Profile
Valentine Turpin
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About Me:
I’m a French neuroscientist 🇫🇷🧠 living in Cork, Ireland for 2 years (already?) with my partner who’s also a neuroscientist, French and to confirm the cliché a great cook. I’m a sweet tooth 🧁, I do a lot of yoga 🧘🏻♀️, I read English and French books 📖, and I dance to music from the 80s 🎵
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People say I appear cold on first impression but I’m just shy, I compensate by telling stupid jokes 🫠 I’m the kind of person who will go visit a museum during the afternoon and finish at a party until 6am, very unpredictable, not at all a scientist cliché! I really love my job and I truly believe this is due to my lab mates and colleagues who’re genuinely kind and funny 🫂
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My pronouns are:
she/her
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My Work:
I’m working on the relationship between our brain 🧠 and our gut 🦠
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I’m trying to understand how the living organisms in our gut, i.e. our gut microbiota 🦠, can modify the brain development 🧠. I’m particularly interested in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder.
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My Typical Day:
I wake up (with difficulty, I’m not an early bird 😴) around 7am. I’ll dress up, have my muesli with milk kefir because it contains probiotics i.e. beneficial bacteria 🦠 and a green tea with honey. I’ll then cycle 🚴🏻♀️ or walk 🚶🏻♀️to the lab for 8:30/9am depending on the days. I’ll first check my emails, messages from my lab’s Slack, my to do list and I’ll get on my experiments 🥼. Around 1pm I’ll have lunch 🥪 with my lab mates who’re also my friends and then finish experiments and analyse data 📊. I would usually leave at 5 or 6pm.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would love to create a lab space dedicated to students or anyone willing to try being a scientist for a couple hours 🔬🧪
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We would achieve great experiments together and then prizes will be given for the best lab mate. I would love to organize those events regularly and include my colleagues as well who are from all over the world to allow language and cultural inclusions 🌍
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Education:
I went to school in the city I was born, in the northwest of France next to the Mont Saint Michel 🌊 After high school, I studied biology at university in the north of France for 2 years and I spent the third year of my bachelor’s degree in Quebec, Canada as part of an exchange program 🍁 Then, I decided to continue with an international master’s degree in Neuroscience taught in English between France and Germany 🧠🇫🇷 🇩🇪 After these 5 years, I started a PhD in the south of France and graduated in 2022 👩🏻🎓
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Qualifications:
Since I’ve been at school in France, the French education system doesn’t offer specific qualifications like Ireland or the US. During high school though I obtained the First Certificate of Cambridge proving my fluent English level, I was very proud of it back then and still am today!
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Work History:
I’ve worked a lot during the summer in my hometown: I was a shoe seller, then a bartender/waitress and finally a waitress in a restaurant. This was to pay for my school fees.
My first job in science was my PhD (2019-2022).
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Current Job:
I’m a postdoctoral researcher since 2023
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Employer
APC Microbiome Ireland
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
neuroscientist in progress
What was your favourite subject at school?
Used to be French Literature until high school, science was the winner!
What did you want to be after you left school?
I knew I wanted to be a researcher and I wanted to be a geneticist, not a neuroscientist. I discovered the brain during my undergrad and fell in love with it!
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Little I used to chat a lot during class and during high school I developed a strong sense of justice, I was standing up for my friends and still am today. It could have been tense with some teachers if I thought they were shaming my friends in class.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I would be a physiotherapist I guess, the human body is so interesting
Who is your favourite singer or band?
The Weeknd without hesitation
What's your favourite food?
Chicken katsu curry or a french recipe from my grandmother cooked by my partner
What is the most fun thing you've done?
A roadtrip to the US before starting my PhD with 2 of my closest friends. We met so many different and funny people and we're still in touch after 5 years!
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Secure a permanent position as a neuroscientist somewhere in the world, perform ONLY successful experiments, keep being surrounded by wonderful friends
Tell us a joke.
An electron and a proton are drinking in a bar. Proton: "Your round." Electron: "Are you sure?" Proton: "I'm positive."
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