extremely important for producing well-rounded scientists who can appreciate the massive contribution of study participants to their work.  

It was also interesting to see certain ideas from throughout my studies in practice. For example, research ethics (that is, how to carry out research in a way that is moral) was something I had learned during university. During my time at TwinsUK, I was shown the high standards that the researchers hold themselves to. To me, it is more important than ever to ensure that ethical standards are maintained as more people participate in scientific research than ever before.  

This experience was extremely eye-opening for me as I was able to witness firsthand the sheer amount of effort that goes into coordinating a massive research department like TwinsUK. I have seen that the success of TwinsUK is, in part, due to the huge sense of collaboration that encompasses the group. Every person I interacted with during my first week welcomed me and tried their best to ensure my comfort. Alongside this, everyone was very open and willing to spend a few minutes chatting with me about their individual role within the wider research group.  

As I come to the end of the first week of my internship with TwinsUK, I feel reassured about entering the world of research in the near future. I have seen the variety of roles available to me as a young scientist and have gained a deeper appreciation for the huge contribution that participants make to the progress of scientific research. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity and am looking forward to the rest of my summer with the TwinsUK team.  

24th July 2024 – by Bronwen Price

I initially contacted TwinsUK trying to find year 12 work experience. I had been listening to a podcast by Tim Spector (a health scientist), and after doing a little bit of research, this lead me to Twins UK, which he founded. I was extremely lucky to get a placement here.  

I was excited but nervous on my way for my first day at King’s College London. But I needed not to worry – from the moment I got there I was greeted with friendly faces. Everyone was lovely, happy to help and enthusiastic about their work.  

On the Monday I learnt about research ethics, attended one of the staff meetings and was shown around the labs. Already I was surprised by just how many different roles are required for one project. It widened my perspective into how many different career paths there can be in one area, whether that be a science communicator, project manager, clinician nurse or lab technician, and so much more. I had the opportunity to talk to so many different people about their experiences at TwinsUK, and what lead them here. Everyone was so willing to help, and it was really helpful to talk about their university experiences as this is the next step I am considering.  

On Tuesday, I had a call from home on science communication and engagement. It was really insightful to learn that even coming from a science background – many roles still involve other skills such as creativity and communication. It was interesting to learn about how TwinsUK work to involve as many people as possible in science, encourage twins to join the study, and make the information accessible to people who may not be from a science background.   

Additionally, I had exposure to a hybrid work environment. Working from home twice a week allowed me to participate in teams calls and virtual learning. And then of course travelling into London to meet everyone in person was exciting and such a valuable experience, especially on Thursday which is when the whole team is in together. It allowed me to consider what kind of work environment I would thrive in in the future. 

On Wednesday, we had the opportunity to follow a twin’s experience on the clinic. I was able to shadow a wide variety of different tests, and see how the team made the visits worthwhile and enjoyable for the volunteers. This was my favourite part of the whole week; it was so inspiring to see the clinic team at work and helped me gain experience that will help me decide on my future career path.  

We were able to meet a large cohort of the team at TwinsUK, learn about what they do, their career paths and what lead them here. Again, it was a valuable insight to the working world and made me realise how many different opportunities are out there.  

Overall it was an amazing experience, from which I learnt so much I will use as I move forward. I am extremely grateful for this experience, and to have had an insight into what a science degree could potentially lead me to. A huge thank you to everyone who was so friendly and eager to help, and I would highly recommend to anyone considering a career in science or healthcare to apply for work experience here. Thank you! 

17th July 2024 – Nawal Mohamouod

The introductory week of my internship at TwinsUK comprised of a collection of seminars and meetings that enabled me to be introduced to every component of the department. Whether that be shadowing the clinic team or aiding the admin department, I was able to truly understand the inner workings of TwinsUK.

We began with scrutinising the importance of research ethics. As an intern, I appreciated the idea that we start with a topic that is so fundamental to research and participant protection. What I particularly enjoyed was acting as an ethics committee alongside the other interns and work experience students. We were given an assortment of project proposals and were asked to contemplate factors such as consent, risks and benefits to decide if we should approve, issue a caveat or reject the proposal.

Subsequently, we were invited to an operations meeting that outlined upcoming tasks between each department. It was at this moment where I was able to appreciate the diversity amongst the different roles within TwinsUK. Next, we were quickly introduced to the communications and engagement team, where I was shown the numerous platforms in which TwinsUK not only engages with participating twins but also the wider public. I was also given a brief preliminary outline on the context surrounding the project that I will be working on in the coming weeks.

