Student testimonial

Lotte Manuel: ‘useful and fun weekly meetings with my supervisor, staff members and students, allowed me to improve on something every week, be it big or small’

So, I have to be honest with you, when I was thinking about my bachelor thesis, Nematology was definitely not the first option to come to mind. However, during one of my elective courses in January this year, I was introduced to current research going on in the field of Nematology and to some people working on such projects here at WUR. The combination of my newly found interest in these topics and the great teachers I met, led me to approach the Nematology group for my thesis. And then, there I was!

Having started in May 2024, I dedicated two months to my thesis at the Laboratory of Nematology as part of my bachelor’s in biology. I looked into the effect of natural genetic variation on the accumulation of alpha-synuclein in C. elegans, which functions as a model for Parkinson’s disease. I wanted to explore a different research field within biology and become more familiar with the molecular techniques that come with it. Having a student with little to no background knowledge on the matter come up to you and ask for an experimental thesis when she has only eight weeks to finish the entire thing, may not be the most ideal situation. However, instead of focusing on all the problems there might be, my supervisor, lab technicians and other colleagues rather looked at all the possibilities with me. Because of that, I have learned various new techniques, even though I was in the lab for only two weeks. In addition, the simultaneously useful and fun weekly meetings with my supervisor, staff members and students, allowed me to improve on something every week, be it big or small. Either way, a little goes a long way, they say.

Of course, it is important to invest your time in investigating something you feel truly interested in, even if it is only for a couple of weeks. But, for me, working alongside people you like and you can relate to, is just as important to feel good after a day at work or university. Looking back, I am very grateful for my time at Nematology. I am thankful for everything that I have learned and for the people I met, especially the ones that were always there to help me and were willing to be a part of my learning process. I can recommend doing your thesis at the Nematology group to everyone! If it is not for the interesting, applicable studies that are performed here, then let it be for the welcoming, helpful people that contribute to a cozy coffee break so desperately needed to conquer the rest of your day!