Emily Anacleto is a 2022 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.
Emily received her Biochemistry Bachelor of Science degree (Specialised Honours, First Class with Distinction) from York University in 2021. Along with being a member of the Dean’s honor roll each year, Emily also received several additional awards for academic and research excellence, including the university’s inaugural Dean’s Scholarship for Women in Science and an NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award. As a MSc graduate student, Emily received an Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and a York University Graduate Scholarship for academic excellence.
In 2020, Emily received a NSERC funded research summer student award and worked under the supervision of Dr. Derek Wilson. During the tenure of this award, she utilised molecular dynamic simulations to model the motions of the protein acylphosphatase from Sulfolobus solfataricus (SSO ACP) and human ACP proteins in different thermodynamic environments. Emily continued to work within the Derek Wilson research lab for her undergraduate thesis project to optimize a microfluidic system that is used for the characterization of millisecond protein dynamics by mass spectrometry.
Emily has a passion for science education and as an undergraduate student worked as a part of a university lead peer assisted study session leader. As a graduate student, Emily continues to work as a teaching assistant and lab demonstrator for five separate chemistry courses for first and second year chemistry. Emily has also volunteered with the Toronto section of The Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) and assisted at the largest event held by the organisation, the CIC career fair.
Upon completing her BSc, Emily began her MSc in Dr. Ryan Hili’s lab at York University where she is developing a novel method of drug discovery, utilising a methodology referred to as mRNA display. This nucleic acid based method allows for screening of large drug libraries, and the novel method being developed will allow for enhanced selection of strongly binding library members.
In her spare time Emily enjoys reading novels, attending teaching seminars, and playing tabletop games with friends.
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