Hi, I’m Fletcher. I recently finished my year abroad having spent the last ten months studying third year molecular cell biology in French at the University of Strasbourg. In this blog, I reflect on my experience of living, studying and working in France.
Life in Strasbourg
Strasbourg is a beautiful city with a lot on offer. I loved to amble around its streets, particularly around Petite France with its Ponts Couverts (covered bridges). The city is one of the homes of the EU, with the European Parliament accessible from the city centre. The cathedral is incredibly impressive and can be seen for miles. I found the quality of life in Strasbourg to be high, with a great public transport network, clean and safe streets, friendly locals, and amazing gastronomy.
On the weekends I took advantage of Strasbourg’s location in the heart of Europe to travel. For example I took day trips to Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg. I also was lucky enough to travel further afield to Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy and Liechtenstein! This gave me the opportunity to put my language skills to use and experience a wide variety of landscapes and traditions.
Luzern
Studying
Studying biology at the University of Strasbourg was a challenging yet rewarding experience. I quickly realised that there are a lot of differences between the university systems in France and in the UK. For example, in Strasbourg I had exams on a weekly basis and far more contact hours. This meant that I was constantly revising for the next test, which made for a large workload. However, the sheer number of exams meant that each exam was relatively unimportant, so there were many opportunities to compensate for exams that didn’t go so well. I would have liked to have known more about the French university system before arriving in Strasbourg. Nevertheless, I was exposed to a large range of topics in molecular cell biology and structural biology which don’t form a big part of teaching on my course at York, such as plant pathology and a module on statistics. I built my practical skills through the course’s Travaux Pratiques (practicals), which focussed on histology, protein purification and plant science. I also took German classes for credit, which was a great way to further develop my language skills.
Alsace is famous for wine-growing
Saarbrücken’s Ludwigskirche
Getting experience in the lab
For the last two months of my year abroad I conducted an internship at Strasbourg’s Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire. Our project aimed to study the structure of a glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) found in Deinococcus radiodurans in complex with its cognate tRNA. The internship involved the production of the enzyme in E.coli, followed by its purification. We also produced the tRNA through in vitro transcription. This was a great opportunity to get some more practical experience in the lab. I experienced a range of techniques used in protein purification such as SDS PAGE and size exclusion chromatography. We then mixed the GlnRS and tRNA and used High Pressure Liquid Chromatography to analyse the formation of the GlnRS-tRNA complex in different buffers. I also learnt how to analyse a mixture of SAXS and X-ray crystallography data and use AI-based tools to get an insight into the structure of the GlnRS-tRNA complex. This internship exposed me to structural biology and has inspired me to pursue this area of biology after my degree.
Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire
Villingen-Schwenningen
Final reflections and my top tips
My year abroad in Strasbourg has been a life-changing experience. I will take it with me for the rest of my life and I would recommend it to anyone.
To finish the blog, here are my top tips for those wanting to study abroad:
- When applying for your year abroad and going through VISA processes, give yourself plenty of time. I wrote a whole blog dedicated to the application process and how to get funding.
- If you are aiming to study in a foreign language, I highly recommend the University of York’s Languages for All (LfA) courses. I took classes in French before going abroad, which was a great way to improve my language skills beyond A-level. I also took a French elective module in my second year.
- Make sure you thoroughly research the course you will be taking because getting on the right course is really important to have a good year abroad experience.
- Take time to research where you are going to live. I visited Strasbourg the summer before my year abroad, which made settling in much easier when I arrived in September.
- Get in contact with others who have studied abroad if you can. In September, York’s Department of Biology holds a poster session where first and second year students can learn more about taking a year out. I highly recommend attending!
- Make the most of it! Get out of your comfort zone and integrate into the culture, you will meet a lot of people that way and it will greatly improve your language skills.
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