You are a professor and a researcher. What is the most challenging thing about your dual role?
Balancing the two is intrinsically tough.

When I have free time, I must balance the development of projects and my lessons. Luckily, since I am teaching within the same realm of my research, I am able to bridge the two aspects of my job together.

Another hard situation is providing students opportunities past my classes, with finite student research placements. I always want to provide conditions to grow and develop within research to every one of my students.

What do you like most about doing research?
Research allows me the opportunity to push myself and learn more about a topic, and new techniques.

In addition, research allows me to maintain my skill set, and it provides me with the ability to learn novel skills that I can implement into my teaching.

I am able to network with industry experts, understand what types of jobs and skills they are pursuing and help develop those within my courses.

What inspired you to become involved in research?
Molecular biology and genetics have always been interesting and exciting fields for me. When I was completing my undergrad, I met a professor who shared similar interests and had the same passion I had developed.

This naturally pulled me into an honours project and the pathway to grad school. Seeing my work advance a field within molecular biology became addictive, pushing me to learn more and develop studies.

Did you have a teacher at school, college or university that inspired you and if so, how?
My high school biology teacher was the first to push and develop my passion for biology. When in university, my supervisor was the one that really pushed me and allowed me to learn so much about the topic. He became more than just an instructor, taking on a mentor-like role in my life.

How would you encourage your students to become involved in research?
Being open about my passion and excitement in research is the first step. I get to know my students, what they are interested in, and what topics they like most, and incorporate this into my lessons.

This pushes me to learn more about their interests and challenges me to build upon their passion within my courses.

What would you tell your students are the most important skills of a researcher?
Follow what you like the most. Being passionate in your field is the key to happiness and a successful career.

Can you describe your area(s) of research interest?
Anything with molecular biology is my biggest passion.

Jumping deeper into that broad category, medicinal development, plant molecular biology, and genetics are where my true interests are. Modifying cells to understand how the complexities of their biology work and how treatments can create desired outcomes is very exciting.

How did you first become interested in this area of research? What was your “ah ha” moment?
During my PhD, I stumbled upon the use of a protein I was studying, which opened a pathway to the development of intellectual property.

While developing this potential technology, I got to branch out and work with other labs on various projects, including cancer treatments, antibiotic resistance, biofilm development, and genetic modification of various organisms.

What was your favourite project you’ve ever worked on? Why?
The development of intellectual property during my PhD.

This was my first step into the medicinal side of molecular biology and when I truly understood that most solutions to our global problems today lay in wait with research.

Molecular biology is a young and emerging field, and simply by studying and understanding the plants and animals around us, we can find solutions to almost anything.

Why is this area of research relevant for the ordinary citizen? What are the possible real-world applications?
We live in interesting times, where we have never relied so much on biology.

Molecular biology holds the secrets to new drugs and treatments, unlocking the potential of photosynthesis to develop novel power generation and provide solutions to climate change.

Everything we do in our lives has a root in biology, from agriculture, medicine, learning, and leisure activities.

Do you have another area of research that you’re currently not working on that you would like to?
As a molecular biologist, I have always used chemistry as a tool to achieve my outcomes.

Applied chemistry and biochemistry have intrigued me and is a field I have been moving into more and more every year. These fields would allow me to better utilize my skills and abilities to reach out further and build projects.

How do you keep current in your research area?
I always read and keep an eye on advances in research. As an educator, I am always looking for new and up-to-date material to incorporate into my lessons, which means I have to do routine literature searches.

I tend to gravitate to online resources where people share novel studies and discuss the science behind them.

What would you like to be the ultimate outcome of your research?
Ultimately, I want to make a positive impact on the world. I want to share my interest in biology with everyone and help advance our understanding of the natural world.

If you were forced to do something else for a living and could do anything, what would you like to do?
I would say becoming a chef.

Cooking is very similar to chemistry and research and a hands-on job.
And on top of that, you get to taste amazing dishes! I usually cook in my house, and it is fun to try new things and challenge myself, although my kids can be picky!

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I simply welcome learning anything possible. Learning is a lifelong career and a skill which you can always master.

I am truly happy with what I am currently doing. Teaching growing minds and being in the lab is what I have always wanted.

Applying molecular techniques to medicinal applications is a field I stepped into late in my education and is something I would always welcome to learn more about.

