Please provide a brief summary of your paper/research.

My research investigated Staphylococcus aureus diacylglycerol kinase (SaDagK), a bacterial enzyme that converts diacylglycerol to phosphatidic acid, two types of lipids present in biological membranes. My focus was on assessing the enzyme's suitability as a molecular tool for producing phosphatidic acid, a lipid that is difficult to study because it is kept at very low levels and undergoes rapid turnover. The project involved assessing SaDagK's catalytic activity in a human-derived cell line and creating multiple SaDagK mutants to increase the enzyme's catalytic activity. My findings showed that evolutionarily distant SaDagK is catalytically active, and that mutating the enzyme's membrane-interacting region can nearly double its activity.

What led to your interest in this area?

I never pictured myself doing research until a fourth-year cell biology course sparked my interest in cell biology research and introduced me to my supervisor. Throughout my undergrad, I really enjoyed working with protein models, and designing enzyme mutants let me do that while pursuing my fascination with cell biology.

What prompted you to submit your paper to the competition?

I had never heard of the Undergraduate Awards until I received an email from the Faculty of Science recommending that I submit my work. Since I'd already done all the hard work, I decided to submit it and see what happens.

Can you describe how you felt when you found out you'd been selected as a winner?

When I first got the email from the GUA with “congratulations” in the subject line, I assumed I'd received “highly commended,” because I never imagined I'd receive anything higher when I submitted. When I realized I was a regional winner, I couldn't believe it. It felt validating to have my hard work recognized globally.

What are your plans for the future – do you plan to continue in this field?

Yes, I am! I just started a Master of Science here at Western in the same lab, where I am starting research on a different lipid-modifying enzyme called acylglycerol kinase.

Will you be attending the Global Summit in Dublin? If so, what are you most looking forward to there?

Yes, and I am very excited about it! I am most looking forward to meeting everyone and hearing about all the research. I think it is a cool opportunity to hear research from around the world and about topics outside my discipline.

What do you think the benefit of programs like the Undergraduate Awards is for students?

I think it is amazing to have a program that recognizes students' work beyond the mark they receive. For research projects in particular, I think the motivation to do well isn't to get a good mark, but to do justice to a project you work so hard on and care so much about, and programs like this validate that hard work.

Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

I want to thank the entire Membrane Biology Research Group for their support and feedback, and for keeping things fun throughout my project. I also want to thank my family and friends, who always listened as I rambled about my research and were so excited for me to be named a winner.