Author Archives

Pearl Akazue, formerly known as Pearl Osirike, is a Biochemist with a passion for teaching, research and a flair for writing. She is currently a third-year PhD student of Molecular and Cell Biology of Infectious Diseases at the University of Ghana. She is also a Lecturer at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Benin, Nigeria. Aside from her academic interests, she is a lover of handcrafts and creativity. Her family is always a priority to her, and she is happily married to Dr Moses Akazue.

• Bitter-Sweet

  By Pearl Akazue on October 20, 2018 • ( 7 )

  

  Life as a PhD student in a foreign land has been filled with different experiences – some good, other bitter and then there are the bitter-sweet ones.   Whenever I think of experiences, I remember a real-life story my Dad… Read More ›

• 365 Days…

  By Pearl Akazue on August 15, 2018 • ( 12 )

  

  I sat at my desk working on my Powerpoint slides for a class presentation which I had to deliver the following week on current vaccine approaches for dengue fever. It was about 2:30pm, and I was beginning to feel hungry…. Read More ›

• Writing research proposals: Some hints

  By Pearl Akazue on July 29, 2018 • ( 16 )

  

  Writing a research proposal is always a daunting task, especially for a beginner. However, it is a skill that is vital for anyone aspiring to pursue a career in research. In the past twelve months, I have written at least… Read More ›

• Saying “YES” to help!

  By Pearl Akazue on June 14, 2018 • ( 8 )

  

  I love shopping, but what I find most frustrating is having to tag along heavy shopping bags. A typical street market in Africa is haphazard and navigating is not exactly the most pleasurable experience. Thankfully, here in Ghana, there are… Read More ›

• Finding my balance

  By Pearl Akazue on May 26, 2018 • ( 0 )

  

  There are three categories of people. Those who identify a problem, talk elaborately about it but do nothing to change the situation. They hope that the problem would be solved by someone else, so they walk away. Next, we have… Read More ›

• My PhD Journey: Lessons Learnt So Far

  By Pearl Akazue on April 21, 2018 • ( 8 )

  

  I commenced my PhD programme in Molecular and Cell Biology of Infectious Diseases at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), the University of Ghana in August last year. WACCBIP is a world-class research centre where… Read More ›

• Writing a compelling statement of purpose

  By Pearl Akazue on March 24, 2018 • ( 0 )

  

  The statement of purpose is a critical requirement for many graduate applications; it must be clearly and thoughtfully written to highlight your uniqueness. One of the most frequently asked questions by intending graduate students is “how do I write a… Read More ›

• Your ONE Word

  By Pearl Akazue on February 24, 2018 • ( 0 )

  

  I discovered Evan Carmichael’s YouTube channel serendipitously. It soon became my early morning “boost” — I eagerly looked forward to listening to his interviews on the “10 rules of success” every day (I still do). In all his posts, he… Read More ›

• You can overcome every obstacle…NO MATTER WHAT!

  By Pearl Akazue on January 30, 2018 • ( 6 )

  

  It all started with a YouTube video – a story that would change my life, and possibly yours, forever…..by the award-winning motivational speaker and life coach, Lisa Nichols. After watching the video, I knew that I needed to read Lisa’s… Read More ›

• My Open Gratitude Journal

  By Pearl Akazue on December 8, 2017 • ( 4 )

  

  I recall vividly just like it was yesterday when we chorused “happy new year” and well wishes for the new year. Now, we start the countdown to the end of the year 2017. How has your year been? Productive or… Read More ›