Honours year opens up career options
While many of her Bachelor of Biomedical Science colleagues are now studying to become doctors, Nikki Koutoufides is excited about her budding medical research career.
A four-week student vacation scholarship at the end of her second year at Griffith helped cement her interest in research.
"The vacation scholarship was an opportunity to gain some exposure to and practical laboratory experience in medical research," she said.
Nikki is currently doing her honours year in the School of Medical Science, working with Associate Professor Nigel Morrison's bone research group on a gene that is critical for bone formation.
As many as 100,000 Australians could be carrying a mutation in the RUNX2 gene that predisposes them to low bone density and a higher risk of bone fractures.
Nikkis' research focuses on how co-factors and RUNX2 cooperate to activate other genes.
"This year is giving me so much lab experience and I've just loved learning new techniques such as luciferase assays, tissue culture and molecular cloning."
She said she had received great support from the group particularly A/Prof Morrison and post-doctoral research fellow Dr Alex Stephens.
"My heart is probably in cancer research for the future but the experience I've received here in terms of cell biology and genetics has been invaluable."
Nikki is planning to start her PhD next year and has been invited to teach some undergraduate courses.