Xanthene Miles

Masters in Radiation Oncology (Radiobiology) 2010

In 2010, I started my MSc. in Radiobiology by chance. I aspired to do cancer research, but was struggling to find someone when a potential supervisor approached me. She was very friendly and passionate, so I had no reservations to pursue my degree with her and this field she had introduced. As we had a collaborative grant with Ghent University, I received the opportunity to do part of my project in their Radiobiology Department for 3 months. I was very excited as it would be my first time in a European country and was keen to experience working in a different lab. The people/staff was very friendly & helpful and granted me the lab time to complete what I went to do there in that short time. The culture, architecture and food were quite different to what I was used to, but it was such an amazing experience & I'm very grateful to have gotten such an opportunity. I enjoyed every second being there... It was definitely an adventure living in the residence with multi - cultural students. I will always remember the yummy truffles and stroopwafels.

Biography

I graduated with a BSc. Honours in Biotechnology from the University of the Western Cape and moved to Johannesburg thereafter. There I eventually did my MSc. at the University of the Witwatersrand. I received a bursary through iThemba LABS, Cape Town and was fortunate enough to get a permanent position in the Radiobiology lab where I have been working since obtaining my MSc.