Friday 8 March, is International Women’s Day. To acknowledge this day, the CCS GEDI Committee (Gender Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee) interviewed some of the exceptional female academics within CCS to find out what they do, why they chose a career path in science/medicine and what their words of advice are for younger/future female scientists/researchers.
Women are significantly under-represented in STEM related fields, thus the GEDI committee are using this day to bring exposure to some of the many successful women in CCS as well as to foster and encourage more women to enter the STEM fields.
 |
| Lakshanie Wickramasinghe |
Lakshanie Wickramasinghe
The first words that come to mind when I think of my career so far are: exciting scientific journey. As I am approaching the third year of my PhD, I am gaining a greater understanding of medical research and the translational significance of our work in the lab with the goal of improving the quality of life of patients who suffer from debilitating disease.
I have always been curious about how different physiological systems function within the body and in particular how the respiratory and immune system operate in synergy to provide continuous protection against airborne insults. To be able to investigate how the body responds to diseases and to discover novel treatment solutions is what makes me excited about coming into the lab every day.
Words of advice: Learn to become comfortable with making mistakes because science truly requires both dedication and resilience to succeed.