Moreover, I was introduced to the clinical department of TwinsUK. I had the opportunity to shadow a clinic visit which involved collecting blood, stool and urine samples. Furthermore, a plethora of tests were carried out, which hoped to measure memory and active recall. The visit concluded with a lung capacity test as well as a bone density scan that imaged the participants’ hip and lumbar vertebrae which was then followed by a full body scan. This proved to be the highlight of my week as through building a connection with the twins I can truly recognise that TwinsUK believe that participants are more than just data.

Alternatively, the administrative side to the department was where I saw the inception of how studies are carried out. I was directed to ways in which TwinsUK recruit as well as how they maintain participant retention for their longitudinal projects. Also I was able to organise sample testing kits and information booklets to be sent postally in preparation for clinic visits.

Lastly, I was able to sit in a department seminar that hosted external speakers who presented their research topic. I was enlightened to see the scaling of information and complexities from my undergraduate degree.

To conclude, I thoroughly enjoyed my induction to TwinsUK and I’m excited to see the progression of the project throughout this placement.

17th July 2024 – Ruby Richardson

My past five days with TwinsUK have been amazing, every single staff member I met was so welcoming and helpful, and it has just been an overall wonderful week. I am extremely grateful for my opportunity as it has led me to discover a multitude of different career paths which I otherwise may never have even heard of, and it ultimately solidified my decision to pursue science further in my education.  

During my first day I was able to spend time learning about the work that is done at TwinsUK, and the importance of ethics in scientific research. I was thankful for the opportunity to join the operations meeting as it provided an idea of all the hard work that goes into the program. I was extremely excited to see the labs in the afternoon, and gain an understanding of what is done with the samples provided by the twins. As I had never been in any sort of lab setting it was such an interesting experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Furthermore, the staff were so helpful answering any questions I had about the process and their jobs. I liked learning about their different backgrounds as it will certainly help when deciding what course to choose at university.  

One of the main highlights of my week was shadowing a morning twin visit in the clinic. It was so interesting to see all the tests that were done- ranging from blood tests to balance. I loved seeing how happy the twins were to be involved in the project. And once again I really appreciated having the opportunity to speak with members of staff about their experience and their backgrounds too.  

Across the week I also spent time with the admin and data teams- it was good to learn about other aspects of scientific research- away from the wet lab and clinical visits. I didn’t realise just how many different jobs there are and I enjoyed speaking with staff about what they do and how it all fits in with the studies.  

Each person I spoke to across the week seemed to really enjoy their role and the department genuinely seems like such a wonderful place to work. There is so much effort that goes into research and it was so nice to see how connected the staff were. It was definitely inspiring and has made me excited for my future, hopefully working in a similar field.  

Overall, this work experience has been even better than i hoped for- i gained an awareness of so many different areas which i never would have, had i not had this opportunity, and for that i am so grateful. I would definitely recommend TwinsUK as a work experience placement as it has just been such an amazing time.  

12th December 2023 – by Emily Herbert

My work experience at TwinsUK has been wonderful. I was incredibly nervous to start, especially because some of the tasks planned for me were things I had never experienced before – namely, research ethics, shadowing clinical visits, and working alongside very experienced scientists. However, from the minute I arrived, everyone was incredibly welcoming, kind, and supportive of me being alongside them in the department.

Over the course of my five days at TwinsUK, I have learned so much about what it is like to work in a scientific role. I have discovered roles that I didn’t even know were a possibility, and it has really opened my eyes to the variety of careers available.

During my first day, I had the opportunity to shadow visits with the twins in the clinic. I saw the huge variety of work that’s carried out and the different stages of the TwinsUK research programme. This included a variety of tests, including blood tests, memory exams, and bone density scans.

Throughout my week, I had the chance to speak to members of staff across different teams, learning about how the data is organised and analysed, as well as the research ethics that underpin all the work in the department. It was also really interesting to see how the logistics of sample collection work. Each person I spoke to was enthusiastic about their role within the team, and it was extremely helpful to learn about their career path and the work they do each day as part of TwinsUK. It was also extremely inspiring to listen to the researchers talk about the work they are doing, including the lecture I attended from a PhD student.

My last day was spent in the lab, the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is the TwinsUK research programme. I found it fascinating to see how samples are used and interpreted. Everyone in the lab team was encouraging and answered my many questions!

Sometimes it’s hard to think ahead to what careers might be possible for a particular subject, but this experience has been invaluable in understanding the wide range of possibilities within scientific research organizations like TwinsUK, which one day I hope to be a part of.

