Mette Mathiesen Janiurek, PhD student03. September 2018

What motivated you to become a scientist?

Natural science and Physics have fascinated me ever since childhood. I was lucky enough to grow up in a home where science was a natural part of everyday life. My mother had a large collection of medical books which I enjoyed studying, and my father had a microscope which I used to explore anything I could fit on a microscope slide. This fascination and curiosity never faded. Later on, I worked for six years in a department of Neurophysiology, and this woke my passion for neuroscience and neurological diseases. This ultimately motivated me into going back to university to pursue a new degree.
How did you end up doing what you do today?

I obtained a degree as a Medical Laboratory Technician in 2010, after which I started working at the department of Neurophysiology at Glostrup Hospital in Copenhagen, examining the brain and nerve activity in patients. After a couple of years I got involved in Professor Martin Lauritzen’s research projects at the hospital. This led to me returning to university to study Biomedicine whilst still working at the hospital. It was during this time that Professor Martin Lauritzen offered me a Master’s project within the RIBBDD network in his research group at the Panum Institute. I am currently continuing my work there, as a PhD student.
What are you working on at the moment?

I am investigating signaling pathways and how they influence the blood-brain barrier integrity. I mainly perform in vivo experiments in mice using two-photon microscopy.
What do you think the most exciting thing about being a scientist is?

Being a scientist means that you are allowed to be curious and explore, while being surrounded by some of the top minds within the field. This means that days are never the same, as input from a colleague or new results might lead your project in a new unexpected direction.
What do you do when you are not working?

My big passion is scuba diving, which I am fortunate enough to share with my husband and step-kids. This passion has taken me all over the world and led me to taking the professional PADI Divemaster course. I also enjoy going to the gym, attending concerts, reading, and playing piano.

News

See all news

Upcoming events

There are no upcoming events at this time.

Latest portrait

Kasper Kristensen , Researcher

Mette Mathiesen Janiurek, PhD student03. September 2018

What motivated you to become a scientist?

How did you end up doing what you do today?

What are you working on at the moment?

What do you think the most exciting thing about being a scientist is?

What do you do when you are not working?