Research Assistant
McGill Division of Orthopaedics
Shriners Hospitals for Children

Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Science Specialization Biology Extended Credit Program

Who do you consider your mentors?
I consider Dr. Lisbet Haglund my primary mentor. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity she gave me to work in her lab at the Shriners Hospital for Children. Her guidance was instrumental in shaping my critical thinking and research skills, especially throughout our important work studying Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. The entire collaborative environment at the McGill Division of Orthopaedics, including the surgeons and molecular biologists I worked with, has also been a huge source of mentorship and inspiration.

What is your specific area of interest in research?
I’m fascinated by the intersection of chemistry and biology, particularly in the context of human health. My main interests are in drug discovery, biomanufacturing, and pharmaceutical research. I’m driven to understand how chemical compounds can be integrated into living systems to treat disease, and I hope to build a career that translates fundamental scientific discoveries into tangible therapeutics that can improve people’s quality of life.

What are you currently working on?
My most recent project involved investigating potential therapies for premature facet joint osteoarthritis observed in the spines of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Specifically, I was testing the efficacy of natural product senolytic drug therapies on senescent chondrocytes commonly found within degenerate articular cartilage tissue. Our hope with this work was to eliminate these pro-inflammatory cells and improve the biomechanical function of the facet joints and hopefully reduce disease progression and pain. This work involved a range of techniques, including cell culture, qPCR, ELISA, and immunocytochemistry, to determine if these compounds could selectively clear the harmful senescent cells. Having completed that project, I am now seeking to apply and expand my skills in the fields of biochemistry and pharmaceutical research.

What has been the biggest challenge for you lately in your research?
The biggest challenge in my recent project was bridging the gap between the biological data from our lab and the complex, patient-specific biomechanics of the scoliotic spine. To overcome this, I took the initiative to independently learn how to use EOS imaging software to create 3D spinal reconstructions from patient X-rays. This allowed us to correlate our molecular findings with structural parameters like intervertebral rotation, which proved to be a critical link in our research and was a key finding in our recent publication in Arthritis Research and Therapy.

What projects are you looking forward to?
I’m excited to dive deeper into work that is more fundamentally chemical. My background in cell and molecular biology has given me a great foundation, and now I’m eager to apply it to problems in protein engineering and chemical biology. I’m particularly fascinated by projects that use engineered proteins as tools, for instance, to perform highly specific chemical separations or to serve as novel therapeutic agents. The idea of designing and building a biological molecule to solve a complex chemical or medical problem is exactly the kind of challenge I find compelling.

What changes would you like to see in the future of the orthopedic research community?
I would love to see an even greater emphasis on a holistic, “bench-to-bedside-and-back” approach. During my research on AIS, I found it invaluable to attend a corrective surgery to see firsthand the clinical reality we were studying. I believe that fostering more direct interaction and cross-disciplinary immersion between basic scientists, engineers, and clinicians can prevent us from losing sight of the bigger picture and ultimately lead to more impactful and translatable research.

What do you like to do outside of your work?
My passion for science started with backyard chemistry experiments as a kid, and that curiosity has never left me. When I’m not in the lab, I enjoy geology and smashing various rocks, blacksmithing, using my microscope to examine pond scum, obsessing over my cactus garden, and watching way too many movies.

What is the last book you read?
God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert, definitely the most unique, but strangely entrancing book I have ever read. I can’t say it’s for everyone but I definitely enjoyed it.

What is the most unusual/unexpected item sitting on your desk right now?
A can of Japanese bristling sardines.