NU Step to PhD: Aliya Bekmurzayeva, PhD graduate in Science, Engineering and Technology

Our next NU Step to PhD guest is Aliya Bekmurzayeva, a PhD graduate in Science, Engineering, and Technology at NU SEDS. Aliya graduated with a Bachelor in Ecology from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and received a Master of Science in Biotechnology from McGill University in Canada. Аfter graduation, she joined the Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioinstruments at NU. Currently, she is a researcher at the National Laboratory Astana (NLA) and works on the surface modification of materials for biomedical applications and developing optical fiber biosensors. 

Tell us about your doctoral research?

Metastasis remains the main cause of death for patients with breast cancer. Numerous studies suggest that only a small subset of cells is responsible for increased resistance to therapy, and that they also drive tumor growth and development. These cells are called cancer stem cells (CSC). They are a subset of tumor cells which share the characteristics of normal stem cells: self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation. The current methods for detecting and isolating CSC  are expensive, Impractical, and are not done in patients directly, i.e. are not done in situ,

 Therefore, during my Ph.D., I aimed to design aptamer-functionalized substrates with the ultimate goal of isolating and detecting breast CSC under the supervision of Dr. Damira Kanayeva. 

To achieve this goal, I divided my research into the following tasks:

– Selecting and characterizing DNA aptamers against breast CSC;

– Functionalizing metal wires with aptamers specific to breast CSC in order to capture them;

– Functionalizing optical fiber sensors with model aptamers for biosensor fabrication as a future avenue for research 

Aptamers are small molecules that are selected in vitro to bind specifically to their target with high sensitivity. As ligands in bioassays, they have numerous advantages over antibodies such as requiring no batch-to-batch variation, being easy to synthesize, and requiring no animals or cells for production. Two substrates were used during the research: stainless steel wire mimicking a guidewire (a wire used to guide stents in the bloodstream) and an optical fiber sensor.

What is the applied value of your work?

During my doctoral studies, surface functionalization methods of a metal wire were optimized and showed to capture CSC. These modified wires have potential applications for the in vivo capture of the target cells in blood flow, since their small size allows their insertion as standard guidewires in biomedical devices. CSC isolated in such a way could be further counted and analyzed. 

Additionally, we conducted a comprehensive literature review to make an overview of the methods used for the surface modification of stainless steel in biomedical applications. Another value of my work is in developing an optical fiber biosensor, which was functionalized and tested using an aptamer-analyte model (thrombin binding aptamer and thrombin). The experience gained during this process is being used now to build a biosensor for cancer protein detection.

What can you tell us about the process of writing your thesis?

The initial plan of my thesis was overambitious and I faced many difficulties during its implementation. The initial plan of using the aptamers we selected failed since their selection and characterization were taking too much time, and therefore commercial aptamers were used instead. 

Stainless steel wire was also not easy to functionalize and test due to the peculiarities of its surface and small size. However, there were many positive moments during my studies, too. These included freedom in choosing my topic of research and methods, and having supportive supervisors and research fellows. 

Additionally, in 2016, I received the Newton Fund Researcher Links Travel Grant from the British Council to do part of my Ph.D. at the Queen Mary University of London in Dr. Helena Azevedo’s laboratory. I tried several surface modification methods there and learned to use the equipment for the characterization of the functionalized surface. I also attended seminars organized to improve the personal and professional skills of Ph.D. students. After coming back to NU, I had an opportunity to use optical fiber sensors as a platform for my Ph.D. thesis.

Please, tell us about your future plans?

I love doing research. Currently, I am working on developing an optical fiber biosensor for the detection of protein biomarkers elevated in several types of cancer under the supervision of Dr. Daniele Tosi. In the future, we would like to apply this research to the detection of cancer cells. Compared to the functionalized metal wire which I developed during my Ph.D. thesis, optical fiber has many advantages. It can be directly used as a sensing platform showing signal change when an analyte (protein or cell) binds to the sensor surface. Optical fibers are also inexpensive, immune to electromagnetic interference, and can be used in in situ settings.

 What would you advise to future doctoral students?

Try to choose a topic for your Ph.D. thesis that resonates with you.  Try to answer these questions: what problem would you like to solve, what skills do you have for it, and what research would you like to do shortly? Pursuing a Ph.D. requires a lot of dedication and perseverance. When your motivation is low, remember the reason you got into a Ph.D. program and try to do at least one thing per day that will move you forward towards your goal (for example, reading one paper). Don’t forget to take care of your physical and emotional wellbeing since they can be hard to recover. Remember that “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor” and that one day you will appreciate all the challenges that you went through. Most importantly, I would like to wish Ph.D. students a lot of patience and trust in God.