Profile

Photo:

Katerina Apolinova

    • About Me:

      Hi all! I’m Kateřina, I am a biologist👩🏻‍🔬🔬 and I study how human bones and joints develop 🦴.  I love cats, dancing, and sci-fi and I also play darts!🎯

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      I come from Prague in the Czech Republic and I moved to the UK about a year ago to work at the University of Southampton as a scientist 👩🏻‍🔬! I did my studies in several different countries in Europe, for example France and Spain, so I speak a few different languages (but not very well!) 😺 I love travelling, my favourite place to explore were Japan🍣 and Iceland❄️!

      I live with my husband who is also a scientist, and we have a cat! She is called Croqueta 🐈 and she is my best friend🥰

    • My pronouns are:

      she/her

    • How I use Science in my work:

      I mostly work in the lab, where I use lots of Biology and Chemistry🧬. I also use a bit of Maths📐 almost every day – I never liked Maths at school, but it does come in handy to know at least a little bit!

    • My Work:

      I study how our skeletons develop when we are growing up!🦴

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      I prepare materials in the lab 🧪 in which cells can grow outside the body! Cells are the building blocks of our bodies, including our bones and joints 🦴. I want to find out how movement affects the way our bones grow, and what kind of movement is the best to help us be strong and healthy when we are growing up.

    • My Typical Day:

      I wake up at 7:30am and give my cat a big hug 🐈, and also breakfast because she is always hungry! I arrive to the lab around 9am, and in the morning I take care of my cells that are growing in a dish in an incubator 🧫. My cells are also always hungry and need breakfast! After lunch, I chat with my friends and help my students. I also prepare experiments for the next day 🧪. I usually leave at around 5:30 or 6:00pm.

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      I do lots of work inside the lab and also on my computer, where I analyse my results. I am always doing several things at once, because science never sleeps!

    • What I'd do with the prize money:

      I want to create a fantasy, Dungeons & Dragons-style map of the cell! Cells are in essence like a islands: they also have ports and docks, and motorways and railways, and sea around them where monsters live.🌊 I want to make a tabletop roleplaying game with minifigures in which the players follow a story through which they learn about cells!🐉

    CV

    • My Interview

      • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

        curious about life

        What did you want to be after you left school?

        artist🎨 or geologist🪨

        Were you ever in trouble at school?

        always!

        If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?

        I would love to work for a charity or as an artist!

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        Muse🎵

        What's your favourite food?

        oooh that's a tough one! Probably quesadilla!🧀

        If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

        I'd like to have chickens one day 🐔 hit a 180 score in darts 🎯 and visit Vietnam!

        Tell us a joke.

        Why did the skeleton go to the party alone? 👉 It had no body to go with it!