Profile

Photo:

Valerie Vancollie

My CV

  • Education:

    5 different elementary schools in 3 different countries (USA, France & Belgium).
    3 schools for junior high & high school (France & USA).
    University of Massachusetts, Amherst (USA).

  • Qualifications:

    High school diploma.
    Bachelor of Science, Biology – summa cum laude.
    Bachelor of Science, Psychology (neuroscience track) – summa cum laude.

  • Work History:

    Advanced Research Assistant, DNA Pipelines at Wellcome Sanger Institute.

    Advanced Research Assistant, Mouse Pipelines at Wellcome Sanger Institute.

    Research Assistant, Phenotyper at Wellcome Sanger Institute.

    Two summer interships at Eli Lilly, Belgium.

    Summer internship at Athena Diagnostics, USA.

  • About Me:

    I’m a Belgian researcher currently living in Cambridge and working on Covid genomic surveillance. Outside of work I love reading, writing, crafts, music and travelling (when there’s not a global pandemic going on!).

  • Read more

    I’m a Belgian researcher currently living in Cambridge and working on Covid genomic surveillance. Growing up, I lived in Belgium, the US and France, before moving to the UK after I graduated.

    Outside of work I love reading, writing, crafts, music and travelling (when there’s not a global pandemic going on!). My main interest in writing is fantasy and science fiction, but I’ll follow a story idea anywhere it might lead me.

    I’m a bit of a Star Wars, Harry Potter, Supernatural & MCU nerd.

  • Read more

    I’m currently working to help sequence as many Covid genomes as possible as part of the UK’s genomic surveillance efforts. We do this to understand which variants are spreading, where and how quickly. This also allows us to discover new variants like Omicron.

    Previously, I used to work towards learning more about what individual genes do by working with mice that have had a gene knocked out (altered so they don’t work). These mice were then tested with normal mice to see how they are different.

  • My Typical Day:

    When I start depends on which shift I’m on, bu ranges from 08:00 to 11:30. I help keep our pipeline running, doing anything from lab work to troubleshooting to scheduling. Anything to ensure we process as many Covid samples as possible. Then I get to go home at different times, ranging from 16:30-20:00.

  • Read more

    Since we run from 08:00-20:00 to get as many virus samples sequenced, my start time differs month to month, ranging from 08:00 to 11:30.

    Our number one priority is to get as many virus samples through the labs and onto the sequencing machines as possible. This means that what I have planned to do on a day can change if one of the robots we use has an error or something unexpected crops up. Those need to be fixed as quickly as possible.

    Then I get to go home at different times, ranging from 16:30-20:00. Long days, but we get a lot done and can see our results in the news very quickly!

  • My Interview

    • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

      Scientist. Writer. Belgian.

      What did you want to be after you left school?

      I was never someone who knew what they were going to do like some people do.

      Were you ever in trouble at school?

      No.

      Who is your favourite singer or band?

      I tend to love particular songs more than bands or singers, and it's always changing.

      What's your favourite food?

      Chocolate (I am Belgian!)

      If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

      To be published as a fiction author, to be able to travel more and to see a more equal world.

Questions answered by Valerie

View all Valerie's answered questions