Rare enthusiasm – Our students cope with COVID-19

Among our current students are the shining stars of tomorrow’s global research scene. Disrupted by the insidious pandemic, their training period was transformed. How did the pandemic change their research project and their learning, and in doing so, how did it reveal their character? Four young next-generation researchers tell their COVID-19 stories.

To say that Guillaume Beaudoin-Bussières, a doctoral student on Andrés Finzi’s team (Immunopathology research theme), spent time in the laboratory last year is an understatement. Used to working on HIV since 2018, he decided to redirect his research efforts towards COVID‑19. The transition was hectic, but he coped with it well.

“For a young researcher, this new scientific context is exciting. A stroke of luck in the midst of misfortune, in a way. With the coronavirus, I witnessed live the production of knowledge disseminated by the international research community. And I also participated in it with my team. Compared to HIV, you know nothing about this new virus. You’re starting from zero. It’s an immense task,” he explained.

Focused on the work to do, he gradually took on more responsibilities at the laboratory, in addition to more stress, given the public health stakes. He also wrote scientific articles, which he had never done before. “During the pandemic, I realized that I was able to do a lot more than I thought I could. I felt I had matured a bit!”

In his opinion, things moved faster during this exceptional period, but thoroughness was still of utmost importance, from project approval times to administrative procedures. Knowledge sharing among teams was also accomplished more simply.

Beaudoin-Bussières sees the positive side of this experience. “I had several articles on COVID‑19 published that had an impact, because they were topical. I also believe that the pandemic helped promote our profession among the public at large and give visibility to basic research. Maybe this will help us get funding in the future.”