1. Alisa began playing football at primary school in Sweden
Now, as goalie for the University team who won the recent Blues Match against Oxford 3-2, you have the best spot on the field to spectate, she says. But it can also be a dangerous role.
In the Michaelmas term National Cup match, although the coach did comment on her wincing every time she prevented a goal, she only let one in and the team won … She later found out she had broken her wrist in the warm-up.
2. ‘… Flies and humans are actually quite similar.’
Alisa researches ageing cells using eggs from fruit flies. Her days begin with setting up experiments and in the afternoons she analyses the data and read research papers.
She read a paper about a mutant strain of flies, created by US academics for research purposes in the year she was born. Intrigued, she asked if they could send her a sample of the flies for her own experiments and they did.
She is studying for a Masters in Developmental Biology. She says ‘In the grand scheme of evolution flies and humans are actually quite similar.’
3. She’s been on the March March march
This is an annual hike (march) from Cambridge to March (Cambridgeshire) which takes place in – you’ve guessed it – March.
Alisa and friends walked 58 km in one day. She says ‘Once we’d found out about it we thought it would be crazy not to do it!”
4. She misses heated football pitches
Alisa, who grew up in Gothenberg with parents from Finland and the United States finds winter in the UK cold, wet and dark.
“But in Sweden we get snow, so it makes it better because you’d be surprised by how much lighter it gets when you have snow on the ground. And you can huddle up at home with a hot chocolate, a blanket and watch a movie.”
And heated football pitches mean you can still play – as long as it’s warmer than -8.
5. She’s ready for a move to London
In October Alisa will move to the Francis Crick Institute to work on regenerative growth in cells which may ultimately be applied to healing wounds or to cancer treatments.
After four years in Cambridge, she is eagerly anticipating the buzz of the capital city and says “I'm looking forward to that new adventure.”
Alisa says that what makes Cambridge special is
“The environment of students who are all really excited about what they do, who want to work and want to learn more.”
Headshot of Alisa © Anna Hipkiss