Click the link to view the full version: WASCZ | From a Spark in the Laboratory to UCL, She Turned Curiosity Into a Passion for Science
F. Wu, Somerville House, Class of 2026
University Offers
University College London
-Biochemistry
-Biological Sciences
University of Manchester
-Biochemistry
The University of Sydney
-Bachelor of Science
The University of Melbourne
-Bachelor of Science
Predicted A Level Grades
Math A*, Further Math A*, Biology A*, Chemistry A*, Chinese A*
EPQ Project
How can p53 be targeted as an anti-aging therapy by targeting cell senescence without increasing cancer risk?
University College London(UCL)
Founded in 1826 in London, UCL is a leading public research university and a founding member of the University of London. It is also a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a founding member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU). Widely recognised as one of the UK’s “Golden Triangle” universities and part of the elite G5 group, UCL is renowned for its world-class research strength. The university has produced more than 30 Nobel Prize laureates among its alumni and staff. WASCZ students have consistently earned offers from this prestigious university.
“Accumulate steadily and release forcefully”—when Flora used this phrase to describe her four years at WASCZ, she made no mention of “talent” or “overnight success”. Instead, she prefers to believe that growth is the result of long-term accumulation.
From an initial, tentative interest in biology to holding two offers from University College London today, what stands out more than the outcome itself is her consistent curiosity and dedication to her chosen field throughout the journey. For Flora, it is through repeated exploration, experimentation, and reflection that she has gradually found her own direction.
01. Learning Is a Matter of Consistent Perseverance
“The human body actually has an extraordinary ability to heal itself.” Flora’s interest in biology began with an offhand comment from her parents when she was young. From then on, she became fascinated by how the body’s metabolic systems function, and whether cellular mechanisms could truly be as remarkable as they seemed.
After joining WASCZ, that once vague curiosity gradually developed into a clear academic passion through the school’s hands-on science education. In one biology lesson during Grade 9, her teacher, Mr Mukherjee, took the class outdoors to collect leaves from around the campus before returning to the laboratory to separate chlorophyll pigments. In that moment, textbook knowledge came vividly to life before her eyes.
Inspired further, Flora joined Mr Mukherjee’s ECA Programme: Biology Media Debate ECA. Through the programme, she explored cutting-edge topics in biotechnology and engaged in discussions surrounding their scientific principles, applications, and ethical implications. The experience not only broadened her understanding of life sciences, but also deepened her awareness of the close relationship between scientific advancement, society, and the future of humanity.
To Flora, scientific learning is inherently interdisciplinary. Biology relies heavily on principles of chemistry, while statistical methods in mathematics are essential for biological data analysis and experimental research. Over time, she learned to integrate mathematics, biology, and chemistry into a connected framework of knowledge that she could draw upon with ease.
“Learning is about perseverance,” Flora reflected. Looking back on her early days at WASCZ, she admitted that her academic performance was far from ideal at first. Yet she never lost confidence. Supported by the school’s rigorous academic system and dedicated teachers, she committed herself to consistent revision and reflection day after day, steadily moving forward with the belief that sustained effort would eventually lead to breakthrough.
“My motivation comes both from the standards I set for myself and from my genuine passion for biology,” Flora explained. It was this combination of discipline and enthusiasm that ultimately led her to offers from her dream universities.
02. From the Classroom to the Real World of Scientific Research
“CRISPR” — an adaptive immune system originally found in bacteria and archaea — has now been developed into a highly effective gene-editing tool. Put simply, it functions like a pair of “molecular scissors” capable of precisely targeting DNA, opening up new possibilities for disease treatment and life sciences research. From the moment Flora first encountered the concept in a textbook, she was deeply fascinated by it.
During one summer holiday, Flora undertook an internship at a molecular biology laboratory at a university in Shanghai. While participating in a research project investigating the activity of the endogenous CRISPR system in Streptomyces rapamycinicus, she was able to apply what she had learned in the classroom to real scientific practice. “It was my first genuine experience of biological research,” she reflected. “The experience gave me tremendous inspiration.”
Driven by her interest in CRISPR gene-editing technology, Flora began exploring one of the most widely discussed topics in modern medicine: cellular ageing. Her EPQ research project, titled How can p53 be targeted as an anti-aging therapy by targeting cell senescence without increasing cancer risk? focused on the dual role of the p53 protein. Through her research, she investigated how regulating related genetic pathways might alleviate cellular ageing caused by excessive p53 activity, while preserving its crucial anti-cancer function.
What began as curiosity sparked by a scientific term gradually evolved into a much deeper exploration of life sciences and their future potential. Flora came to realise that the theories and concepts repeatedly encountered in textbooks are not abstract ideas, but forces actively shaping the future of the world. And in the future, she hopes to contribute to solving even more challenges within the field of biological science.
03. She Wove Her Youth into the Stage, Music, and Team Spirit
During her four years at WASCZ, Flora experienced a warm and fulfilling boarding life. Independence and self-discipline became some of the most valuable qualities she gained during this time, giving her confidence about studying overseas in the future. Yet the word she returned to most often was “unity”.
Through the weekly inter-house sports competitions, she built close friendships with her teammates through shared effort and perseverance, while a strong sense of collective spirit gradually grew through teamwork and mutual trust. Another unforgettable part of her journey was House, in which she participated for four consecutive years.
“I served as a House Unison leader for two years, and last year I led our house to the overall championship,” Flora recalled. More memorable than the trophy itself, however, was the experience of everyone striving towards the same goal and celebrating together. “At that moment, my sense of collective pride reached its peak.”
Through countless moments of collaboration and adjustment within teams, she also began to understand the true meaning of leadership — not only communication and coordination, but also the ability to make decisive judgments at crucial moments.
WASCZ’s rich co-curricular programme also allowed her to explore interests far beyond the classroom. She performed as an oboist in Sinfonia Orchestral concerts; developed focus and lasting friendships through netball and floorball; took part in WASCZ’s annual production of 12 Angry Men, where she strengthened both her spoken English and stage presence; and even continued her childhood passion for dance by performing in the school’s ballet productions for two consecutive years.
Looking back on these four years, it becomes clear why Flora chose “Accumulate steadily and release forcefully” to describe her growth at WASCZ. What the school offers is fertile ground where every student is encouraged to grow freely and steadily over time — where every interest is valued and every effort recognised. The seemingly ordinary routines, the repeated experiments in the laboratory, the persistence and compromise within teams — all of these quietly shaped the person she has become today.
Now, as she prepares to begin a new chapter at UCL, Flora hopes to discover a field she truly wishes to devote herself to in the long term — perhaps anti-ageing research, perhaps gene editing, or perhaps even an emerging discipline yet to be defined. But one thing is certain: the girl whose curiosity about life sciences began with a simple sentence is now stepping confidently into the vast world of science, guided by enduring passion and determination.
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