From working on magnetic nanoparticles and their biomedical applications to preparing for research in cardiac MRI and microstructural imaging at the University of Oxford, Nandita’s entire journey reflects how a research career needs to be built gradually rather than expecting quick results.

“I have always been fascinated by how we can use the principles of physics to solve problems in healthcare. That interest naturally led me towards medical imaging, specifically MRI.”

Now, as the next step at Oxford, she will be working on cardiac MRI and microstructural imaging, with the aim of contributing to better diagnosis and understanding of cardiovascular diseases. The project also involves an industrial collaboration with GE HealthCare, and as part of the DPhil, Nandita will have the opportunity to undertake a three-month research placement at GE HealthCare’s Munich office.

Life as a researcher

“I am really excited about this because it will allow me to see how academic research can connect with the development of real-world medical imaging technologies,” she said.

While organising a research proposal, there are some factors that need to be kept in mind. In Nandita’s case, for the MRC DTP iCASE project at Oxford, she did not have to develop the research proposal herself because the project was already designed and planned. So, she experienced research proposals that mainly came from her previous research and academic work.

When asked where the journey should start, she replied,

“I think the first thing is to have a clear idea about what problem you want to solve and why it is important. You also need to understand the existing literature well enough to identify where the gap is. Then your objectives and methodology should be realistic and achievable with the time, facilities and resources available.”

Nandita also thinks about what kind of outcome the research can produce and whether it has any real scientific and practical impact or not.

“A good proposal, in my opinion, should not just say what you want to do. It should clearly explain why the work is needed, how you plan to do it, and what you hope to contribute through it.”

Talking about finding the correct supervisor and realising which supervisor is suitable, Nandita was always quite clear about the area she wanted to work in, which was medical imaging. Hence, she did not randomly look through different research groups or contact a large number of supervisors. She kept her search targeted.

“I looked for researchers whose current work was related to medical imaging and where I could also see a connection with my previous research experience. I read their recent publications and tried to understand what kind of work they were doing and where my background could fit in.”

For Nandita, research alignment was the most important factor, rather than simply choosing someone because they were at a highly ranked university. A PhD is a long-term commitment, so one really needs to be invested in and passionate about the work he or she will be working to spend in the next several years.

“It is equally important to understand whether the supervisor’s mentoring style and expectations match your own. Therefore, I also considered whether I would be comfortable communicating with them and whether their expectations and way of working suited me.”

Paperwork

Nandita firstly emphasised being genuine and consistent. She also suggested that one’s SOP should tell his or her academic and research story clearly, where he or she started, what they have worked on, why they want to pursue that particular programme, and what they want to do in the future. It should not just be a list of achievements.

“I also think you should avoid making general statements like ‘I am hardworking’ or ‘I am very passionate about research.’ Instead, give a specific example that demonstrates it. For example, you can describe a research project, a challenge you faced and how you worked through it. Let the experience show your qualities rather than simply claiming them vaguely.”

For recommendation letters, it is best to approach professors or supervisors who know applicants’ work very well. They can give specific examples of their academic ability, research experience, work ethic and potential, which makes the recommendation much more meaningful.

Nandita’s experience tells us that rather than trying to make every document sound impressive, applicants should make sure that all their documents tell a consistent and credible story about who they are and why they are suitable for the programme.

Nandita would not recommend applying to a large number of universities without a clear direction. First, being clear about the research interests and understanding where the academic and professional background fits best is a prerequisite for choosing a university. Then, identify universities that are strong in that area and target the applicants accordingly.

“I would look at several factors together. Rather than research fit, potential supervisors, laboratory and research facilities, funding opportunities, programme structure, career prospects and the overall research environment are what matter the most.”

For a career in research, the research group and supervisor can sometimes matter more than the university’s overall ranking.

“This is my 2nd time applying for a PhD. Previously, I also got a full-funded scholarship from a Canadian university back in 2020. In both cases, I actually targeted the supervisor and research group first. I contacted supervisors whose research closely matched my interests and, after receiving a positive response, I then pursued the university and formal application process.”

However, this can be different for universities that have a central admission process, where one applies to the university or programme first and is matched with a supervisor later.

Nandita is fortunate to have received the MRC DTP iCASE scholarship, which is a fully funded doctoral studentship. It covers her full tuition fees and provides a stipend for her living expenses throughout the DPhil.

The biggest advantage is that she can focus entirely on her research. She will not need to take on additional work such as lab tutoring sessions or others to support herself financially. This gives her the freedom to spend more time in the lab, attend academic activities and fully concentrate on her doctoral work.

Preparations

Nandita’s preparation actually started much earlier, during her undergraduate years. She tried to take her coursework seriously and build a strong academic foundation. After that, she pursued her Master’s, completed her thesis and eventually published her thesis work. So, her research profile was built gradually rather than specifically for this application.

Having a strong academic record also helped Nandita. At Oxford, a first-class degree is highly valued, so her high CGPA and academic ranking were imperative. Her research publications and her experience as a university faculty member also strengthened her profile.

“When I started reaching out to professors, I did not send the same material to everyone. I prepared a specific research-interest statement tailored to each professor’s work. I made sure it reflected their research and showed that I had actually read and understood what they were working on. I think that made my communication much more meaningful. I would say preparation is really a long-term process. It is about consistently building your academic and research profile rather than trying to prepare everything at the last moment.”

Nandita was actually at BRAC University for only one semester as a Teaching Assistant, so her teaching career really started at American International University Bangladesh (AIUB), where she worked as a lecturer in the Physics Department for about one and a half years before joining the University of Dhaka.

Those early teaching experiences helped her become more confident in communicating, working with students and taking academic responsibilities.

At the University of Dhaka, she had the opportunity to develop further as both a teacher and researcher. She became more involved in research, worked on publications and gradually took on more academic responsibilities. Each stage gave her a different kind of experience and helped Nandita to develop the discipline, confidence and independence that she needed to pursue opportunities beyond Bangladesh while continuing to build her academic career here.

“I think the biggest strategy has to be very targeted and intentional from the beginning. I did not apply to a large number of universities. I was clear that I wanted to move into biomedical and medical imaging research, so I focused on projects where my background could genuinely fit.”

Nandita also spent a lot of time understanding the research before approaching a supervisor. She read the supervisor’s papers, looked at their ongoing projects and prepared her research statement specifically around their work. Once she got an opportunity to interview, she prepared very seriously.

“I read papers, watched conference talks and tried to understand the project from different angles.”

It was a very intense five-month journey for her. She started with a fairly simple goal of finding a PhD opportunity in biomedical research, and it gradually became a much bigger process involving multiple interviews, research presentations and funding competitions.

There were definitely difficult moments, especially when she received the Oxford offer but the funding was still uncertain. She also went through a funding rejection at Manchester, so there was a point when she genuinely wondered whether she would be able to do a PhD abroad at all.

“What kept me going was knowing that I had already given the process everything I could. I had the support of some wonderful supervisors, my family and people around me who kept encouraging me even when I was unsure of myself.”

In the end, receiving the fully funded scholarship was obviously a huge achievement, but the process itself taught Nandita something more personal. It made her realise that sometimes even someone is capable of much more than they initially believe.

“For me, that has probably been the most meaningful part of the journey.”