Mr Wilson Castillo-Tandazo

Ecuador, The University of Melbourne

International Student of the Year – Research (joint winner)

Wilson Tandazo

Wilson is currently completing his PhD in Philosophy at the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Melbourne. Prior to pursuing his clinical and research training in Melbourne, he graduated as a physician from the University of Espiritu Santo in Ecuador. His PhD is focused on the effects of mutations in a gene called Recql4 that develop a disease called Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome. To date, he has published six articles in prestigious journals with numerous citations. His long-term career  goal is to improve the treatment and outcomes for children with cancer.

International Student of the Year – Research: Wilson Javier Castillo Tandazo. See more videos like this on the Study Melbourne YouTube channel.

Video transcript

This award means everything to me. The moment I got to be a finalist I was like ‘is this happening? Is it not?’. Even now, when I won the award, I am thinking ‘is this real?’.  

I was initially looking at Melbourne and Sydney to study and then a few students who are studying in Melbourne and Sydney said, ‘You should come to Melbourne. It has so much to offer and is so lively’.