He is leading ten students as a scientific methodology supervisor with devotion, and has a valuable contribution to teaching as the deputy meta-analysis coordinator. He also progresses well with his own research, with a publication in the pipeline. In October, Dr. Amir Makolli was named Staff Member of the Month at the Centre for Translational Medicine.
He started his Ph.D. training after completing his studies in pharmacy, and one year later, he took a role as an SMS in CTM’s program. As a Scientific Methodology Supervisor, he guides ten students: five from the Gastroenterology Group and five from the Cardiology & Sport Science Group. “Our students are all making good progress, and I make it a priority to be available to them if they have any questions or challenges with their research. I do my best to ensure they are progressing appropriately. One of the most surprising aspects of this role is realizing how much more excited and happy I am for my student's progress rather than I am for my own. I highly recommend the SMS role to any young researcher. It’s an incredible experience that broadens our horizons, encourages out-of-the-box thinking, and pushes us out of our comfort zone. The most rewarding part of being an SMS is realizing we’re growing alongside our students, not just guiding them.” Dr. Makolli highlights the invaluable support of his senior SMSs, Marie Anne Engh and Mahmoud Obeidat, who are helping him enormously in his work.
As Deputy Meta-Analysis Coordinator, Dr. Makolli assists Dr. Engh with various tasks, such as ensuring that the students' guidebooks are up to date, or preparing documents and templates. “I also support Marie during the meta-analysis course, which she teaches twice per semester over three consecutive days. I am still amazed by these courses, and I can learn something new from them every day. During this training, I help the students with their tasks and answer any questions they might have, so they can gain as much knowledge as possible from these sessions.”
Dr. Makolli is progressing well with his own research as well. In his projects, he aims to provide valuable insights into how space conditions may affect the efficacy and safety of drugs, contributing to the development of guidelines for future space missions. He is currently writing an article on this topic, which will hopefully be published soon.
(Szabó Emese)