MENSA Scholarship

3 Major Points:
Childhood - going to university with my father who focussed on biology and nutrition
University - Thesis project and lab work.
Currently - Working on a MSc - challenges of working with membrane proteins
How I can use the money.
Every child has a dream and mine was to become a professor. The story of how that came to be;
when I was four my father had taken me on a thrilling adventure to the University of Peshawar.
Being a professor, he had access to all the latest research in biology and nutrition. With so many
plants, vegetation and gardens, I was in a large and luscious place with more problems and
curiosities then any child could absorb. Ever since then I would love to say, I have fallen in love
with the field of biology and biochemistry, and hence that lead to my graduation in biochemistry
in 2013.
I chose to do a 4th year thesis, studying membrane proteins in the BCL-2 Family proteins which
are involved in programmed cell death and a target for cancer therapy. The work in my thesis
was published in Cell Biophysics. Currently, I am pursuing a Masters in Biochemistry at the
University of Toronto attempting to crystallize membrane proteins. After my Masters, I would
like to pursue a PhD in the challenging field of membrane protein x-ray crystallography.
The unique challenge in the field of biochemistry is crystallizing membrane proteins to help aid
drug design. Despite presenting 50% of drug targets, only 2% of the current protein structures
available are of membrane proteins. This sense of mystery fuels me with the same passion I had
20 years ago, a curious child in a world of opportunity. Today, I get to live that dream; I do what
I love, I learn about the world, and I help make a difference.

Since I was four years old, I have wanted to be a professor. I recall visiting the University of
Peshawar with my father, who was a professor there, and being fascinated by everything. My
father had specialized in biology and was doing research in nutrition, making it natural for
myself to gravitate towards a bachelor's in Biochemistry at McMaster University.
I chose to do a 4th year thesis, studying membrane proteins in the BCL-2 Family proteins which
are involved in programmed cell death and a target for cancer therapy. The work in my thesis
was published in Cell Biophysics. During my thesis I was able to personally develop my skill by
practicing the scientific method and felt that I had a found an area of research, membrane
proteins, that I was passionately curious about.

Currently, I am pursuing a Masters in Biochemistry at the University of Toronto attempting to

crystallize membrane proteins. Despite representing 50% of drug targets, only 2% of the current
protein structures available are of membrane proteins. After my Masters, I would like to pursue a
PhD in the challenging field of membrane protein x-ray crystallography. By solving the
structure of these proteins, we will have a better understanding of membrane protein biology and
aid in drug design.