MARINA MANRIQUE

It took me 3 years to finish a degree that was planned for 2. I spent one more year because in the second year in the Biochemistry degree I started working part-time at Era7 Bioinformatics.

I think working and studying at the same time was much harder that expected mainly due to the teachers' attitude. 

It didn't matter if you had learned what you was supposed to know or even more, the only thing that mattered it was the weird relation where they were a kind of boss and you an employee. I was seen as some kind of threat just because I had been working outside the University and had learnt lot of things by my own and, in some occasions, I was not treated as the rest of my classmates. 

But fortunately, I could finish the degree. And now, looking back to past, I think that starting working at Era7 helped me broaden my horizons and learn lots of things I like such as programming, computational biology and bacterial genomics.

During my last year in Biochemistry I started a master about Mathematical biology (also at the University of Granada), this was 2 years ago and I still have to finish the master thesis.

Now I keep on working at the same company (lucky me :) ) with a young great team. 

Recently we've formed a R&D group at Era7 called "Oh no sequences!" and I hope to start my PhD soon. I'd like to do something related to NGS and bacterial genomics, horizontal gene transfer in human microbiomes (mainly gut microbiome) and these kind of things.

I love living in Granada but I would like to spend some time abroad (UK, France, Germany, Italy...).

Besides working as as bioinformatician - computational biology, I'm also studying to pass the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English next June and also trying to go to the gym and making handcrafted jewelry. Pilates and beads are some of my hobbies. I love making necklaces with the beads my friend Sophie sells in her shop Cuentas y pico. In winter I also love knitting sit by a fire place :) I also love animals (specially dogs and donkeys). Some dreams I have is to have a Fox terrier and to travel someday to Seychelles Islands, mainly to Praslin, Denis Island and Cousin.