When Sabrina moved from Argentina to Northern Ireland with her family to begin a PhD at Ulster University in Coleraine, she was not starting her career but reshaping it, after more than 15 years caring for women and babies in Argentina.
An obstetrician and gynaecologist specialising in Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Sabrina had already spent more than 15 years caring for women through both low and high-risk pregnancies in her home country. But over time, her clinical experience prompted bigger questions about how maternity care could be improved not only for individual patients, but on a much wider scale.
“Working so closely with women and families made me realise something important,” she says. “While clinical care allows you to make a real difference, it often happens one patient at a time. I became increasingly driven by the need to improve maternal and perinatal outcomes at a much larger scale.”
That turning point led Sabrina towards research. Alongside her clinical work, she pursued a Master’s in Clinical Research before deciding to undertake a PhD at Ulster University, motivated by a desire to help generate the evidence that can improve care for mothers and babies in meaningful and lasting ways.
For Sabrina, taking up that opportunity meant making a life-changing decision as a family. She moved to Northern Ireland with her husband and two daughters, leaving behind the life they had built in Argentina to begin a new chapter in a place they had never visited before.
“Relocating to Northern Ireland for my PhD was a big and exciting step for our whole family,” Sabrina says. “After many years living in Argentina, our home country, it felt like a new adventure. We had never been to Northern Ireland before, and suddenly we were starting a new chapter over 11,000 kilometres away.”
Like any major move, it came with uncertainty. But Sabrina says doing it together made all the difference.
“What made all the difference was going through it together as a family, lifting each other up at every step. We felt deeply supported, not only by our loved ones back home but also by the warm and encouraging environment at Ulster University and the Doctoral College.” At the heart of Sabrina’s PhD was research into the relationship between maternal obesity and iron deficiency during pregnancy, two increasingly common health challenges that can have important consequences for both mothers and babies.
“My PhD research focused on understanding the link between obesity and iron deficiency during pregnancy,” she explains. “My thesis was made up of several independent studies, but they all pointed in a similar direction: women with higher levels of body fat are more likely to develop iron deficiency and anaemia, both before pregnancy, during pregnancy and in the early postpartum period.”
For Sabrina, the importance of the research lies in its potential to improve care in practical ways, as iron deficiency is the most common cause of anaemia worldwide, and during pregnancy it can affect both maternal health and a baby’s development.
“What matters most to me is that research makes a real difference in people’s lives—improving the health of mothers and their babies, not just one by one, but in a way that can benefit entire populations.”
As she reflects on her time at Ulster University,
“What I am most proud of is that this was never just my achievement; it was a collective one, shared with my family,” she says. “Choosing to pursue this path meant making a very difficult decision that brought major changes not only for me, but for all of us.”
She also speaks warmly about the experience of studying at Ulster, where she found not only rigorous research training, but a sense of community and support.
“The highlight of studying at Ulster University has been the opportunity to grow far beyond my comfort zone as a researcher, as a clinician, and as a person,” she says. “It gave me rigorous training, a truly international perspective, and lifelong friendships, all while helping me turn a bold decision into a meaningful professional future.”
She is one of more than 5000 students graduating from Ulster University this summer, with ten days of celebrations taking place at ceremonies in Belfast, Coleraine & Derry~Londonderry.
Now, Sabrina is preparing for the next chapter, having secured a postdoctoral position at King's College London. There, she hopes to continue building evidence that can improve clinical practice and lead to better outcomes for women and babies.
“What excites me most about this role is the opportunity to work in a truly multidisciplinary environment, alongside colleagues from different backgrounds and areas of expertise,” she says. “That kind of collaboration is incredibly enriching; it challenges you to see research from new perspectives and ultimately strengthens the quality and impact of the work.”
Sabrina believes Ulster has prepared her well for that next step.
“I would say that choosing Ulster for my PhD was one of the best decisions I have ever made,” she says. “The University gave me the opportunity I had been searching for, believed in me, and supported me throughout the entire journey. I always felt genuinely welcomed.”
Now, as she graduates, Sabrina sees the moment as far more than the completion of a degree.
“Graduating means the fulfilment of a dream,” she says. “It marks a turning point in my life, a moment that changed everything and reminded me how far perseverance, sacrifice and hope can take you.”
Looking back, was taking that leap of faith worth it?
“Absolutely,” she says. “It challenged me, changed me, and opened doors I once only dreamed of.”
