Alexandra Witt, 2021 – 2022 GAP Student

MSc Student, Pryzdial Lab

My name is Alexandra, and I am a graduate student in the Pryzdial lab developing a novel clot-busting drug by mutating coagulation factor X. The CBR Graduate Award Program was an opportunity for which I am very grateful. As a new trainee during a Zoom-based award year, I was really appreciative of the ability to meet peers in the CBR, some of whom have become very good friends. While in the GAP program, I have had the opportunity to participate in several journal clubs, career development workshops, and both in-person and online events.

At the end of the day, with a “this will be what you make of it” program, I think it’s safe to say that the 2021/22 cohort did a great job. We are so thankful to the CBR team who made this possible, and for all of our experiences throughout the year.

Colton Strong, 2021 – 2022 GAP Student

PhD Candidate, Kastrup/Devine Labs

As a PhD candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UBC in the Centre for Blood Research, my research interests include hemostasis, biomedical engineering and nanomedicines. I am currently working to genetically engineer platelets using lipid nanoparticle technology to enhance their function and hope to establish engineered platelets as a platform technology. The graduate award program (GAP) has had a tremendous impact on my professional career development; helping me build the skills and personal network necessary for success in both my immediate research and career. One of the more meaningful takeaways was the personal and professional relationships generated with other award holders and coordinators, especially considering that my participation in the program was in the pandemic era. Ultimately, the opportunity to participate in the GAP has been invaluable to my PhD experience here at UBC. A big thank you for the opportunity to be part of this amazing program and to the coordinators Parvin and Dana for adapting to highly unique circumstances this year.

Helen Chen, 2021 – 2022 GAP Student

MASc Student, Kizhakkedathu Lab

Overall, participation in the GAP program reinforced my interest in research, specifically blood-contacting biomaterials. Learning about the complexity of blood-biomaterial interactions, including protein adsorption, platelet reaction, coagulation, fibrinolytic activity, etc. through the work of others, and through critical feedback from my peers/ experts in the field not only benefits my future career, but also makes me want to find out more. Dr. Jay Kizhakkedathu’s approach to his research–taking aspects of chemistry, biology, and engineering to develop medical technologies and therapeutics has never been more exciting.

The combination of my coursework and my experience in this program also stimulates my desire to get more involved in science communication. I would love an opportunity to communicate my research to a wider audience, and to inspire more people to be curious and to take part in blood-related research.

Pan Deng, 2021 – 2022 GAP Student

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

I’m studying in neutrophil extracellular traps which plays a vital role in lots of immune-mediated conditions. CBR Graduate Award Program has been of great help to my research. It offered me amazing opportunities to present my own findings and bond with experts. Interacting with these new people not only helped me refine my work but also allowed me to engage in discussion of others’ inspiring findings. In addition, this program provided great career-planning workshops which helped me gain deeper insights into the job market, leading me one step closer to reaching my end goal.

Steven Zhexuan Jiang, 2021 – 2022 GAP Student

MSc Student, Kim Lab

The Centre for Blood Research (CBR) Graduate Award Program (GAP) was truly an enjoyable and rewarding experience. With the research fund provided by this program, I wrote a review article, which will be published in a prestigious journal soon. Also, I conducted a successful in-silico experiments on arthritis. This experiment gave me insights on the mechanism behind arthritis development and helped me to decide my future directions. Besides the research fund, this program also allowed me to develop many employable skills. I organized social events, mentored undergraduate students, wrote a scientific blog post targeted for the general public, read and discussed scientific articles among my peers, and presented my research to other scientists in two conferences. Moreover, I met other participants of this program and became friends with some of them. Overall, it was a great experience and the highlight of my first year as a graduate student in CBR.