Dr. Kerryn Matthews

Research Associate 

Multi-Scale Design Laboratory (led by Dr. Hongshen Ma) 

For National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW), we spoke with several Centre for Blood Research (CBR) Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Associates, to highlight their work, celebrate their accomplishments, and share their stories. 

Outside of the lab, Dr. Kerryn Matthews (she/her) is a huge hockey fan; inside the lab, she focuses on analyzing single cells using biology, imaging and machine learning tools. 

Tell me about your research. 

I’m focusing on analyzing single cells: trying to figure out why single cells do what they do, using biology, imaging, and machine learning tools. 

Our lab is developing technologies to analyze and sort single cells for different applications. In one of our diabetes projects, for example, we’re looking at single cell secretion to understand which cells produce higher levels of insulin compared to others. If we can sort these cells, separate the high-secretion populations, and sequence them to understand what is mechanistically different about them, we can find out which cells are the most potent and useful for patients that need them. 

What led you to the lab? 

During my post graduate studies in South Africa, I came to Vancouver for a Keystone conference, and got to experience the best of the city. When I was looking for a postdoc, and saw Hong’s job posting, the location and mix between engineering and biology offered an exciting opportunity that we couldn’t pass up. Also, as a two-time stroke survivor, being here, in Vancouver and the CBR, feels almost like destiny! I’m fully recovered because doctors were able to remove the clot, which was an experimental procedure at VGH at the time. 

Tell us what you enjoy the most about science. 

I’ve always enjoyed understanding the how and why of something. Having a variety of projects and learning something new every day definitely keeps you young at heart! Science also offers opportunity to travel. I’ve been to so many wonderful places to present my research.  

I love building stuff and collaborating with the engineers in our group has widened my research outlook. My very first week of work in Hong’s lab, I had to make a microfluidic device by myself, which was awesome. When you’re working with engineers, nothing is a silly idea – you can always figure out how to improve a design and make it better. 

What do you do outside of the lab? 

From a young age, playing field hockey was my whole life. Recently I had to give that up, but I’m still very involved: I coach my sons field hockey team and I’ve started umpiring field hockey again. I also spend 8 months of the year at the rink watching ice hockey. You could say I’ve become a hockey mom! 

Tell us about the awards or achievements that you are the proudest of. 

I was one of the first students in Africa to receive a Wellcome Trust Fellowship, which I’m very proud of. I had my own funding for my PhD project, which meant that I also had the freedom to pursue my own ideas. It’s important for young researchers to have that opportunity. 

Thank you for speaking with us, Kerryn! Learn more about National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW), which recognizes the significant contributions that postdoctoral scholars make to research and discovery.