NEGIN KETABCHI

My academic journey was initiated with my Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry with a Genomics Certificate at Simon Fraser University. During my undergraduate studies, I actively searched out academic research labs and engaged in opportunities that aligned with my interest in host-pathogen interactions. I am deeply passionate about applying genomics to understand human diseases. As a recipient of the Vice-President Research, Undergraduate Student Research Award (VPR USRA) on two occasions, I seized the opportunity to work full-time in Dr. Gerhard Gries' and Dr. Amy Lee’s laboratories. My involvement in performing experiments in Dr. Gries’ Lab led to my co-authorship of a published paper in the Journal of Insect Physiology. By contributing to the academic community, I gained hands-on experience in the field of molecular biology which made me transition and integrate my prior knowledge into my master's project.

I am currently pursuing my graduate studies under the supervision of Dr. Amy Lee, focusing on the application of bioinformatics analyses and machine-learning approaches to understand complex human diseases, specifically neonatal sepsis. The Lee laboratory’s collaborative network with clinicians worldwide offers me a more extensive research experience with greater range of opportunities to contribute to the field.