A Toronto native, I completed an Honors Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 2011 with a specialist in Biological Chemistry and a major in Chemistry here at UofT. I have since gone on to pursue a graduate degree in the field of Medicinal Chemistry with the Gunning group and am currently working through my fifth and final year of my doctoral thesis.

 

Primarily, my research has centered within the STAT3 protein landscape, but has favored biophysical interrogation over small molecule design. I enjoy the physical and physical organic components of drug-target interactions and always like to learn about new assays and tests to describe binding behavior and/or chemical reactivity. I have also worked on projects involving the analysis and selectivity of the commercial “STAT3” inhibitor S3I-201, inhibitors of tyrosine phosphatases PTP1B, PTPσ, and recently, an exploration into kinase inhibition on the exciting Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer target ROS1.

 

Having received numerous awards and scholarships at both the provincial and national level, authorships in over 10 peer reviewed scientific literature journals, publication of a book chapter and several national conference presentations and awards my research portfolio is quite robust.

 

Outside of the academic environment I have enjoyed contributing to the overall community here at UofT by participating in focus groups, awards selection committee’s and a variety of student governance activities to enhance the graduate student experience at this institution.