Andy Mungall
Since graduating from UWE in 1992, Andy has been involved in specialist research in human genomics. He’s led research teams at Cambridge, had various articles published, and has now moved to Vancouver to continue this important work.
Andy studied Applied Biological Sciences at UWE, and he says it was definitely the right choice: "UWE's reputation for Biological Sciences was very appealing, and when I visited, it seemed like a really nice place to study," he says. "And later, my placement year in North Carolina helped me realise that I'd like a career in research."
Further inspiration in the French Alps
After graduating in 1992, Andy took a gap year, skiing and working in France, where he heard about a new and exciting science - human genome research - that looks at gene structures and DNA, and how they might help advances in medicine. "After reading several articles on the subject, I decided to try and get involved somehow," he says, "and with the skills and knowledge I acquired at UWE, I knew I had a good chance."
Pioneering work
Andy was right. In August 1993, he started work as a research assistant at the Sanger Centre in Cambridge, with the first human genome-sequencing group in the UK. "It seemed like an exciting bandwagon to jump onto," he says, "especially at such an early stage in the international human genome project." As the project took off, Andy was asked, in August 1995, to initiate the mapping of human chromosome 6, which is associated with our immune responses to a range of illnesses, including cancer, and organ transplants. He also began developing international research collaborations, as the implications for new medicines started to become clear. "It was really exciting to be involved with something that will help people all over the world," he says.
The finished article
Between 2000 and 2007, Andy was a Project Leader in the Genome Biology Department at the Sanger Institute. "I also had an article published in Nature in 2003, about the chromosome 6 project," he says, "which is one of my proudest achievements to date."
Relocation, relocation...
Vancouver is home to Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre (GSC), an internationally renowned research facility. And since May 2008, it's also been home to Andy and his family. "I visited the GSC in June 2007 to talk about a staff scientist position," he recalls, "and after finishing my Ph.D. with the Open University in February 2008, I came here to research lymphoma genomics."
It's simple, really
A lot of what Andy does sounds complicated, but his advice to others is simple enough: "As long as you're interested in what you do, you won't have any problem getting up in the mornings. Stick to what you love doing and it'll take you places. And work hard, but don't forget to enjoy yourself, too."
Page last updated 1 November 2011