We needed to cool down a reaction, so… what better than using the snow to take the temperature down?! We went outside, took some snow, and continued with our experiment. It worked!
Microalgae seems to have a lot of potential to find sustainable food solutions or to finding ways of producing goods in a more environmentally friendly way. But what are Microalge? Read the interview with our fellow Natalia Castejón from the Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology and find out more about this unicellular species.
Describe your research in one sentence.
Natalia: My research focuses on the development of innovative approaches based on the principles of Green Chemistry to produce novel food ingredients from microalgae.
Tell us about a normal day in the life of a postdoc.
Natalia: My day usually starts around 7:00 after snoozing several alarms and having a cup of coffee. I then go to the office and start on the emails and checking my to-do list for the day. Then, I usually go to the lab. I prefer to organize my experiments in the morning. The afternoon is often for data evaluation, bibliography research, working on manuscripts, meeting with my students and/or collaborators or reviewing papers for journals.
How will society benefit from your research?
Natalia: From a nutritional point of view, microalgae clearly show potential to meet the population’s needs for more sustainable food solutions, and even more if production methods are based on environmentally friendly approaches. Microalgae are sources of a broad spectrum of novel and biologically active compounds, including omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids, proteins, and peptides, among others. Then, my research provides scientific knowledge for developing new food ingredients and products that are particularly relevant to the food industry and address commercial opportunities for their application in functional products.
#researchgonewrong: Share a funny/surprising or unexpected anecdote with us from your academic career so far:
Natalia: I was in Iceland for my first postdoc. It was a really snowy day (as usual during winter), and we took advantage of it! We were in the lab, and unfortunately, the ice machine broke. We needed to cool down a reaction, so… what better than using the snow to take the temperature down?! We went outside, took some snow, and continued with our experiment. It worked!
What does REWIRE mean to you?
Natalia: REWIRE is an incredible opportunity to conduct an independent research project, which usually is not easy for an early postdoc. In my case, it also allowes me to expand my scientific knowledge in advanced techniques to evaluate the bioactivity of natural extracts (know-how from the host institution). I also really appreciate the valuable training program.
The most important lesson learned so far that you want to share with other future (female) early post docs:
Natalia: If you really want something, you have to pursue it. I know it is not always easy, but you need to be persistent. Sometimes things do not work as expected and may lead to deep disappointments and a lack of motivation, but you need to learn to stand up for yourself and keep fighting.
Quickfire Questions
Keyboard or Pen?
Pen
Vanilla or chocolate ice cream?
Strawberry
Early bird or night owl?
Early bird
Find more information on Natalia's research here.