Welcome to season 2 of  ‘Probably Platelets’, the first-ever podcast hosted by the UK Platelet Society. Your hosts Beth, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Leeds and Alex, a post-doctoral researcher from the University of Birmingham, have a chat with platelet researchers to find out more about their career journey, laugh about some of their mistakes, and you never know we'll probably talk about platelets.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Abdullah Khan, known as “Abs,” a previous Sir Henry Wellcome Fellow and current senior research fellow at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Sciences, University of Oxford. Abs shares his unique journey through academia, the challenges of navigating a high-pressure environment, and his insights on the future of scientific research.

From discussing the “pressure cooker” environment that is academia, reflecting on work-life balance, and the academic culture in the US, to sharing anecdotes about his time at the University of Birmingham with co-host Alex, Abs shares valuable insights about his career so far and the future of academia. 

This episode was recorded on 2nd May 2024 whereby we discussed Abs’ next steps in academia, navigating the grey space in between fellowships and applying for his second fellowship, the Wellcome Career Development Award. Abs kindly shared that this fellowship application was rejected, so he’s resubmitting and applying for other grants in the meantime. We wish Abs all the best of luck for the next stage in his career!

It was an absolute pleasure chatting with Abs about his career journey. We both enjoyed delving into some complex issues within the academic system. Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode if you enjoyed it. Your support helps us bring more inspiring stories to the forefront!

Stay tuned for the next episode, wherever you get your podcasts.

Got questions or comments? Email us at ECR@plateletsociety.co.uk

Beth & Alex

Platelet Society

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