Alumni Stories
Skoltech gave me an opportunity to delve into “dry” biology despite I had been working in the “wet” lab before. After the bioinformatics course given by PhD students of prof. Gelfand and prof. Bazykin I was taken by an idea to leave wet biology. At the same time, I got an offer from Atlas Biomed to work as a bioinformatician. I’ve been working there for more than a year already and I like it. In general, I would not be able to do my work which I like very much without Skoltech. I decided not to enroll on a PhD program this year as I feel tired and lacking motivation for research. So I am taking a gap year now and then we’ll see
First and foremost, Skoltech gave me ‘tons’ of new knowledge and experience and helped me deepen my knowledge both in my specialization – molecular biology and in other topics thanks to Innovation Workshop, ISP and numerous electives, such as Data Science, Neuroscience and so on. I use what I have learnt at Skoltech almost every day. Skoltech also gave me an opportunity to visit different parts of the world and make new friends. The most important periods for me were Innovation Workshop, my summer internship in Israel at University of Ben-Gurion and mobility program I spent in Texas A&M University in the lab of professor Dorothy Shippen. I plan to devote myself to plant biology – the most interesting topic for me. I’m going to continue my scientific work as a Skoltech PhD student.
In Skoltech I realized the importance of applied research. In my work I had to optimize protocols for experiments, I discovered many details as ‘know-how’ in the process of experiment. All in all, I understood that introducing innovations requires not only creativity, but also solid competence in the research topic and a lack of fear in trying new things. Thanks to Skoltech for that!
I’d say, the new world and new opportunities got open to me. During these two years, I got more experience than, maybe, during the last 10 years. Now I really want to apply my knowledge to working in a big company and helping solve important questions very much. And, of course, I would like to thank Skoltech for all the opportunity for growth that it gave to me!
Skoltech made it clear for me that I’m free in my choice. I realized my worth as a specialist, found out my advantages and disadvantages in a professional field. Now I’m looking for a part time position.
For me Skoltech is mainly the place with the perfect conditions created for scientific work. It did not only give me an opportunity to work in Dmitry Chudakov’s lab, but also provided a highly productive atmosphere: there are so many guys keen on biology and programming, the work is full of swing. Besides, I significantly improved my English during these two years and made friends with foreign students 
My next step will be a PhD student position in German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg where I will continue my studies of adaptive immunity.
Firstly, Skoltech gave me knowledge of molecular biology which I need very much as a graduate of a technical university. Secondly, I worked in the lab with a perfect team. Not only my supervisor, but all other colleagues were ready to help me at any moment, explain my mistakes when I had troubles and gave advice when I did not know where to go further in my research. I cordially recollect the days before the exam period during the first year, when my groupmates and me were literally spending nights in Skoltech. During those nights we prepared for exams together and explained each other the topics each was better in.
Skoltech gave me an opportunity to experience a true fully-fledged international collaboration. During my study in Skoltech I took part in Academic mobility program. Thanks to that I got to know how the work in European laboratories as well as multinational research teams is organized. Through mobility program I was able to uncover my potential as young researcher. Moreover, thanks to Industrial immersion, I understood some things concerning the drug design in pharmacology companies – the area I would like to work in further. Moreover, using English as a language of educational process promoted my formation as an international scientist. That is why I express my sincere gratitude to all people who took part in organizing Skoltech in a way as it came to my life.
Here in Skoltech I spent two years that were not easy but still very interesting . I got an opportunity to get a financial support for my own project. I learnt several new skills that are very useful in my present work. I hope to join a PhD program and continue my studies and working on my own project.
It’s so difficult to put all my emotions about a Master program into words . The last two years saw complicated and interesting classes, joint work, studies and gatherings with groupmates, reports on the lab work, innovation courses, summer practice and academic mobility program, endless deadlines. But what did Skoltech give to me?
The most important thing is new knowledge. I was pleasantly surprised by the possibility to choose exactly those courses I needed and was interested in. But those courses were not easy at all. As for a graduate of a technical university, the most difficult lessons for me were biology lessons. Moreover, the educational process was fully in English, and that was an additional difficulty for me. I will remember for a long time our evening (and sometimes even night) gatherings with the classmates where we discussed the complicated topics together, asked questions and prepared for exams. We helped each other a lot, so the fact that we made friends is not surprising, even despite many of us went abroad for the second year. Finally, all the efforts were paid by the knowledge we got that we could readily use working on a scientific project. I studied BREX system that protects achaea and bacteria from viruses. Part of my work on the Master thesis was carried out abroad, so I was able to see how the science is being done in another country, master new methods and gain new experience. In the future, I’m going to continue investigation BREX system in Skoltech.
Elena graduated from Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, faculty of Agronomy and Biotechnology, and entered Skoltech Life Sciences program in 2017. Her academic background is plant biotechnology. At Skoltech she continued working with plants and conducted her thesis research “Genome-Wide Associations Studies (GWAS) for agronomically important traits loci in Russian Sunflower germplasm” under supervision of prof. Philipp Khaitovich. After graduation, Elena was invited for the position of Innovation specialist at Rusagro (Industrial Oil and Fats business unit).
Artem Mikelov, Yuliya Sarana and Valeriia Kriukova met at Skoltech at the Biomedical Entrepreneurship and Innovation class led by prof. Kulish where their idea of a new treatment of allergy was initially born. Now their project on Platform for Microbial-induced Allergen-specific Tolerance got support by Skoltech Translational Research and Innovation Program.
Yuliya received her master’s degree after studying at the International Sakharov Environmental University (ISEU, Minsk, Republic of Belarus). She got her second master’s degree in Life Sciences at Skoltech and entered Skoltech PhD program in 2019. Now she is working under the supervision of prof. Gelfand in the sphere of metagenomics.
Valeriia graduated from Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Biology with special training in Immunology. In 2018 she entered Skoltech MSc program and started her research under the supervision of prof. Chudakov. Valeriia continues her scientific career and studies immunology in mice.
Artem holds MS in Biotechnology from Skoltech (2018) and MA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation management from Financial University under the government of Russian Federation (2016), and BA in business administration from Higher School of Economics (2014). His Master’s research thesis at Skoltech aimed at elucidating mechanisms of the allergy-related immunological memory. Now he continues his studies of adaptive immunity in allergy at Skoltech Life Sciences PhD program.
