During an exchange programme at VU Amsterdam Rubén Ruiz discovered his passion for neuroscience and eventually enrolled in the Neurosciences Master's programme at the university.
Why did you choose the research master in Neurosciences at VU Amsterdam?
During the last year of my BSc and as an Erasmus student, I studied the Biomolecular and Neurosciences minor at VU. I soon discovered my passion for neuroscience and the outstanding quality of this MSc, considering the professor's reputation, the amount of innovative research associated with the university, and the ample opportunities for internships and practical experience. The latter was my main priority when considering a Neurosciences MSc, and VU proved to be at the frontier by focusing on cutting-edge techniques and contents.
What was your background (Bachelor's)?
I studied a BSc in Biomedical Sciences at Alcalá University, Madrid. In my last year I went on exchange to complete the above mentioned Biomolecular and Neurosciences minor at VU, including the Bachelor thesis in the research department CNCR (Neurosciences) from VU Amsterdam, based on mass spectrometry analysis of Alzheimer's Disease.
What did you like the most about this research master? / What aspects of this master did you find most useful/interesting?
I really enjoyed the diversity of paths you could choose from. In my experience this MSc really helped me specialise in a scientific area after a broader and more holistic BSc, so I enjoyed being able to choose from different tracks and dive into my areas of interests. Similarly, the opportunities for real-world practical experiences while remaining fully supported were remarkable, as I was able to perform internships in the CNCR but also in The Florey (Melbourne, Australia). Finally, the most practical aspect I found was the dedication of the professors to bring out our critical thinking and creativity, as well as remaining very contemporaneous on hot topics, techniques and technologies.
When did you finish this master?
I completed the master in June 2019, after defending the Master' thesis in Melbourne, Australia.
What are you doing now? / What is your current professional focus/occupation?
Right after finishing the MSc I started working in AKRN, a medical device start-up CRO in Spain, as a Clinical Research Associate. During these years I have been growing in several Clinical Operations management roles to oversee planning and execution of medical device clinical trials from beginning to end. These studies employ a wide variety of technologies, such as neuromodulation, AI-based cardiovascular systems, or prosthetics. Very recently, I joined IQVIA (a large pharma CRO, also including medical device and biotech) as a Site Activation Manager, where I place all my attention in the first steps of clinical trials, setting up and getting ready investigational sites for their participation.
