My research topic was based on Fragment-based drug discovery. So what that basically means is that your try to discover new drugs and medicines by using smaller chemicals in the first place, to see if you can find any which work (bind to the target protein), as a good starting point for development. Usually, these starting points are very flat and large molecules, so my PhD works revolves around making smaller molecules which are more three-dimensional. Since it is less used within the field, we focus on a four-membered ring (cyclobutane) for our work.
Rome wasn't built in a day
The title of my thesis is 'Design and Synthesis of (3D) Cyclobutane Fragments for Use in Fragment-Based Drug Discovery'. Carrying out research generally has the same layout: you are at the outer edge of what is known within science, and your aim is to expand that border a tiny bit further. You therefore look for a niche, or something which has not yet been reported. Often, this can be something which you have noticed is lacking or could be a useful tool or improvement to existing methods and procedures. Generally, you have a hypothesis and you design experiments to test out that hypothesis. As you get data to prove (or disprove, which is equally valid!) your theory, you expand that to see how broadly it may apply. This will mean designing more experiments very carefully, with the correct controls, references, and a thorough scope. It certainly helps to have an application in mind. Then, you want to push this idea further and see how far you can push the work - this is what we call a research line and your specific expertise. Of course, waiting until you have vast amounts of data and stories to tell in one go is not the most efficient, especially when you want to get your work out there for people to be aware of ASAP, and so you separate these stories into discrete 'packages,' aka publications. In terms of a thesis, these publications or separate stories constitute the separate chapters. In terms of writing the thesis and publications, this varies for everyone. I would say that you definitely need to be disciplined with yourself and your time and aim for small manageable goals or checkpoints, rather than simply having the task 'write a full thesis' on your to-do list. That will make it seem much less daunting a task. Rome wasn't built in a day, and nor will your thesis be written in one.
Many highlights
I look back on my PhD journey with mixed emotions. At the end of it, after you've got your printed thesis book in your hand, you start to let go of the stress and become excited that the end is in sight - that you've made it. It certainly wasn't without its difficulties and struggles, but there were also many highlights throughout those years. I had the opportunity to travel with workshops, establish a strong network within my field, publish several research papers, make lifelong friends, and gain supervision/managerial/time-management/technical (and many more) skills. I'm both excited and nervous for my defence on 30th June, and I very much look forward to the day itself once all the nerves pass and the day has begun.
Currently I work for a spin-out company of the VU Amsterdam, Incircular B.V., where I am learning a lot in a slightly different field to my own. For the moment, I see myself in the future working for a large pharmaceutical company in a different location such as Spain, however I am open for many different opportunities. I realise that I like interacting with people and that I've come out of my shell during these last years, so perhaps a more people-oriented role, on top of just the science.