Dr Paul Fogg

Sir Henry Dale Independent Research Fellow

I am a Sir Henry Dale Independent Research Fellowship recipient. I graduated from my PhD in Microbiology in 2008 and then took on several postdoctoral positions in Liverpool, Vancouver (Canada), Bristol and eventually York. It was the work I had been carrying out during my two years in Canada that provided the inspiration for my Fellowship application. I work with Gene Transfer Agents (GTAs), which are an unusual mechanism for horizontal gene transfer that have the potential to be major drivers of bacterial evolution. No groups are currently working on GTAs in Europe and so I saw an opportunity to establish myself as leading researcher in a thus far understudied niche.

When I started to write Fellowship applications, the first step to finding a host institution was to visit various potential host universities and give departmental seminars. This allowed me to meet academics on a one-to-one basis and tour the facilities, which gave me valuable insight into what it would be like to work there. The University of York fosters collaboration and interdisciplinarity and I found numerous research groups with distinct overlapping interests with different elements of my proposed work, which clearly made York the ideal host institution for me.

Pre-application support

The support offered by York in the preparation stage for my application was extremely helpful. I received detailed feedback on my proposal from senior academics in the department and was able to present my ideas to an internal peer review council consisting of staff from different disciplines. Presenting to academics who are experienced at gaining funding provided invaluable insight into what was required to make my application a success.

Another key aspect of York’s preparation was a rigorous mock interview conducted by senior members of staff, which in my case included a research institute director and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research. This helped me understand the types of questions I should expect from eminent scientists who are outside of my specific area of research and proved to be very helpful during the actual interview.

Post-application support

The department handled my transition from post-doc to Independent Fellow seamlessly. Office and lab space were allocated promptly and were sufficient for my requirements. Colleagues were immediately collegial and settling into my new role was straightforward. I have also had the opportunity to be involved in various aspects of teaching including giving lectures, hosting undergraduate research students in the lab and carrying out student assessments. Participation in teaching has been in no way compulsory, but I find it a rewarding experience that will be beneficial for my future career progression aspirations.

A key benefit of the Department of Biology at York is the potential for an additional two years of funding at the end of a five-year fellowship. I have taken advantage of this offer and it has provided me with the stability required to apply for PhD students and grant applications that would otherwise extend beyond the length my Fellowship.