What is something you learned in the last week?
COVID-related research has dominated science for the last few years. But something that jumped out in my mind is related to some studies linking the use of cannabinoids in potentially treating COVID-19 pathology.

This research circles back to how the biology of things we have known for a long time still holds numerous mysteries and can take on novel uses in society.

What inspired you to become involved in research?
It was my first foray into a research lab. In my third year of university studies, I met the Head of Pathology at Mount Sinai Hospital to interview him for the college newspaper. I was so nervous; I read every scientific article he published.

The interview went so well that he hired me in the Pathology Summer Student Research Program. I was thrilled. But the research turned out to be so interesting for me, that I gave up the thought of becoming a medical doctor to become a researcher. I’ve never really looked back.

What do you like most about doing research?
The creativity involved in finding solutions to applied problems. I’m not focused on imperial research – never have been – but using information from those who contribute to academic research is a great joy for me. Sometimes I’m not even aware of how I am synthesizing different ideas. It comes to me in unexplainable ways.

What inspired you to pursue chemistry-related programs?
I did a specialty in biochemistry and a major in chemistry. I decided on biochemistry because I wanted to be an endocrinologist. My greatest influence was my mother’s interest in the topic even discussing it with me when I was a young girl.

Did you have a teacher at school, college or university that inspired you and if so, how?
Yes – Dr. Ken Pritzker at Mount Sinai Hospital. He was one of my most influential mentors.

He called me a “sleeper”. I was one of those students that received average grades and plugged away at my studies. Still, he noticed that when I decided that something was incredibly interesting, I devoted all my passion and time to the subject. And he really egged me on!

How would you encourage your students to become involved in research?
Finding the application of the theoretical science or basic lab skills that we are discussing in class and relating it to something they love to think about, and why it could be so much more fun to consider.

What would you tell your students are the most important skills of a researcher?
It is so important to pay attention to what others are doing, listen to other ideas, read extensively, and learn from your mistakes. Mistakes are always a blessing in disguise.

Can you describe your area(s) of research interest?
I’m very interested in pharmaceutical formulations and how they change and interact with other chemicals. Nothing in science is static.

How did you first become interested in this area of research? What was your “ah ha” moment?
It was through my work as an analytical chemist in a “big pharma” company. I loved the idea of the precision and accuracy of analytical testing.

What was your favourite project you’ve ever worked on? Why?
A company I worked for previously had a very challenging problem with a product. We had an impurity that would mysteriously show up after about 2-3 weeks in bulk storage. The business had the best worldwide scientists working on it, but no one could figure it out.

I finally asked my boss if I could do a study to see if I could help solve the problem. She laughed at me and said it was too big for us to solve with our team in Canada – ‘don’t waste your time’. I said to her – ‘give me two weeks’.

She laughed out loud at my naïve audacity and decided to give me the two weeks.

We discovered the root cause of the problem AND we found a solution to present to the FDA to expedite the resolution. It saved the company I worked for millions of dollars, and it only took two weeks.

Who wouldn’t love to have a story like that on their C.V.?

Why is this area of research relevant for the ordinary citizen? What are the possible real-world applications?
That’s easy – we need to KNOW that food and drugs are safe and will not have combinations of chemicals that could become toxic and hurt us.

The real-world implication is that a poorly understood product can cause congenital disabilities, cancer, make people sick and even result in death.

What research projects are you working on now?
Custom emulsions, cosmetic applications for natural ingredients, sustainability-related projects and upcycling. A lot of interest in natural ingredients and how they can be better utilized.

Do you have another area of research that you’re currently not working on that you would like to?
Yes – I would love to create a library of the minute chemical contaminants in our local groundwater. We have recently purchased a state-of-the-art piece of equipment that might enable us to do this.

How do you keep current in your research area?
I read, read, and read.

Talking and listening to people, and watching documentaries on semi-related topics is also a great way to inspire thinking out of the box.

What would you like to be the ultimate outcome of your research?
To know that I have contributed something meaningful to someone.

If you were forced to do something else for a living and could do anything, what would you like to do?
I would like to be an architect.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I think I would like to learn how to weld! Build my own garden furniture. That would give me some pleasure.

What is something you learned in the last week?
I’ve learned a lot about pectin! Who knew?

