Ceremony 8
Graduand’s Speech
Thursday 28 November 2013 at 1630hrs
JESUITS’ CHURCH – VALLETTA
Mr Gianluca Farrugia
Ph.D. graduand and representative of the students
It is an honour for me to address you all here on such a special occasion. Allow me to first convey my warm
congratulations to all the graduates present this evening: Masters graduates, fellow Ph.D. graduates and all the
new medical graduates, of course. I confess, I’ve always been somewhat in awe of our medics who, aside from
their arduous ward rounds and tough examinations, have had to brave many hours studying cadavers in the
dissection room without feeling ill. How you manage this last feat is beyond me. In all my years at University
I’ve only made one attempt to visit the dissection room and I couldn’t even make it past the entrance. Rest
assured that even now I wouldn’t be seen dead in there.
Mercifully enough, my Ph.D. project did not involve cadavers but instead involved the study of tiny yeast cells
known as Baker’s Yeast or Brewer’s Yeast. My project was not, as you might think, an attempt to put Farsons
Cisk or Maypole Bakery out of business. Instead, I used yeast cells to study the behaviour of the common drug
aspirin. This is because, aside from its use to prevent heart conditions, treat fever and also common headaches,
aspirin has been shown to have very promising effects against cancer which, to this very day, are not fully
understood.
I was first drawn to this interesting Ph.D. project a few years ago, whilst working as a lab analyst at a small
pharmaceutical company. At the time, with a science degree already under my belt, I enjoyed excellent working
conditions and a comfortable salary. However, I’d reached a point where I felt trapped in a routine rut of tedious
paperwork and menial lab tasks which gave me little to no job satisfaction. So I sent out half a dozen applications for
postgraduate degrees abroad, without giving our own university even a moment’s thought until, quite unexpectedly, a
referee of mine informed me that a certain Professor Rena Balzan of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery was looking
for a Ph.D. student. I remember my first meeting with Professor Balzan quite clearly, as well as my sense of disbelief at
the realization that the University of Malta did indeed house well-equipped laboratories run by serious, ambitious
scientists after all. All it took was that one meeting. In what was one of the easiest decisions of my life, I applied for and
managed to secure a government scholarship, left my well-paid job and started my Ph.D. studies in the Yeast Lab,
feeling excited and motivated.
This sense of excitement and elation did not last long. A few months later, I experienced the first sting of failure
and realized quite early on how brutal and unforgiving scientific research can be. At that point I began to wonder
whether, in leaving my job, I’d made an awful mistake. Was I really cut out for a science career? Would it make
me happy and fulfilled? Surely, these are sentiments which most of you present here this evening have also felt at
some time or another during your studies. When first faced with stiff challenges which force us out of our comfort
zone, it is typical to doubt one’s competence and commitment to a chosen career path. At that point one is left
with a very simple choice: to carry on or to quit. I, like the rest of you here, chose to carry on.
The rest of my Ph.D. was a very tough and humbling learning experience, punctuated by ups and many, many
downs. There were times when I’d be so desperate, that I’d literally yell at my yeast cells for not growing as they
should. More than once I even wondered what it would be like to escape to the Alps and rear sheep instead.
However, on the whole, I admit that I very much enjoyed the tranquility of working in a molecular biology lab and
learning new experimental techniques. Throughout my studies I also had the privilege of working with some of
the most brilliant and experienced scientists of our University, whilst befriending many others, both locally and
abroad. In time, I realized that all these experiences, both negative and positive, were moulding me into a calmer,
more confident problem-solver and ultimately a better scientist with a more mature outlook on the demands of
research. I realized that research is not about quick and easy answers, but rather like searching for small nuggets of
gold in a dark underground mine, armed with nothing but a pick-axe and a dim torch. It is an unpredictable
venture into the dark during which you may often trip, fall flat on your face or run into a wall or dead end, forcing
you to turn back and find another path. It takes lots of patience, perseverance and perhaps a little luck, to finally
spot that small nugget of gold, the discovery of which makes you forget all the hardship that went into finding it.
Thankfully after five years of hard work, things finally came together and before I knew it I’d successfully
concluded my mammoth project. With the final delivery of my completed thesis I’d at last overcome one of the
most challenging periods of my life. Whilst the hard-earned conclusion of my Ph.D. studies is satisfying enough in
itself, my hope now is that our results, very recently published in an international scientific journal, will in some
way contribute to the research efforts of other scientists, locally or in other parts of the world, in the interest of
improving cancer-preventive treatments for patients, be it with aspirin or some other related drugs.
