Student testimonial

Tara van Es: The department has an incredibly welcoming atmosphere, where hard work is balanced with humour, and no one hesitates to lend a hand when things don’t go as planned

In September of 2024, I started my master thesis at the Laboratory of Nematology (NEMA). As an animal sciences (MAS) student, choosing for a group that is mainly known for their research in plant sciences might not have been the most logical choice. Still, over the course of my studies, I kept coming in contact with courses coordinated by this group and each time found myself drawn in. While I had always been interested in pathogens, nematodes and animal parasitism were a passion I did not know I had before NEMA introduced me to it. Getting the chance to do my thesis on this was something I wouldn’t have wanted to miss.

During my thesis, I focused on the chicken parasite Ascaridia galli and potential mechanisms behind anthelminthic resistance. From the start, I was given a lot of freedom to decide what to direct my project towards by my supervisors. The main focus was always what I wanted to learn and do during my thesis, and not directly what would be the easiest to do. So, setting up bioassays, diving into molecular work, and well, four hour road trips to Friesland and back just for some parasite material? No problem!

Beyond the research, the people at NEMA were what made my time there so great. The department has an incredibly welcoming atmosphere, where hard work is balanced with humour, and no one hesitates to lend a hand when things don’t go as planned. Whether you’re struggling with an experiment, or just keeping the spirits high after a long day (or week..), you’re never in it alone.

Ultimately, I’m very grateful for the time I had with this group. Working at NEMA has not only helped me build my lab skills, independence and perseverance, but has also shown me how a collaborative and encouraging research setting like the one at NEMA can really help to take a project to the next level.