Tenacious, altruistic, a dreamer and a black belt in Taekwondo: Sara Buscarini recently completed the innovative Master's program in Molecular and Medical Biotechnology at the University of Verona and just started her PhD journey at Human Technopole in Milan. A challenge as ambitious as her dreams, this path perfectly aligns with her passions and career goals. Her field of research holds immense significance for Sara, who is determined to develop cutting-edge solutions to improve patients' health and quality of life. Let's dive into her inspiring story. 

Why did you choose this University?  

After finishing my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Urbino, I selected the University of Verona to get my Master’s degree because of its unique offering, such as the Computational Biology and Forensic Biotechnology courses, which align perfectly with my interests and career goals.  

In addition, my choice of the University of Verona was also influenced by the fact that its Department of Biotechnology is considered an excellence. 

How is Molecular and Medical Biotechnology relevant today?  

Molecular and Medical Biotechnology is an extremely important field today because it helps create new and advanced medical treatments. This field allows scientists to understand how things work at a very tiny level in our bodies. By knowing this, they can develop medicines and treatments that target specific problems. For instance, they can create drugs that work better for certain diseases or even personalize treatments for individual patients. Therefore, Molecular and Medical Biotechnology is at the forefront of improving healthcare and making our lives healthier.  

What did you love the most about your degree?  

I really loved my degree because it allowed me to learn things that can help save lives. The idea of using the right knowledge at the right time to make a positive impact is very important to me. It’s meaningful to know that the skills and information I've gained could directly help improve people's health and well-being. Plus, making a difference in people's lives through what I've learnt is what inspired and motivated me the most in my studies.  

What three words describe you best?  

Three words that describe me best are: tenacious, altruistic and dreamer.

I’m tenacious because I’m persistent, determined and always working hard to achieve my goals. 

I’m altruistic because I can easily find joy in helping and being of service to others. 

Finally, I’m a dreamer because I aspire to achieve big accomplishments, such as opening my own company one day. 

What’s your motto?  

My motto is “Never give up and dream big”. I repeat these words to myself every day to face challenges with determination and inspiration.  

Tell us about a personal achievement that makes you proud 

I'm really proud of the fact that I used to have a part-time job while I studied for my Master’s. I worked 24 hours a week in a bar in the morning and that lasted for almost three years. It wasn't easy, but it showed how dedicated and organized I could be, managing both my studies and work responsibilities. Thanks to this job, I was able to become financially independent from my parents, and that is a great achievement for me. 

What three things would you like to accomplish this year?  

Three of the things I would like to accomplish this year are:

• Finish the first year of my PhD. 

• Learn many useful things and make experiences abroad. 

• Improve my English skills to a higher level and pass the advanced exam. 

What gets you up in the morning?  

Every morning, I wake up with the goal of getting closer to achieving my lifelong dream. This thought pushes me to start my day with purpose and determination. 

Tell us something that is not on your resume

One thing you won't find on my resume is that I'm a black belt in Taekwondo. I think self-defense skills are important today. Plus, Taekwondo teaches discipline and self-control – two personality traits that I value a lot.  

I started taking Taekwondo classes when I was 10 years old, but in the last few years I haven’t been able to practice it because I moved three times changing three different cities – this made being persistent very difficult. However, I hope I’ll be able to get back to it soon. 

How did you react when you learnt you had won this scholarship?  

When I learnt that I had won this scholarship, I immediately called my parents to share my excitement with them. They are incredibly important to me, and I wanted them to be part of this special moment.  

Tell us about an internship experience you particularly loved  

Before starting my PhD, I was doing an internship at the IRB “Institute for Research in Biomedicine”, located in Bellinzona, Switzerland. Specifically, I’ve had the pleasure of working in Andrea Cavalli's lab.  

I find it incredibly rewarding to be part of a group that integrates both wet lab and computational biology aspects. My thesis project was focused on protein simulations and peptide design. Basically, we simulated the dynamicity of a protein with the computer and then we designed different ligands, such as peptides, that can bind the protein. Additionally, I performed experiments to assess the binding of antibodies or peptides to a specific protein.  

The thing that I loved the most about this experience was that I had to opportunity to combine the wet lab with the computational side.  

Now I’ve begun my PhD in the Structural Biology field at the Human Technopole in Milan. I chose this PhD because I find extremely useful to be aware of the structures of the proteins.