Luisa Martina
She/Her
I am trans and I am a biochemist and PhD student in physiology.//
I got my Biochemistry degree in Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, in Santiago and now I’m a PhD student in the same school, studying a recovery mechanism from neuropathic pain through behaviour studies and electric recordings of peripheral sensory nerves. Hopefully these findings will eventually help people recover from chronic painful conditions and live better.
I also participated as a member of the grad students representative committee, where we most importantly worked on developing mechanisms and rules to improve student/tutor interaction and support community members when facing violence and/or sex abuse in our school.
I started my transition during my PhD training, often feeling insecure and even completely hiding it when going to conferences abroad. Its not like anyone told me to, but I felt pretty lonesome while discovering this new side of me.
Now I’m on my sixth year of grad school (should’ve finished in 4 years, but meh), trying really hard to finish my thesis and approaching my first year on HRT anniversary, fully expressing myself as I (think) I want, and with my new name and gender legally corrected.
I try to regularly move around on my bicycle, and in my free time I play soccer in a fully queer team (@disforia_fc on instagram), and also play guitar and sing in a band.