Meet Melville Nyatondo

First year Non-Clinical PhD student

Home Researcher Stories Meet Melville Nyatondo

Meet Melville Nyatondo, a first year Non-Clinical PhD student.

She spoke to us about her journey to studying a PhD, her research focus and her advice for other people considering applying for a PhD

Melville started her Non-Clinical PhD project in summer 2024 and is expected to graduate in 2028.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m Melville, a first-year Non-Clinical PhD student in Dr Simona Valletta’s lab.

Like many people, my journey to studying a PhD has been influenced by the loss of a loved one to cancer, which sparked an academic interest in cancer research.

I completed a foundation year in Clinical Sciences and Medicine at The University of Bradford, where I completed a project looking at immunotherapy. This got me interested in understanding why cancer behaves the way it does and how we could overcome some of its mechanisms from an immunology perspective.

This was a pivotal point for me because I wanted to pursue a medical career at the time but I realised I enjoyed research a lot more. I decided to do my undergraduate degree in Personalised Medicine at Ulster University in Northern Ireland, with an industrial placement year at Randox, a Northern Irish health and toxicology company.

Whilst my placement year focused on clinical testing, I knew I wanted to do something cancer immunotherapy-related, but I wanted to make sure I knew what that looked like before considering postgraduate studies. So, during my placement, I applied to be on the Black in Cancer Mentorship Programme and was paired with Dr Jaime Honeychurch at The University of Manchester, who gave me lots of insights on his own journey and all things PhD.

Following this, I completed a Master’s in Applied Cancer Science at The University of Oxford, where I conducted my project within a haematology group at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine and now I’m doing a Non-Clinical PhD in acute myeloid leukaemia!

Why did you decide to study a Non-Clinical PhD at the MCRC?

When I was considering where to study, I found there were only a couple of places that offered projects that I was interested in and the MCRC was one of them. Being part of the Black in Cancer network, I had previously been put in touch with a few students who were studying at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute and remembered how they spoke positively about their experiences and the support and different opportunities available.

I also wanted something different to other places I had studied in. Manchester has such a vibrant and diverse environment and I knew I would enjoy the city. There was a sense of community and belonging, so all of that just made it the ideal place to study my PhD.

You previously took part in the Black in Cancer (BiC) Mentorship Programme. How did this experience help you decide to study a PhD?

Before joining the BiC Mentorship Programme, I had a general sense of my career goals and interests but was unsure how to reach them. My university placement year had given me insight into working in industry, but I lacked exposure to academia.

However, working with Dr Jamie Honeychurch as part of the BiC programme provided a perspective of what an academic research career could look like, and it started to seem like a possible route for me. Our mentor sessions focussed on the different requirements I would need to make this possible, from the basics of defining goals and learning what an academic CV is, to thinking about relevant skills and experiences I may want to obtain, and then discussing the application process.

Being paired with someone working in the area I wanted to go into gave me clarity and helped me decide to study for a PhD. We have maintained good contact. It’s nice knowing he is now just across the road and we get to witness some of the goals we set being ticked off.

What is your research focus?

My research focuses on understanding the tumour microenvironment in acute myeloid leukaemia. In detail, I am investigating the interactions between immune cells and leukemic cells to discover mechanisms behind immune evasion and treatment resistance.

My project is a mix of dry and wet lab techniques, so I am using animal models, patient-derived organoids and single-cell sequencing. This will enable me to identify effective new targets and develop treatments for acute myeloid leukaemia.

What does your typical day look like?

I’ve only just started my PhD so I am still finding my feet and trying to build foundational skills and knowledge.

At the moment, I spend my days either doing some form of training or induction, attending talks, shadowing experiments in the labs and doing lots of background reading to prepare for my literature review.

Our lab has space at the Oglesby Cancer Research Building and the Paterson Building, so I usually switch my working environment between the two.

Melville with fellow members of Dr Simona Valletta’s lab group.

What’s the best/most challenging part of your MB-PhD?

Everything is new and different. I’m in the process of getting my head around concepts and new techniques and finding a way to balance my commitments – it’s a steep learning curve. Fortunately, I have a great lab group that is supportive and patient. I also started with another student in our lab, Sophie, so having someone I can journey through the process with has made it easier.

What are your plans after your PhD?

I hope to continue working in academia and cancer research, maybe having my own research group.

I’m interested in health disparities so I know I want my future work to combine that with cancer research. I want to ensure my research is inclusive so that no one or no community is left behind in personalising medicine and reaping its benefits in an accessible way. But I’m still figuring it out so we will see what the next four years of my PhD bring and how it will shape my future.

What do you want to be remembered for?

I want to be remembered as someone who was always kind. I think the biggest impact we can have is not necessarily in the things we do but in the way we choose to interact with others whilst doing the things we do. In the words of Maya Angelou: “People will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel”. I am evidence of the belief and encouragement various people have had in me and how such simple acts of kindness can help you achieve your dreams.

I hope to continue to return that in the spaces I occupy, fostering kind, unrushed and encouraging interactions that may inspire others to pursue a career in STEMM –

especially those from underrepresented and disadvantaged communities. I also want the public and patients I engage with to know a bit more about research and cancer and know that their perspectives are valued, which may hopefully contribute to building their trust in science a little more.

Do you have any advice for people who are considering applying for a PhD?

My advice is to connect with current PhD students and other people in the labs you are interested in who can give you a holistic view and help you make an informed decision. The environment and support from your team and community makes such a difference in your overall experience, so take the time to understand the group dynamic and make sure it feels right for you.

If you are a Black student, I would encourage you to take hold of opportunities like the mentorship programme and targeted initiatives such as the Black Leaders in Cancer programme, which are helping change the narrative of representation in STEMM and redefining what it means to be Black in cancer.

Cancer is a diverse disease; in fact, it shows its strength in diversity so to tackle it effectively we need a diverse workforce of people from all backgrounds. Your perspective is invaluable in advancing scientific research so know you have something unique to contribute.

Don’t let fear hold you back from applying, just go for it!

Find out more about our Black Leaders in Cancer PhD Scholarship programme and find out how to apply.