I have always liked science as a kid in elementary school and enjoyed both biology and chemistry classes in high school. Specifically, in grade 12, we had a large project where the main outcome was a biochemical pathway poster (drawn by hand) examining many aspects of cellular metabolism (glycolysis, TCA cycle, urea cycle etc.), which really sparked my interest in biochemistry. This project was a lot of work, but I was very proud of it, and still have that poster saved today. In university, I enjoyed all my biology and chemistry classes, but I can distinctly remember learning about cholesterol and lipid synthesis and the elegant feedback mechanisms described by Brown and Goldstein and remember thinking how fascinating those discoveries were and how interesting it must be to conduct those types of experiments. I especially enjoy the ‘puzzle’ or problem-solving aspect of research and find discovering the unknown very motivating. Furthermore, I strongly believe that basic science research has an important contribution to helping others through understanding fundamental biological pathways and processes to develop novel medications and therapeutics.

I did my Honours B.Sc. in Biochemistry with a specialization in biomedical research at McMaster University. My labs during these years focused on overexpression of proteins in E. coli and purifying them and I really enjoyed this concept. In my fourth year, I completed my thesis project on insulin sensitivity in hepatocytes with a multitude of pharmaceuticals. This directed me to start my Master’s at McMaster University where I then transitioned right into my PhD where I examined aspects of whole-body metabolism, metabolic disease and immunometabolism. My PhD explored the effects of glucose lowering, AMPK activating drugs and small molecules on food intake, energy expenditure, and the development of atherosclerosis. My research had a strong focus on the role of macrophage AMPK in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. One key study from my PhD examined Metformin, which is the most common medication for diabetics, and its effect on body weight, finding that they were mediated through a hormone called GDF15. For my postdoc, I wanted to complete more immunology training, focusing on the role of immune cell metabolism on their cytokine secretion and function. Therefore, I decided to go to Ireland to work with Luke O’Neill where I examined the role of Itaconate (a macrophage specific metabolite derived from the Krebs cycle), and how it can regulate body weight.