Humayon Akhuanzada is a 2018 Canada Student Merit Award winner. He achieved this award for obtaining the highest standing of his class in the fourth and final year of his degree. Here is a brief biography of the winner.
I graduated from the University of Toronto with Honours Bachelor of Science. I specialized in Biochemistry because I was, and still am, fascinated by the usefulness of biochemical techniques in answering a variety of research questions in a very creative manner. I was also interested in studying how the different building blocks of life, i.e. proteins, come together in such an intricate manner to create function and life.
Since high school, I wanted to pursue research because I hope that I may be able to contribute in a significant manner to our scientific understanding which can ultimately lead to the betterment of people’s lives. In my first research experience, I worked on understanding pathogen survival in acidic and nutrient-deficient environments like the stomach, by investigating a bacterial protein complex implicated in acid and nutrient stress response. I am currently working on studying the molecular mechanisms impaired during fatty acid induced insulin resistance using skeletal muscle myoblasts.
Outside of research, I volunteer at a health clinic, read about history and religion, and teach high-school students. My goal is to study medicine, and I look forward to conducting further research.
Humayon AkhuanzadaUniversity of Toronto
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