GlycoNet’s 2016 Summer Awards

By Chardelle Prevatt

This summer, GlycoNet funded four undergraduates­, Pierre Boerkoel, Alysha Burnett, Gray Meckling and Zahra Yussuf, researching antimicrobials, diabetes and obesity and rare genetic diseases.

GlycoNet’s Summer Awards program provides undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue summer research projects supervised by GlycoNet Network Investigators.

Here is what the award winners had to say about their experiences.

Pierre Boerkoel
Supervisor: Dr. Allison Kermode
Project: Advancement of plant-based recombinant protein production systems for
screening and treatment of human lysosomal storage diseases.

Alysha Burnett and Zahra Yussuf
Supervisors: Dr. Geoff Horsman and
Dr. Joel Weadge
Project: Unraveling the biosynthetic logic of exopolysaccharide phosphonate tailoring in the oral microbiome: towards species-specific disruption of pathogenesis in periodontal disease.

Gray Meckling
Supervisor: Dr. Joerg Bohlmann
Project: Improved therapeutic amylase inhibitors via synthesis and synthetic biology.

About GlycoNet
The Canadian Glycomics Network (GlycoNet) is a pan-Canadian, multidisciplinary research network aiming to deliver solutions to important health issues and improve the quality of life of Canadians through the study of glycomics. GlycoNet is funded by the Networks of Centres of Excellence, a Government of Canada program that supports large-scale, academic-led research networks to build research capacity and accelerate the creation of new knowledge in a specific research area.

GlycoNet’s Summer Awards program
For details on funding, eligibility criteria, application instructions and deadlines, click here.