“Don’t be scared to say what you know about your thesis subject because there’s no one in the world who knows more about it than you do.”Those were the words Simon’s PhD thesis supervisor said to him as he prepared to defend it. They completely altered his vision of the world of research and what he saw as his place in it, offering up a fresh perspective that has turned out to be both exciting and rewarding.
An inquisitive and talkative type, Simon, who hails from the department of Gers, has spent several years at the TBI laboratory, starting out as an intern before completing his PhD thesis and embarking on postdoctoral research. He now has but one goal on his mind: to earn a research position. Postdoc positions are rewarding but precarious. Though they offer the chance to work in different teams and cultures and learn new techniques, the lack of medium-term job security can be restrictive and prevent people looking ahead to careers in science with a particular organization. “When you decide to pursue a career in research, you need a lot of passion and stamina. It’s a real marathon.” Now into his third postdoc position, Simon is looking for something permanent that will allow him to flourish as a researcher.
A trained biochemist, he specializes in the study of carbohydrate-active enzymes. His field is glycochemistry and the development of custom enzymes with specific properties. During his previous postdoc research position, in the UK, he studied microfluidics with the aim of applying it to enzymes. He has developed this new expertise further in his third postdoc position, at TBI, where he is contributing to the EU-funded Radical Z, which aims to use enzymes as an alternative to chemicals in the development of consumer products such as detergents, household products and food. Simon sees this work as meaningful and an important contribution to a healthier environment and cleaner planet.
