TO BECOME AN IMMUNOLOGIST

A year ago, she won one of the Foundation’s grants to carry out scientific research at the Center for Infectious Medicine at Karolinska Institutet (Sweden). The school is one of the largest and strongest medical institutes of Europe. In March of this year, Banu received an invitation from the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences at Oxford University for the master’s degree program with a specialization in integrated immunology.

Operational Director of the Shakhmardan Yessenov Foundation Irina Grishchenko explains: “The Vice President for student affairs and international cooperation of Nazarbayev University Mrs. Dairova addressed us asking to consider sponsoring Banu’s study in England. We are a non-profit organization and we collected information to make a learned decision. Banu is one of the bright students, graduate of Nazarbayev University, and she received very flattering recommendations from her professor. The results of her scientific internship in 2015 were accepted for publication in a scientific journal at the end of this year. Training in magistracy is the transitional phase between undergraduate and medical school, where she plans to enroll in the future.”

While studying in the UK the Kazakh student will not only practice medicine, but also do research in the field of immunology and clinical research. “By the end of the first semester at Oxford they will give me a list of science projects to choose from. After making my choice of the project, I will meet my academic supervisor and start working in the laboratory. Now, while still in Kazakhstan, I have been looking into the earlier scientific topics developed there and I found myself interested in the mechanisms of immune privilege (in other words – the lack of immune response or rejection) on the embryonic stem cells. The more we learn about this, the more it will enable us to make substantial progress in transplantology and regenerative medicine. My plans for the next year are to work in the medical clinic and enhance my communication skills with patients” – Banu Ospanova shared with us.

Upon completion of her education in Oxford, the promising young scientist plans to make a scientific publication. British University has allocated Banu with a small stipend sufficient to cover the costs of accommodation and meals. Thus, in September, our grantee will be starting her studies in England that will be completed in autumn of 2017.