Sample Statement of Purpose for Biology
Statement by MIPT Alumnus (11/2002)
The Biophysics Student admitted to Biology Departments at Harvard
University
Statement of Purpose
Applicant’s name: Ivan Ivanov
It is noticed that science develops in splashes, each significantly
advancing our understanding of the Nature. The 19th century was the
time of rapid development of thermodynamics and electrodynamics; in
the beginning of the 20th century quantum mechanics and relativity
theory were born. In the search for secrets of nature science has
reached extremely high and low energies as well as large and small
length scales. Still until recently we knew very little about one of
the most complex on everyday’s length and energy scales systems –
life. Now we are at the dawn of efflorescence in molecular biology,
which provides an excellent basis for application of modern physics,
biochemistry and computational techniques. Revelations of molecular
structure become extremely crucial, as they provide insights into
the way molecules work.
My interest in the role of biomolecular structure in information
processing and signal transduction pathways in the cell has
developed during the last two years, while I have been a student of
Molecular Biophysics sub-department of MIPT. Processing of
biological information plays a crucial role in the existence and
development of biological systems and its infringement often leads
to different kinds of diseases. The structure and, consequently, the
function of the involved biomolecules is an important key to the
understanding of these processes. To further study processing of
biological information and methods of structure determination I
joined the research group of Dr. X, focusing on the structure and
function of membrane proteins, lipids and lipid-protein systems.
In September xxxx I started my research in the group of xx, Small
City, Russia. I studied the properties of xxx under various
conditions. Work there not only deepened my knowledge about
crystallisation and lipid systems, but also gave me knowledge and
experience of strengths and limitations of structure investigation
by neutron scattering. I became familiar with the theoretical
background of small angle neutron scattering, experimental setup and
data treatment techniques.
In March xxxx I continued my research in the group of Dr. X at the
Institute of XX. The ultimate goal of our research is to explain all
stages of signal transduction during the chemo- and phototaxis.
Currently I am involved in several projects on the structure and
functioning of xxx, the specimen of microbial phototaxis system, in
the complex with xxx as well as without it. My current task is to
obtain crystals which xxx. During this work I acquired a broad range
of experimental experience and theoretical background necessary for
crystallisation and structure determination of membrane proteins.
One of the most challenging tasks in my project was to find the best
conditions for trapping intermediate states of xx in crystals. It
was a combination of thorough theoretical analysis of spectral
properties of the protein with further experimental examination and
finally implementation of theoretical findings. As a result I
obtained crystals of xxx which diffract to xx on a synchrotron.
Having succeeded in the current research, employing the knowledge
from different fields of physics and biochemistry, I feel well
prepared for the further challenging studies and research in the
fields of molecular and structural biology, perhaps on very
different topics, as well as on the topics I am familiar with. I
regard structure investigations to be not only the method of
obtaining a particular structure, but one from the collection of
methods of life sciences which together advance our understanding of
molecular mechanisms of life. Therefore I want to study a range of
biophysical, biochemical and computational techniques that are used
to reveal function of biomolecules and information processing by
biological systems. Spectroscopy, quantum chemistry and
computational structural biology techniques, like molecular dynamics
and Brownian dynamics are of great interest to me as they are hand
in hand with structure determination methods. Therefore
multidisciplinary training program in Molecular, Cellular and
Chemical Biology perfectly suits my scientific interests. Research
in these areas is very active in Dr. X's, Dr. X’s, Dr. X’s, and Dr.
X’s groups at XX University.
I want to continue my education at the Department of Molecular and
Cellular Biology of XX University. I am convinced that my
participation in your Ph.D. program will give me thorough education
and excellent research experience, which will advance me to my dream
– discovering new secrets of Nature.
Ivan
Ivanov
16th of November, 2002
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