Biochemistry Personal Statement

This summer, I will be working in a computational chemistry lab, which will allow me to gain a new perspective regarding Chemistry. This opportunity will allow me to explore the mathematical aspect of chemistry and appreciate new concepts. Additionally, I have a variety of attributes that qualify me for the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award. For example, I recently began a position as a ‘new student mentor.’ This leadership position allows me to assist students, as well share my personal experiences with individuals, who may be unsure of the possibilities available to them. Tutoring high school students and assisting a student who uses a wheelchair, in undergraduate chemistry labs, allows me to share my knowledge and skills. Beyond the laboratory, I excel in my studies, maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.92. Overall, being well rounded and excelling at both practical and theoretical components of scientific education are very important to succeeding.

During this past summer, while being funded by the University of Lethbridge’s Chinook Summer Scholarship, I had the opportunity of working in a biochemistry lab. My primary focus was on RNA modifications in the peptidyl transferase center of the ribosome, specifically psedouridines. Throughout this research position, I was able to present my work at the

The project focuses on the interaction of factors, such as metal ions, hydrogen bonding interactions, and base stacking on glycosidic bond cleavage in RNA. Using computational methods, I aim at studying the previous aspects mentioned and their impact on the degycosylation reaction. As I have already learned the basic computational methods for determining parameters of simple structures, I will be able to expand my computational skills as well as incorporate theory from my classes into the