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Personal Statement
Applicant: XX 　 Program Applied: Biology (Genetics/Molecular Biology)

At one point when working in the laboratory, I found that my culture media failed to produce any bacterium and I started to complain about the media. Seeing this, a lab mate of mine, who was a senior, approached me and said: “only when you cherish an affectionate feeling toward the bacteria will they grow out.”  At first, I found this advice ridiculous. But on a second thought, I came to understand her message. She was telling me, in a figurative way, that only a passion for biology and commitment to its patient research can lead to achievements in the field. I believe that my choice of biology study has been motivated by love for the subject. And my laboratory experience has added a new dimension to my love of biology. Amid the turns and twists of the experiments, only perseverance can lead to ultimate success and give one the taste of real joy of the hard-won results.

The School of Life Science of XX University is arguably the most prestigious of all the life science institutions in Chinese universities. Only a small number of the most talented students at the highly competitive annual nationwide university entrance examinations are admitted into the school to receive the best education in this academic discipline. For undergraduates, the school’s comprehensive curriculum encompassed not only those specifically biology-related courses but also supporting courses in mathematics, physics and chemistry. This emphasis on supporting courses is unique to XX University as it recognizes the special importance of those subjects in the study of biology. For instance, electrophysiology and neurobiology all require strong backgrounds in mathematics, physics and chemistry.

As for the specialized courses, our curriculum covers the whole spectrum of standard subjects in biology and I have excelled most in Animal Biology, Biochemistry, Ecology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Physiology, etc. Put together, they present the picture of a fascinating but mysterious world of different phenomena of life. This familiarity with the breadth of biology has given me one advantage. Far from looking at biology in a general way, I have identified some of the more recent fields of biology at my area of special interest such as molecular biology and cell biology.

Equipped with the most sophisticated research facilities of the country, our school has provided ample opportunities for students to improve their hands-on abilities through experiments.  I was most keen about doing experiment as I realized very early that biology is essentially founded on the cornerstone of experimentation and all the knowledge contained in textbooks are dead knowledge unless it is made alive by being subjected to the tests of experiments. Through experiments, I have not only acquired basic laboratory skills but also developed rigorous way of scientific thinking. My academic record indicates that the scores for those experimental courses are quite satisfactory. When I was a senior student, I was admitted into laboratory as a research student, and my analytical and problem-solving skills were further enhanced.

The most important quality of being a research student is that s/he must not be restricted by orthodox and should have an innovative spirit. Guided by this spirit, I found a kind of culture conditions more favorable for the growth of the bacteria (the subject of experiment) and an experimental approach that has considerably improved the efficiency of gene transduction. Instead of making me discouraged and despondent, all the difficulties I encountered in various experiments have honed my stamina and perseverance. Ever time I surmounted a challenge, I could savor the exhilaration of having made an achievement in my own way. With an overall GPA of 3.60/4.00 and a Major GPA of 3.66/4.00, I was ranked among the top 5% of my class and this outstanding academic performance resulted in my winning several honors and awards, including the ESEC-PKU Award for Excellence in English Study jointly issued by XX University and ESEC（Educational Services Exchange With China）for the academic year 2000-2001 and 2001-2002.

In completing my Bachelor’s thesis at the Laboratory of XX, a key national laboratory based in XX University, I have further developed my research capacity. As research assistant, I participated in a project related to nitrogen metabolism, which was part of the laboratory’s research on the mechanism of CRP-mediated effect on sigma54-dependent promoters in E. coli. Most of the promoters related to nitrogen metabolism are 54-dependent and my research focused on studying the effect produced by protein-DNA interactions on the level of gene expression. My portion of research was important because it pertained to an essential part of nitrogen metabolism. With a year-long research, I came up with my thesis XX. When evaluating my thesis, my advisor recognized my innovative conceptualization and solid experimental skills, commenting that the contributions I made to the laboratory far extended the level as could be expected of an undergraduate.

Not long after my graduation this summer, I have been recruited by the Institute of Molecular Biology of the University of XX. Headed by Prof. XX, director president of the Institute, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and a leading expert in molecular biology, the Institute has been performing some of the most pioneering research in functional genomics and gene therapy in cancers, birth defects, and tissue repairs. Before assuming the Director position, Prof. XX was the Chief of XX, Maryland where he supervised more than 20 investigators. As a research assistant Prof. XX, I have been exposed to the latest research developments in the international academia and have been learning more advanced research methodologies and experimental techniques.

My past academic work and research experiences have given me an important and necessary foundation for a research career in biology. However, there is still a long way to go before I can develop myself into an accomplished biological scientist. Working at the Institute of Molecular Biology of XX, I have become all the more aware how important it is to keep track of the most cutting-edge research of the world in a field that is developing so rapidly.  The result of this awareness is to apply for a Ph.D. program in your esteemed university.

XX University, becomes my first priority because, as a research-intensive university, you have accomplished remarkable research achievements over the past few years, especially in the field of life science. Department of Biological Sciences is currently performing research in five major areas: Ecology/Environmental Biology, Microbiology, Molecular/Cell Biology, Neuroscience, and Physiology. Among your outstanding faculty I have found several whose teaching and research interests parallel my academic and research background--Dr. XX focusing on the teaching of general genetics and several upper division biology electives (human genetics, cytogenetics, evolution) and researching on projects like genetics and molecular analysis of ozone sensitivity in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)；Dr. XX focusing on molecular genetics and Dr. XX on the molecular mechanisms that regulate muscle-specific gene expression during the process of muscle development or myogenesis. Your wide-ranged teaching and research subjects are sufficient to allow students to explore their individual interests and fully develop their potential.

Excellence can be attained if you care more than others think is wise, if you risk more than others think is safe, if you dream more than others think is practical, if you expect more than others think is possible. The pursuit of excellence can be infinite but my efforts can be concrete. This application of mine is just one of those concrete efforts.