Congratulations to Jonny Flint!

ACRC Academy student Jonny Flint passes his viva.

Please join us in congratulating ACRC Academy student Jonny Flint on his successful viva. Jonny defended his thesis ‘Investigating the Genetic, Causal, and Molecular Architecture of Frailty: Insights from Polygenic, Mendelian Randomisation, and Multi-Omic Analyses’ on Wednesday 29 July.

We would like to extend our gratitude to examiners Dr. Lucy Stirland of the School of Neurological and Cardiovascular Sciences, Dr. Sohan Seth of the School of Informatics, and Dr. Donald Lyall of the University of Glasgow.

We would also like to thank Jonny’s supervisors – principal supervisor Dr. Michelle Luciano of the School of School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, Professor Alan Marshall  of the School of Social and Political Science, and Dr. Tom Russ of the School of Neurological and Cardiovascular Sciences.

What tip would you share for getting through a viva? 

“Getting through”. This shouldn’t be something to get through. This should be an enjoyable discussion and reflection of the work you did and what you learnt. I think there is a lot of anxiety when theorising what goes on behind the closed doors of a viva (in the UK anyway). Sure, some examiners may have a bone or two to pick. If you know the question you set out to answer, the methods you conducted, have an open mind and trust yourself, then you can justify yourself. It should be a discussion not a lecture 😊 

 

If you can give advice to yourself from the start of your PhD, what would you tell yourself? 

Set out what you want to do, but stay flexible, and find balance between what you want to do and what your supervisor thinks is best. Enjoy the experience and take opportunities that interest you. Most importantly: prioritise your health, prioritise your sleep, and try to treat your PhD like a job.

 

What tip would you give to anyone who may be considering an interdisciplinary PhD? 

I think it’s a great place to meet people from different walks of life and experience new opportunities, so go in with an open mind and be curious.

 

How has being part of a cohort impacted your overall PhD experience? 

A PhD can be a lonely experience, often people work in isolation and are very focused on their own topic/question. A cohort can help bring a community feel – being part of this enriched my PhD experience and allowed me to stay connected.

A photograph of academy student Jonny Flint

How has interdisciplinarity been part of your PhD? 

Again, the interdisciplinarity element brings opportunities. It’s a chance to see yourself and the work you do from multiple angles and connect the dots across research problems. Being part of the interdisciplinary PhD has helped me see the value in bringing different sectors together, hearing things you never expected to hear and being criticised and criticising (constructively) in a way that is new to you. I hope my future work and ideas are grounded in interdisciplinary and diverse thinking.

 

Are there any highlights you’d like to share from your PhD and/or cohort experience? 

The highlight that stands out, for me, is the placement I did at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research Berghofer in Australia. This was a rare opportunity that brought me so much joy, both personally and professionally. Just as being in an interdisciplinary cohort facilitated viewing things in another light, the placement experience brought another side to my PhD and developed my critical thinking and networking skills. In terms of the cohort experience, my highlight would be again the people I’ve met, some of which I hope are friends for life, and the diverse minds I’ve had the opportunity to work with. 

Have your research interests changed over the course of your PhD? 

I would not say they’ve completely changed but they have developed, and evolved, yet are still grounded in my interests in biology and neurodegeneration. I would say they’ve developed through the passing of time. In the last 4/5 years we’ve seen huge medical and research advances that are going to shift health research – the use of Artificial intelligence and GLP-1 drugs as two distinct examples. Change and development will keep coming, in many ways, which is why it’s best to stay flexible and adaptable. 

 

What’s ahead for you? Has your interest in your career changed in any way?  

I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Exeter, working on the proteomics of cognitive functioning and Alzheimer’s disease. 

 

What transferrable skill are you taking from your PhD experience into your career? 

 Most the statistical and computing methods I learnt and datasets I worked with - the UK biobank, English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, Lothian Birth Cohorts and Prospective Study of Imaging - will likely be part of my postdoc, alongside new cohorts and new methods which I am excited to work with. Lastly, I hope to stay in a curious state of mind when it comes to seeking out interdisciplinarity work opportunities and hope to make new connections.

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