Jamie Kwon is a 2023 Canada Student Merit Award winner. She achieved this award for obtaining the highest standing of her class in the fourth and final year of her degree. Here is a brief biography of the winner.
Jamie is a passionate and ambitious young researcher who received her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with distinction from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in May 2023. During her undergraduate studies, she received multiple scholarships and awards including the NSERC Undergraduate Summer Research Awards and UBC Faculty of Medicine research awards. She also actively contributed as an undergraduate teaching assistant for organic chemistry labs and volunteered within the local immigrant community.
The undergraduate awards gave Jamie the opportunity to spearhead numerous studies in Dr. Eitan Prisman’s Lab at Vancouver General Hospital, including identifying blood-based miRNA biomarkers for detecting recurrent oropharyngeal cancer, establishing a shared virtual platform to enhance margin delineation in head and neck radiation planning, and introducing intraoperative ultrasound guidance during transoral robotic surgery. From these experiences, Jamie has published multiple manuscripts and presented at international conferences. Currently, Jamie is pursuing her Master of Science degree at UBC, which is funded by the CIHR CGS-M grant. Under the joint supervision of Dr. Prisman and Dr. Garnis, her research focuses on advancing knowledge in oropharyngeal cancer.
Jamie is honoured to receive the SCI Canada Student Merit Award, a recognition she credits to the invaluable support and mentorship provided by the professors and teaching team in the UBC Department of Biochemistry. Their guidance has been instrumental in her success thus far and will undoubtedly continue to be as she progresses in her academic journey.
Jamie looks forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead and is determined to continue making a positive impact through her research. She is confident that her unwavering passion and dedication will pave the way for achieving her goals and make a meaningful contribution to the field.
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