ApconiX Welcomes Stanley Boamah and Zac Murray
ApconiX is delighted to welcome Stanley Boamah and Zac Murray who join as industry placement students and will be working jointly with the Ion Channel Laboratory and the Safety Science Group for the next 12 months.
Academic Career
Zac is undertaking a Bachelor’s in Neuroscience at the University of Warwick. The friendly campus and the Life Science department made a very good impression on him and convinced him to enrol there. Stanley is doing a bachelor’s degree in microbiology at the University of Nottingham, a campus he was immediately drawn to from the open day when he visited.
Both Stanley and Zac had some laboratory technique training during their first two years of studies. Stanley mentioned a module called “Structure function and analysis of genes” where he studied the fundamental molecular processes surrounding nucleic acid biology in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, and Zac studied anti-seizure medications on manual patch-clamp in a Neurobiology of Disease module.
When asked about their plans post-graduation, Zac said he would like to continue studying in Neuroscience or Biology. Stanley is also considering pursuing his academic studies but would be open to other sectors, for instance quality control or regulatory affairs.
Working at ApconiX
Stanley first heard of ApconiX through university, which was offering different placement opportunities the students could apply for. He found ApconiX’s placement role interesting and was keen to broaden his lab skills. Zac on the other hand, knew about Alderley Park thanks to him living nearby, and applied to a few companies on site. ApconiX’s work in neuroscience was what truly appealed to him.
Not being able to decide between the two applicants, ApconiX decided to offer them both a placement.
Within their first few weeks, Zac and Stanley were already in the lab doing antibiotics kill curve to compare the different selection antibiotics we use and help us improve our cell-line making process. They have also been asked to start on some reading for SSG so will have plenty to work on very quickly!
Dr Michael Morton, Co-director of ApconiX and Head of the Ion Channel Laboratory, commented : “I’m delighted to welcome Zac and Stanley. Applications were extremely competitive this year and both stood out. I’m convinced Zac and Stanley will have a wonderful experience and learn more than they can imagine.”
Interests Outside of Work
Zac likes to play basketball, and joined the Film society at university, which organises viewing events of movies as they come out in the cinema. His favourite recent film was Dune 2, which inspired him to read the book. Zac also has a keen interest in history and has participated in the Quiz Society at university where he has taken part in University Challenge try-outs.
Stanley used to play football competitively and was on trial for the Halifax team, but decided to continue with his studies on his family’s advice. He still plays as high as he can through Uni as a hobby, and has recently found himself another hobby with video-editing.
