Šimon Vlach

I wanted to study science and specifically biology in grammar school, where I participated in many science competitions. I fell in love with the fact that biology aims to understand the most complex systems - living organisms. I knew that in order to make it in the world of science, I needed to look abroad and gain experience, so I enrolled in an English-taught course culminating in the International IB program at the Rokycany Gymnasium and Secondary School, which equipped me to study abroad.

During my high school studies, my team and I won a silver medal at the European Olympiad of Experimental Sciences (EOES). Furthermore, in my third year, I placed third in the national round of the Biology Olympiad and from there I advanced to the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) in SAR, where I won a silver medal. In my final year of high school, apart from preparing for the IB exams, I undertook an internship at the Biomedical Centre in Pilsen to study the effect of ultrasound on the recellularisation of liver scaffolds, which could potentially provide a solution to the shortage of organs for transplantation. In my spare time I play the piano and do fencing.

In the autumn of 2024, I plan to start the Biological Sciences programme at University College London. This degree offers the opportunity to specialise in different pathways and I would like to follow the path of a molecular biologist.