Program:
MSc student
Research Theme:
Nanomedicine and Chemical Biology
Prior Education:
BSc in Pharmacology, UBC
"From my perspective, the field of pharmaceutical sciences is a multidisciplinary branch of research that seeks to offer treatment and even cures for people in need of them. This resonated strongly with what I want to contribute my efforts towards."
What motivated you to pursue a graduate degree in the field of pharmaceutical sciences?
During my undergraduate degree, I found a passion for wet lab work through volunteering and Work Learn opportunities, and thought that studying pharmaceutical sciences would be a great way for me to explore my passion while addressing real-world problems. From my perspective, the field of pharmaceutical sciences is a multidisciplinary branch of research that seeks to offer treatments and even cures for people in need of them. This resonated strongly with what I wanted to contribute my efforts towards, so I chose to study pharmaceutical sciences.
What is your research project about?
The majority of secreted proteins are glycosylated, meaning they are decorated with sugar molecules. These sugars modify protein-protein interactions and can impact many important biological mechanisms, such as immune function. I am currently working on developing a platform for rapid screening of protein interactions with various glycosylation patterns, with hopes of applying this platform towards interrogating what proteins are associated with patterns specific to conditions like cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. My topic came about because I was interested in working on a research platform that would have wide applications, and given my lab’s expertise in working with glycosylated proteins, this project naturally developed.
What advice would you give to someone who’s considering pursuing graduate studies at UBC Pharm Sci?
To me, graduate school is where you develop professional skills and connections. However, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what to work on at first. My advice would be to find a goal that you feel comfortable working towards, and to focus on improving little by little each day. Even if you end up changing your mind, you will likely find that many of the skills and qualifications gained along the way will aid you regardless of what you do. What you get out of graduate school largely depends on what you decide for yourself, so having your own motivation and maintaining it is extremely important.