Industrial Placement Student - ImmunoInflammation Review

I really enjoyed my placement at GSK. Throughout the year my department hosted teambuilding events, celebratory meals, and a social side to the year along with opportunities to explore other aspects of the drug discovery pipeline and science lectures etc. to expand knowledge outside of the department. There was also a lot of breadth within the department, allowing work on different aspects of science and the use of a myriad of techniques within the laboratory over the whole year period.

I felt valued and trusted, as I was assigned to work on an assay that I would have to validate myself, and test various program products on in order to report back to the team. Ultimately contributing to progressing compounds through to a clinical stage.

Myself in particular, I was allowed to progress at my own rate, with support from my supervisor whenever I wanted to ask a question or discuss a technique or concept. This worked for me, and caused me to find self-motivation and understand fully what I was doing, rather than blindly following protocol.

Depending on the day, I could spend a day with no time in the lab, working on writing up experimental results, doing data analysis and reporting and documenting past work, with a few coffee breaks to talk to colleagues. Other days I could be in before 8am in order to finish an experiment within a single day, spending most of the time in the lab (albeit with breaks when there are incubations or breaks in the protocol), in order to leave at a reasonable time.

As previously alluded to, I was left with the responsibility of developing an assay and testing compounds on it, of which nobody else was working on or checking. I would say I had a large amount of responsibility; trusted that my results were correct, providing my protocol design was accepted by the team, and therefore it was left to me to ask for support if I couldn't handle diong something on my own.

I believe that these skills will help invaluably in lab-based settings. I learnt so much to do with experiment design, conduct and concept throughout the year, and through my errors in the first few months. I feel that in my final year project next year for example, beginner mistakes that I would have made from going straight into serious lab work have now been made at the start of this year, rather than giving me greif with my project results.

There was a relaxed atmosphere, with people able to make jokes or have a short informal chat, while at the same time being able to ask professional or work-related questions if one was in trouble or needed support or advice. Everybody celebrated colleagues' birthdays with balloons and banners over their desk, which was a nice touch.

There wasn't an organsied plan at the starto f the year; there was just an abundance of project opportunities, of which you could start, and either finish or end up realising that it was a dead-end. Such is science. At which point you could ask to be assigned another project or focus, or think of another aspect of the project to investigate. This is how my year worked, and it enabled a vast array of topics and techniques to be covered.

There were constant lectures being held on site which you could turn up to, in order to learn about new technologies, basic science in a myriad of fields, or company investments and advancements. I was also allowed to organise IP trips to other company sites and departments to see what other roles and processes occur within the company.

I was given the opportunity to apply for a Future-Leader program and be fast tracked past the first filter stage of the application process. I had the option for my supervisor to write an internal company reference for myself. There are also quite a few staff who got their jobs through having a past placement or PhD link with the company.

There was an organisation called "IP Unite" which held events for placement students from all over the UK working for the company. There was also a hugesocial base at the Stevenage site, which enabled socialising within and meeting up outside of GSK.

Stevenage is a cheap town, which is good. However, I wouldn't have been happy with the social prospects if I wasn't part of the GSK IP community.

There is one club in Stevenage, which I wouldnt' recommend due to price, lack of traffic and general feel. There are a few Wetherpoon pubs, and pub-by-day/club-by-night pubs, which can be fun. Of the three fights I witnessed on nights out, I only got punched in the face during one; the locals aren't the most mellow. I would recommend trying other towns nearby and going into London for late evening entertainment, unless your idea of fun is being rowdy and getting arrested.

Yes, I just didn't particularly. I trained at a local fighting gym, Mixed Martial Arts twice a week - expensive but good quality training. I also lifted at a suprisingly good and inexpensive gym in Stevenage New Town. I heard of after-work sport sessions and opportunities at the company gym but never went.