How long have you worked for Loyalist College?

I’ll have been here for 2 years in September.

You are a professor and a researcher. What is the most challenging thing about your dual role?

Sometimes the most challenging thing can be to refrain from sharing confidential information about ongoing projects. There are so many innovative applied research projects that would make for interesting discussion, but you have to respect the non-disclosure agreements between clients. Luckily some have been kind enough to come and talk about their company as guest speakers.

What do you teach?

General chemistry and cannabis chemistry.

If you were forced to do something else for a living and could do anything, what would you like to do?

I think I’d be a chef. I love to cook, and I find there are many similarities between cooking and chemistry. Fast pace, knowing when to add certain ingredients, both can be seen as science and art respectively. The biggest difference is being able to taste what you’ve made!

What do you like most about doing research?

The fact that every day brings new challenges and new creative approaches to problem solving. I also really enjoy hearing all the unique product/process ideas from clients and working to bring those ideas to fruition.

What inspired you to become involved in research?

Tough question. I’d say that I’ve always been a huge fan of puzzles of all kinds – and was always the kid who asked “Why? Why? Why?”. Research gives me the opportunity to scratch those itches daily.

What did you study in college/university and what inspired you to choose that subject(s)?

I studied chemistry, organic in undergraduate and organometallic in graduate school. I’ve always liked working with my hands and science. I found chemistry to be the sweet spot for that, work wise. Theory wise, chemistry interests me because it explains a lot of material behaviour we experience daily. AND Breaking Bad (mostly joking, but I did love that show – even though the chemistry wasn’t always right!).

Did you have a teacher at school, college or university that inspired you and if so, how?

I was lucky enough to have Dr. William Tam teach me organic chemistry in undergrad at Guelph, a notoriously difficult subject. He was always willing to help outside of class, and more than anything – to show us how to bounce back after a particularly bad test, which we almost all experienced. I learned a lot about persistence that semester.

How would you encourage your students to become involved in research?

I would say the first thing to do is start reading literature in areas which you may be interested in, that’s where you’ll find the newest trends and hot areas of work. If you find an area that you align with strongly – you can look at where (industry or academia) you can get involved with that type of work.

What would you tell your students is the most important skills of a researcher?

Problem solving, attention to detail, organization, communication and while not a skill – curiosity.

Can you describe your area(s) of research interest?

Natural products, molecule discovery, green chemistry, green materials, total organic synthesis.

How did you first become interested in this area of research? What was your “ah ha” moment?

I remember learning in Organic Chemistry 1 that a common anticancer drug (taxol) is sourced from the bark of the Pacific yew tree. I thought it was interesting to hear that such a powerful treatment tool came from a natural source. Then, hearing that once it had been discovered, chemists were able to successfully synthesize the molecule in the lab, felt like somewhat of a revelation.

What was your favourite project you’ve ever worked on? Why?

My favourite project was the synthesis of a minor cannabinoid with organic chemistry techniques. Since the cannabinoid in question is present in such low amounts in the plant, it is not feasible to extract. Using synthetic chemistry, I was able to produce the cannabinoid from easily obtainable starting materials.

Why is this area of research important (or relevant) for the ordinary citizen? What are the possible real-world applications?

Disease is something that affects everyone, whether directly or indirectly. If the molecules that can treat so many known diseases are out there – let’s go find them. Once we find them, if they are too rare to be extractable at scale, lets make them ourselves.

What research projects are you working on now?

• Synthesis of minor cannabinoids
• Formulation of cannabis oil in water emulsions based on nanomaterials
• Extraction and characterization of minor phytochemicals from plants

Do you have another area of research that you’re currently not working on that you would like to?

Renewable energy, fuels & batteries, novel molecule discovery in functional and psychedelic mushrooms.

How do you keep up-to-date in your research area?

Subscription to various newsletters, research articles, and webinars (many of which are free!). Conferences are always a great way to know where the research is currently trending also.

What would you like to be the ultimate outcome of your research?

Newly discovered molecules with therapeutic effects – and ultimately new drugs — based on natural products.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

Does being a better golfer count? If not, I think woodworking would be a fun hobby to pick up.

What is something you learned in the last week?

Cannabidiol will oxidize in a high pH environment to form cannabidiolquinone, a potential anticancer agent.