Kamalben Prajapati is a 2024 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.
“Kamalben graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Guelph in June 2024. Under the supervision of Dr Marc Coppolino, Kamal explored the role of β1 integrin and protein kinase C in the phosphorylation of MT1-MMP, which is involved in tumour metastasis, as part of her thesis project. Kamal is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Dr Kathryn Howe, a vascular surgeon-scientist. In her MSc thesis project, Kamal is developing a multimodal machine learning tool to predict carotid plaque vulnerability to risk-stratify stroke patients.
“Kamal has held various leadership positions, including Co-President of the Biochemistry Student Association and Co-President as well as Speaker Coordinator for TEDxGuelphU. Kamal enhanced the student experience on campus by organising TEDx conferences, career panels, and other student engagement activities. In the community, Kamal has volunteered in the Eating Disorder Program and the Recreational Therapy Support Program at the Homewood Health Centre, contributing to the improvement of patient health and well-being. Kamal’s academic journey has been centered on pursuing knowledge and innovation in cardiovascular research, largely due to her experience working as a research technician and lab manager in a cardiovascular research lab at the University Health Network before and during her undergraduate studies. Kamal is a dedicated "researcher-in-training" who has contributed to the scientific community through her first-author publication in the Undergraduate Research in Natural and Clinical Science and Technology (URNCST) Journal, where she reviewed cardiovascular diseases and their novel therapeutic interventions.”
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