A cancer diagnosis just three months into her PhD at Flinders University wasn’t enough to stop Associate Professor Fitri Widiantini (MBiotechSt ’06, PhD ’12) from pursuing her dream of graduating.

Suddenly finding herself juggling study and chemotherapy treatments, Associate Professor Widianti says she was fortunate to be surrounded by many great people, including her supervisor Professor Chris Franco, University staff, friends and the medical support at Flinders Medical Centre.

“I would never have made it through my study without their tremendous support,” says Associate Professor Widiantini. “Chris and his wife Bunny, academics and staff and my fellow PhD students were like my family far from home. That is why to be able to graduate with a PhD from Flinders University is one of my favourite achievements.”

Now working in Indonesia’s Department of Plants Pests and Diseases at the Universitas Padjadjaran’s Faculty of Agriculture, Associate Professor Widiantini says studying at Flinders equipped her with workplace-ready knowledge, skills and experiences.

“I was drawn to study at Flinders, not just for its excellent services and support for international students, but also the exceptional expertise of academic staff,” says Associate Professor Widiantini. “The University is the home institute of Professor Chris Franco, a world renowned and highly-respected expert on actinobacteria, which is my main research interest.

“The word biotechnology sometimes scares people however, once you get to know the world of biotechnology, you’ll find that it is a fascinating field of study. With applications in many fields including medical, pharmaceutical and even agricultural, biotechnology can remarkably benefit humankind.”

Find out more about studying postgraduate Biotechnology at Flinders University.