What struck me the most about everyone in the department was how connected and encouraging they are to one another. The work being done in the department is fascinating, and the relationship built with each set of twins is really lovely. It’s also amazing that the data is not only used for the incredible work within the department but is also shared with scientists worldwide.

I highly recommend TwinsUK as an inspiring placement for work experience. I have had an extremely enjoyable week, and it’s been everything I could have hoped for.

Genevieve joined the department in 2010 and has since gained an extensive knowledge of the TwinsUK data. She is responsible for documenting and storing the multiple datasets collected over time as well as ensuring that data is made available to the research community. Genevieve is also coordinating the data linkage program where we will link our in-house data with external data sources such as health, education and environmental records.

What do you know about your family history? 

I grew up in a small town called Cap-Santé in Quebec- Canada. As far as my family history can go, my ancestors came from France. One of them, Antoine Pépin-dit-Lachance left Le Havre in Normandy around 1655 (he was possibly 15 years old) to settle in New France. After few years working for a French governor in Quebec City, he was offered a land on the Île d’Orléans in the Saint Lawrence River, where he became a farmer and raised his 12 children. This island is not only beautiful but it this the ancestral land of more than 300 great families from Quebec. It is assumed that my ancestor got his nickname of Lachance at the time of crossing of the Atlantic. He must have been lucky man since Lachance means luck!

What about your culture are you most proud about? 

I believe that Canadians are generally polite, apologetic, but we are mainly very friendly and welcoming to others.

Bridget is one of our Clinical Research Nurses, part of the clinic team who you’ll see when coming to St Thomas’ for your visit. Bridget and her team will take your samples, go through various phenotype tests, and complete your DXA scan. She manages, monitors, and also trains the clinic team on various skills to make sure your visits run as safely and smoothly as possible.

What about your culture are you most proud about? 

I am proud of the new generations of Australians who are truly embracing multiculturalism in Australia. I am especially proud of the shift in our culture towards recognising our first nations people. Australia has a troubled history with embracing other cultures, and in particular the harrowing treatment of our first nations people. Australians are known for our laidback, chilled approach to life (you’ve seen me with my feet up at the desk right?) yet we don’t shy away from the ‘hard yaka’ (hard work) – this is something I appreciate more and more as the hustle culture becomes more prominent. This isn’t to say work is our highest priority, but we are happy to just get in get the job done, which as a child always meant helping Dad in the backyard. Mateship is big for us, through highs and lows we don’t hesitate to help each other out. The main thing that comes to mind is floods/bushfires which sadly are now a regular occurrence, my local area floods significantly every few years. The footage of people helping others, even animals, during the 2019-2020 bushfires made me proud to be an Aussie. 

What are your favourite customs? 

Most of the customs celebrated in Australia, or at least by my family, are all the usuals – Christmas, Easter etc etc, mostly celebrated with family, friends, and food in the sunshine. But one of our iconic customs, and my absolute favourite, would have to be the sausage sizzle. Some might say it’s our national dish.

The Bunnings Snag – Bunnings is a franchise of hardware stores across Australia, who support local charities/sporting teams etc by hosting a fundraiser sausage sizzle almost every weekends. A (beef!!) sausage on bread, with onions and sauce if you like, tastes so much better cooked on a BBQ outside a bunnings, when you’re either preparing for a weekend of hard yaka or rewarding your efforts of the day, plus a gold coin to support someone else – it’s a win win!!

The Democracy Sausage –  It’s compulsory for adults 18+ to vote in elections – so on election day you rock up at the polling booth at your local primary school, church, childcare centre to place your vote, and there’s always a sausage sizzle fundraising for something. A little reward for the stress of election day 😊 

As an Operations Officer, Belma’s role is to coordinate and carry out recruitment of healthy volunteers for research projects. This includes working closely with a multidisciplinary team, monitoring other admin staff, writing SOPs, providing reports to meet KPIs as well as carrying out day to day administrative duties looking after a large cohort of research volunteers.    

How important is diversity to you, and what value does It bring?

As I’ve lived in London my whole life, going to school and working in a diverse society has always been a constant in my life and I feel most comfortable when I am in environments in which there are people from all different backgrounds etc. I think diversity allows us to better understand those who are different to us. It’s easy to develop misconceptions when you aren’t directly exposed to different people and cultures and these misconceptions can often be harmful on both an individual and societal level. Living, working and socialising in a diverse society allows us to understand one another on a human level first and foremost and realise that differences aren’t negative.