Applied to

PRIORITY 1st choice / SUBJECT Biology / MOBILITY D / LOCATION Moldova State University - REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

Personal info

FIRST NAME Andrei / MIDDLE NAME / LAST NAME Stefan / GENDER Male
DATE OF BIRTH 1-7-1985 / PHONE 0040743012501 / FAX / CITIZENSHIP Romanian
ADDRESS Str. 1 Decembrie 1918 No. 135, bl T1B, ap 3 / ZIPCODE 805300 / CITY Tecuci / COUNTRY Romania
HOME UNIVERSITY Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi / PASSPORT NUMBER 12723905 / PASSPORT EXPIRE DATE 1-8-2012 / MOTHER TONGUE Romanian
SECOND LANGUAGE English / SECOND LANGUAGE – READ C1 / SECOND LANGUAGE – WRITE C1 / SECOND LANGUAGE – ORAL C1
THIRD LANGUAGE French / THIRD LANGUAGE – READ B2 / THIRD LANGUAGE – WRITE B1 / THIRD LANGUAGE – ORAL B1
MOTIVATION LETTER
Dear Sirs and Madams,
My name is Andrei Ştefan and I am currently following a PhD program at the Faculty of Biology, “Al. I. Cuza” University of Iasi, Romania. I am determined to pursue a scientific career and in order to accomplish this goal, a vast research experience is highly welcomed.
I find that the research projects in the field of genetics at your institute match my interests. I was captivated by genetics since my first year of high-school and this captivation has increased exponentially, the more I learned on the matter. In my third year of high-school I began studying biochemistry and at that point I knew that this is the path I wish to follow. As a Biochemistry student at the Faculty of Biology, I found the courses direct and concise and the more I learned, the more I wanted to know.
After all this time, I am still amazed by the complexity, precision and the mechanics behind the processes of gene expression, cell signaling and metabolic pathways. I remember I was completely puzzled by the fact that some genes are expressed in one cell and repressed in the other, even though the genetic material is identical. How can a neuron, a skin cell and a hepatocyte be so different if they have the same genetic material? After the first courses regarding the subject, at my faculty, I felt that I barely scratched the surface and that there is a lot more to learn. Thorough reading of scientific literature and the attendance at molecular biology courses, has raised my awareness on the intricate ways of cellular mechanisms and as the information began building up, my interest in this field increased.
Studying abroad, even if it was for a short time, gave me to opportunity to increase my scientific knowledge and improve my laboratory skills and dexterity. In the time spent in the labs at Gent University, in Belgium, I became familiar with techniques like MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, High Performance Liquid Chromatography, 2D-PAGE. Upon returning home, I kept reading scientific papers regarding my fields of interest, and I turned my attention to molecular systematics.
During my time spent in the Molecular Genetics and Archeogenetics Laboratory, I had the opportunity to take part in several research projects, out of which, two stand out. One of them involves several ancient pig bone fragments dating back from the Neolithic Era and linked to the Cucuteni culture. A sequence-based comparison between the mitochondrial DNA D-loop control region and the cytochrome b coding region from both the ancient pig bone and the modern pig bone was undertaken. The other project involves the identification of Prunus avium cultivars and a phylogenetic tree construction based on the RAPD analysis.
My PhD research project covers the plant-rhizobia interactions and aims to develop new strategies in the field of agriculture. I am convinced of the highly practical implications of this study and the possibility of reducing the amount of synthetic fertilizers used in agriculture. I know that this field hasn’t reached its full potential and that the continuous research has a lot to offer. And I want to be a part of that research.
The only way that scientific research and reasoning can prosper is by the exchange of ideas, research methods and common effort. That is why I think that a research experience at your institute would be a highly beneficial opportunity for me to develop new skills and to improve as a scientist.
Yours sincerely,
Andrei Ştefan