Such is the scope and ambition of the research work being carried out at our University. In my faculty alone, the
pace of research has improved by leaps and bounds over the past five years thanks to extensive laboratory
refurbishments, employment of qualified research staff and investment in improved, if not state-of-the-art,
research instruments and equipment. We now have a swelling community of young, motivated and very talented
researchers who dedicate their time to the study of issues directly involved in, or relevant to, human conditions
such as cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, genetically-inherited disorders and other ailments. These marked
improvements show that our University firmly acknowledges the increasingly important role of scientific research
in our society today - a society that is being crippled by a staggering rise in the incidence of cancer and other
insidious diseases such as dementia. Clearly, a sustained investment in scientific research has become a priority
and is ultimately in the national interest. One only hopes that both our Government and University maintain this
commitment to research and strive to not only retain the current pool of talented Maltese researchers, but to attract
promising new researchers.
At the other end, we scientists, academics and researchers need to make a stronger effort to engage proactively with
our politicians, students and the general public on the subject of science and research. It is in our interest to step out
of our comfort zones, reach out to non-scientists and explain to them just what our research is all about, without
being boring, pedantic or patronizing. People already have a genuine interest in science, and through creative and
engaging science communication we can rouse even further interest, better understanding and most importantly an
appreciation of the value of our scientific research and of its impact on our lives. In this regard, enormous progress is
already being made thanks to science communication events like ‘Science in the City’ and ‘Discover University’.
These well-organized events, together with the excellent ‘Think’ magazine have done a fantastic job of raising
scientific awareness in Malta, and will certainly help to encourage further investment and participation in science, to
the benefit of us all.
In the end my biggest hope as young researcher is that, with proper focus, careful planning and smart investment,
we collectively turn our nation into a hub of research excellence. I acknowledge that this is hugely challenging and
ambitious, but I’m confident that it can be achieved. After all, the Maltese have plenty of research talent.
Moreover, I believe we have no shortage of individuals among the new medical graduates seated here today, who
also have an aptitude for research. I would appeal to these individuals now, if you haven’t yet dosed off, to
seriously consider a stint or even a career in scientific research at some point in the future. The very fact that you
doctors are trained practitioners of medicine makes you perfect candidate researchers of medicine or any other
science which can be applied to medicine. Bear in mind that some of the most brilliant and successful scientific
researchers of our university are in fact medical doctors. Regardless of what you choose to do, the world is your
oyster and I wish you well.
Before I conclude, I must tell you that I would not be standing here right now had it not been for the fierce support
and rigorous guidance of my academic tutor Professor Rena Balzan. As my mentor she was and still is a very kind,
patient, refreshingly frank and down-to-earth individual who instilled in me a very disciplined and positive approach
to research. Moreover, she encouraged me to take charge of difficult situations and not to be demoralized by
seemingly insurmountable challenges. Her astounding energy and extraordinary dedication to science still leave me
in awe. Suffice it to say that it has been an enormous privilege to work as her colleague.
Equally fierce in their support for me were other academics of our faculty, particularly Dr. Neville Vassallo,
Professor William Bannister and also Professor Richard Muscat. These individuals won me over from the very
beginning with their genuine respect, encouragement and advice. Had it not been for them, my journey would
have been far more difficult than it was. I deeply appreciate all their support and cannot thank them enough.
Lastly, words cannot express the well of gratitude, appreciation and love I have for my family. My poor parents in
particular, have had to suffer the depressive rants of a stressed Ph.D. student for five full years. Yet still they
showed unfailing patience and support for me throughout, as all good parents would do for their children.
Needless to say, I’m also lucky to have received very strong support from other members of my family, chiefly
my grandmother, who at 81 years of age is in remarkably good health and also present here tonight. I am thrilled
that she is able to join us. Likewise, I think that most, if not all of you others graduating here with me today can
attribute much of your success to the love and support passed on to you by your parents and families. Therefore, I
think it is only fitting that I thank and congratulate all the supportive families present here this evening. After all,
the achievement we celebrate here today as graduates, is in part your achievement also.
Thanks for your attention and good luck to you all.