Owen Mullen
What years did you attend Saint Felix School (from and to):
I attended Saint Felix School from 2016-2018 for sixth form studies.
What was your favourite memory of Saint Felix School:
I enjoyed taking part in the sports teams, specifically rugby, and also going to the gym with friends from the classes. In general, my favourite memory of the school is the time spent with classmates in and out of studying at the school, be that in the boarding house, in lessons, on the school walk or at coffee breaks.
What did you go on to do/achieve:
Post sixth form, I studied Biochemistry at the University of East Anglia (UEA), obtaining a first class Masters degree in 2022. Following this, I had a brief stint as laboratory analyst chemist for British sugar before I worked as research technician at UEA, developing peptides to overcome antimicrobial resistance. This opportunity led me to my PhD within the same research group at UEA, though changing the area of research towards cancer. My research is aiming to control an overactive transcription factor in cancers which leads to chemotherapeutic resistance. I have designed peptides that can bind to DNA responsible for this resistance and will continue to develop these further and test effectiveness in cancer cells.
Charitable fundraising
I am also running the Edinburgh Marathon in 2025 to raise money for Worldwide Cancer research, who fund research similar to mine in the aims of finding new cures for cancers. We all know someone who has been affected by cancer, be that a family member or a friend and any donations could help fund research into new cures to prevent this to others in the future. Any donations would be greatly appreciated!
Owen Mullen is fundraising for Worldwide Cancer Research
Be a Curestarter | Cancer Cures | Worldwide Cancer Research
What advice would you give a pupil/student at Saint Felix School?
If you have a desire to do something after sixth form, go for it! Staff want you to succeed so make the most of what advice and help they can give you. Further, make the most of your classmates. They can be the biggest solution to issues you may encounter with study or even personal issues. Friends are the greatest gift, and the connections you make could help you down the line.
How did Saint Felix School prepare you for your career:
The routine and discipline I developed as a consequence of the day to day timetable alongside the allocated study periods in the evening as a boarder set me up greatly for the independent study of my undergraduate degree and still to this day during my PhD. This helped me develop a balance for work, play, rest and exercising. Furthermore, the formal events I attended as part of the sixth form has helped prepare me for events such as conferences or symposiums I’ve attended as a scientist.