About me
I'm Holly, an Embryology Lab Technician from Essex. I have lived in Essex since I made my entrance 25 years ago. Growing up, I was fascinated by science. I was gifted a microscope on my eighth birthday and spent that whole day peering down it looking at strands of my hair. After completing my GCSEs, I studied Biology, Chemistry and Psychology at A Level (and briefly maths before I realised how bloody difficult it was!). I left school with a solid set of results and, armed with a pot plant and several tins of beans, I moved to Manchester for uni.​
I completed my BSc in Neuroscience in 2 years. It's my greatest achievement but also biggest regret. I completely burned myself out and since that time, have struggled with my mental health. Also, around this time I experienced a number of traumatic events which only compounded this. While I continue to have some bad days, my mood is generally much better these days. It's taken lots of time, patience and self-belief to get to this stage.
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So what did I do next? I started working in labs as a Medical Laboratory Assistant in NHS and private clinical settings. I enjoyed working in a number of disciplines: blood science, microbiology, virology, point of care. I've also worked as a science tutor privately and in a school in Chelmsford and have experience working with young people through running a science club in a local bookshop, and through volunteer work.
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I interviewed for my current role via a teams call while on holiday in Disney World. I remember emailing my CV across twice because I was so keen and was elated when I was offered the position: the easiest yes I've ever said. It has been the most amazing experience working in the field I feel I was made to work in. I am still early on in my career but know I am on the right path and am feeling so positive about the future. I have already had some fantastic opportunities. For example, here I am pictured with Louise Brown: the first baby born through assisted reproductive technology (ART).
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So what's this all about? In this blog I'll be sharing snippets of what I'm learning as well as some general ramblings about life, the universe and everything. It'll highlight cutting-edge technologies as they come into use and is likely to be a lot of fun.
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So watch this space...
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Contact
Holly Chandler