What sparked your interest in healthcare?
It’s the critical thinking component of healthcare that really sparked my interest. It’s incredible how healthcare professionals take a myriad of laboratory work and diagnostic tests as clues that lead up to a diagnosis! It reminds me of puzzle pieces, each one giving a bit more information to us until the whole picture appears.
What interests you most about the area of research you’re working in and why?
My favorite part about researching kidney disease is the wide breadth of the condition. It is divided into the various subsections of the kidney, and even then, I am looking at genetic/non-genetically inherited diseases, congenital disorders, and more. It is fascinating to explore these pathways within the umbrella of kidney disease!
What has been your favourite/most enjoyable part about being in ESSP?
I enjoyed the diversity of ESSP. Every day, I am meeting people from backgrounds ranging from African Canadian to Indigenous and I am constantly learning something new from them! The program not only introduced me to research but enabled me to speak to the brilliant, diverse people that make up our research field. I am always curious to see who I am going to meet next in the hospital!
Share a fun fact or surprising discovery you stumbled upon during research that made you say, “Wow, I didn’t see that coming!”
The sheer amount of space it takes to store samples! When I took a tour of our laboratory’s freezer, I was shocked to see how many biopsy samples have accumulated in our hospital! There was a large shelf that spanned part of the room, filled with these samples on every rack, and even more scattered in our lab. It makes me wonder – what will happen when we run out of room?
What are your goals for the future and how do you envision leveraging your experiences from this program to contribute to that?
My goal for the future is to continue exploring the various fields of research! After my undergraduate years, I plan to pursue graduate studies within medical research. Working in Dr. Parekh’s team this summer enabled me to discover the many tasks that make up the research field, so I will use this experience to further my knowledge in nephrology and the human genome.