Help on motivation letter for PhD

Hello Everybody!

I hold Master's Degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics and I wrote a motivation letter for a PhD application.

I would be very happy if you could have a look and help me with possible improvements.

Thank you very much for your time.

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Dear Professor XXX YYY,

I am writing to express my interest in doing my PhD studies in the field of XXX at YYY University under your supervision. With cancer is a major burden of disease worldwide, my career ambition is to become a leading scientist with a specific expertise in this area.

I hold a Master’s Degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics from XX University. During my studies, I made extensive research on epigenetic mechanisms and also on bioinformatics methods. My master’s thesis addressed on molecular characterization of DNA methyltransferases genes. I detected the genomic and mRNA sequences of DNA methyltransferases genes and investigated the expressions of these genes using RT-PCR method. Since the outcome of this project revealed some very interesting information, I am now in the process of submitting my paper on this topic.

I am always fascinated with genetic studies. Recent studies showing epigenetic regulations have important role in many diseases led me to become more interested in epigenetic mechanisms. Especially during the second year of my master’s studies, I spent most of my time in laboratory. The university was well-equipped in terms of laboratory instruments and I had access to a broad range of equipment. This situation gave me the opportunity to make extensive research not only on epigenetics and bioinformatics methods but also on diverse areas such as microRNA analysis and tissue culture. In addition to my master’s thesis project, I also participated in another project where I investigated the role of DNA methylation in genetic imprinting. My comprehensive laboratory studies have equipped me with a solid theoretical knowledge and also hands-on experience in most of the widely used methods in molecular biology and genetics.

Complementing my strong academic performance are my advanced skills in teaching and communication. During my studies, I was responsible for teaching undergraduate students the application of the methods used in molecular biology studies. This responsibility was actually a great opportunity for me to improve my teaching skills and also to use my communication skills for that purpose. Apart from having theoretical knowledge, students also gained hands-on experience on how to apply some of the most important procedures in genetic studies. As a result, most of them used these experiences in application of those methods during their bachelor’s thesis and even some of them helped graduate students in their laboratory experiments on various applications such as DNA and RNA isolation, RT-PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis.

My motivation in applying for the PhD studentship arises from my strong passion in the field of oncology. This passion has built up during my master’s studies as I discovered that DNA methylation is actually a very important epigenetic mechanism in triggering and development of cancer mechanisms. There are three main steps - replication, transcription and translation – that is passed until a healthy protein occurs and the answers of the questions on when, where and how these processes take place is hidden in epigenetics. I believe that answering those questions and with a biomarker designed for that purpose, it will be possible to cure the cancer. As a molecular biologist, I think that the mechanisms behind cancer should be investigated in molecular scale. The skills and experiences that I earned during my master’s studies will be a basis for me to work on this challenging problem and I would be more than pleased if I could find an opportunity to make a contribution to our understanding of cancer mechanisms.

I want to study at XX because of the active research going on at your university in the XX field. I am impressed by the work that has been done so far and I would love to be a part of the team and make productive contributions. With many distinguished scientists, I know that I will gain expert knowledge at the forefront of discovery. Given my past history of commitment to excellence and my strong interest in your research, I am confident that I will bring a high level of energy and enthusiasm to your program. I am sure to exceed your expectations, because of both my academic and interpersonal skills as well as the experience gained from my master’s studies. I will enrich the program by enabling fellow students and professors to benefit from my ambitious and open nature. Furthermore, my international background will add more diversity to your program.

I hope I would be given a further opportunity to discuss my possible contribution to your team. Enclosed, please find my CV for your review. I would be happy to provide additional references upon request. Please do not hesitate to contact me at any time should you require additional information of if I may be a further assistance.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely yours,