Where do you work, what is your position and who is your advisor?

I am currently a M.Sc. student in Biochemistry and Cellular Biology at Queen’s University in Dr. Chantelle Capicciotti’s Lab. 

Tell us about the project you’re working on.

My project aims to characterize the complexities of N-glycan structures involved in biologically relevant binding interactions with various glycan binding proteins. To do this, I am chemo-enzymatically synthesizing a library of complex type N-glycans with varying displays of minimal binding epitopes.

Other than glycomics, what areas of research do you think is important in advancing healthcare?

There are so many important areas of research and I think that developing new antibiotics should be a top priority, but also making current healthcare systems more accessible and equitable would go a long way to improving global health.

Tell us an “Eureka!” moment in the lab.

This isn’t quite a Eureka moment, but anytime I optimize a tricky protein expression, that’s always a great feeling!

Did you attend the GlycoNet/ACS Joint Webinars? What do you think of them?

Curiosity – The word curiosity stands out to me, as there is so much to be explored in glycobiology and carbohydrate chemistry and there are so many incredible labs doing just that!

What do you do when you are not in the lab?

When I’m not in the lab, I am either at the gym, taking dance classes, spending time outdoors, or most likely relaxing at home with my cat.

How do you fight procrastination and stress?

I’ve found that when I have an activity or two planned in my day, it causes me to work harder in the allotted time to get things done, than say, if I have a whole day free. The activities can be things like working out, or spending time with friends which are things that help me reduce stress!

If you had to choose a completely different career path, what would it be?

I would either want to be a contemporary dancer in a dance company in New York or I would study ferns and fungi and live in a forest somewhere.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I would like to have a job that involves research, scientific communication, and innovation, but I’m not quite sure what that is yet! 

About Marie Boddington

Marie was born and raised in Uxbridge, ON, Canada. She attended Queen’s University for her B.Sc. Honours in Biochemistry and graduated in May 2019. She is now a M.Sc. student in the laboratory of Dr. Chantelle Capicciotti in the department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences at Queen’s University. She is also the vice-chair of the GTA-EC 2020-2021.