Students who have studied in the Department of Biochemistry go on to a wide variety of interesting careers around New Zealand and the world. Here are stories featuring the work and careers of some of our alumni.
Dora Leahy
A budding interest in biology and chemistry at Taumarunui High School was the first step for Dora Leahy towards a career as a medical scientist.
Matthew Prouse
Matthew Prouse wanted a career where he could go to work each day and, as he explains, "learn about life and expand my understanding of the world."
Dick Hitchings
“As far as getting a future-proof field to work in, you couldn’t do much better than biochemistry.”
Simone Colson
“I have absolutely no regrets about studying biochemistry and encourage you to take it on.”
Courtney McLauchlan
“I absolutely loved learning how biochemistry could work with other disciplines, and how it is right on the forefront of scientific innovation..."
Gemma Dickson
Ask Gemma Dickson about one of the most interesting biochemistry classes she's taken, and she'll tell you about the time she found a never-before-discovered transposable element in a Candida albicans sample.
Jessica Craig
Coming to Otago for its "world-class reputation" and the "scarfie experience," Jessica chose to study a wide range of science papers in her first year and go from there.
Stephen Clarke
“The Biochemistry staff were really enthusiastic and willing to take time out to talk. The labs and courses were well organised and the subjects were interesting and diverse, setting me up for many potential directions later on.”
