Graduate / State of Purpose for applying PhD in Epigenetics [4]

Hi, I am Hadi from Indonesia. I am applying for PhD in Epigenetics at Keele University. I need help for reviewing and giving comments on my State of Purpose. The university asks me to write why I am applying, the nature of my interest and what benefits I expected to gain.

Here is my SOP,

It is since in Junior High School, when I look how the organisms interacting with each other and how microscopic things called cells can build up a living organism such as plants, animals and humans. It was causing me to open up my heart to Biology. It is not until I was in High School when I learned how the organs on human body working, it was amazed me, it worked like a town, like a community, and just like our society. Thus I have decided to become a doctor at that moment, beside of that I also wanted to be able to help people on the rural area of Indonesia, such as in my home town, Nusa Tenggara Barat, which not all parts of the island get access to proper medical facilities. Unfortunately, the place where I lived was on the eastern part of Indonesia and the economic is not as good as western part of Indonesia and due to the financial status, my parents were not able to support my study in medical field. My friends kept on looking down of me, because previously I have said that I will be able to become a doctor. A doctor that can help people in the rural area of our island and it was not able to become true. I kept on thinking what should I do to prove to my friends that I can be somebody that useful to the society and I want to prove to my friends that I can do it.

Fortunately, one of my aunt in Malaysia asked me to come to Sabah, Malaysia and apply in Universiti Malaysia Sabah because the tuition fees was cheaper than in Indonesia. I am very grateful that my parents allowed me to study overseas and being able to support my education. I decided to take Biotechnology as I like Biology so much and the subjects more likely with the medical subjects.

The opportunity to study overseas has given me a lot of experiences, as Albert Einstein said, experiences are the best knowledge. I learn how to adapt to the new culture, even though Malaysia and Indonesia quite the same, but some of the cultures are different and I need to be used to it. I also have been able to improve my linguistic skills and the most important that I met a lot of outstanding lecturers that gain my attention to pursue my study to Master degree.

I am very thirsty of knowledge and I am a bibliomaniac, I love reading books. I realized that end up in Bachelor Degree is not enough to enrich my knowledge. I need to get the higher state of education which is Master Degree. I keep on searching information where the best place that can give me the best education and I find out it was in United Kingdom.

I tried to come to exhibition study at UK on March 26, 2011. I have looked so many prospectus books but none of the courses that the universities offer got my attention. Until I read on the Keele University and I tried to look up in the website and I saw one of the professor doing very interesting topic. He is Professor William E. Farrell. I have contacted him about my interest on the topic which is on epigenetics of pituitary tumorigenesis. I am very interested to look up the role of microRNA in epigenetic changing of pituitary tumorigenesis. I have chosen this topic because I have basic skills in microRNA research as my final year project in Bachelor Degree was expression of microRNA in different pineapple fruit stages. I believe that the skill that I get from my supervisor, Associate Professor Dr. Vijay Kumar, can be my fundamental in doing my research. In addition to the fact that the microRNA is found on 1993 so that it is still something new to the scientific world and the chance of getting something novel is higher. Moreover, Professor Farrell has mentioned to me that less research has been done under my topic that I proposed and I am interested on doing something that not many people work on it. As I read on a website, and I found that Shereen Ezzat, M.D, Professor of Medicine from the University of Toronto said that "1 in 5 individuals may have an abnormal growth on their pituitary gland, causing significant health complications that, if left undiagnosed and untreated, can impair normal hormone function and result in a reduced lifespan." I hope that the result of my research can shed the light upon the pituitary adenoma, so that more people can be safe.

Another reason that making me to decide for pursuing my study into PhD level is on the moment when I sent messages to Professor Farrell, I told one of my best senior that I will pursue my PhD in the topic that I have mentioned above. He asked me about the score of my Molecular Biology and I said that it was B+. Then he said my theory is still not enough to pursue my study. It made me a bit down at that moment. I kept on asking myself whether I can pursue my PhD. To answer my question, I tried to meet with the Head of Biotechnology, Dr. Ivy Wong Nyet Kui. She said that I am capable to do that, and I have ability to achieve what I want. As I kept on working on it, she trusted that I can do it. What she told me was encourage me again to pursue my PhD. I believe that as long as I keep on hard working nothing is impossible and also due to a lot of things I do not know, I need to pursue to further study.

Sharing is caring, yes I love to share the knowledge that I have gotten. I have taught some of my friends to understand the lectures they struggle with. I am very happy that they can understand better when I explain to them and they said that they have improved in their score. I also help my nieces and nephews to get better score. The most beautiful thing is that my one of my niece inspired of my hard working in pursuing my study and she wanted to become like me. I hope that by finishing of my PhD, I can inspire more people to achieve what they want, as long as they believe and keep on working on it. I also wanted to share my experiences and knowledge so I can educate more people to get better knowledge.

Lastly, I put my faith on Keele University. I believe that Keele University is the best choice for me and I believe that Keele University can lead me to achieve my dreams. Moreover, Keele University also has outstanding in research achievements and it offers the subject that I am interested with.