Full name: Iman Baharmand
Major: Biological Sciences
Year: 5th (Honours)
Supervisor: Dr. Carl Lowenberger
Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: At this moment in time, I am captivated by the idea of being a clinical instructor and physician. It seems like a meaningful way of supporting future generations of health professionals while also staying up-to-date with medical knowledge.
Q: How did you get involved in research?
A: I had some friends who were involved in research at SFU and they broke the news to me that YES, undergrads can actually contribute to research. My first step was taking BISC 298 (intro to undergraduate research) which is a “for credit” research course that you take under the supervision of a faculty member. Three years later and I have the honour of working on my Honours (lol) in the same research lab.
Q: What are you researching?
A: The “leading star” in my project is the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, which is the primary carrier of dengue, zika, and chikungunya viruses. I am investigating new ways of delivering gene silencing and modifying constructs to specific tissue and life-stages of this mosquito. The ultimate goal, however, is to decrease the transmission of these debilitating diseases without wiping out entire species from the ecosystem.
Q: What is a typical “day in the life” in the lab for you?
A: My project involves a combination of molecular techniques (gels, sequencing, qPCR), microscopy, and computer work. Some days are unstructured with a lot of reading while other days are tightly scheduled with one protocol after the next.
Q: What are some of your favourite courses that you have taken so far in your degree?
A: My top three in no particular order are:
BISC 318: Parasitology – Learn about parasites ranging from single-cell protozoa to macroscopic tapeworms. Parasitology features a great mix of ecology, epidemiology, and medical case studies with multiple life-lessons interwoven throughout the course.
BISC 441: Evolution of Health and Disease – Apply the contemporary principles of evolution to topics like reproductive health, senescence, cancer, and infectious diseases. This course offers a new/different lens on many familiar aspects of human life.
SA301: Contemporary Ethnography – As an anthropology minor, my list wouldn’t be complete without this one. An eye-opener about the historical issues with cultural anthropology, as well as, a deep-dive into theoretical and methodological questions of current-day practices.
Q: Favourite science joke or meme from your field?
A: Science Twitter at its finest:
Q: Who is your biggest science role-model?
A: Professor Eva Harris (UC Berkeley) – her research group takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. She is also the founder of the Sustainable Sciences Institute which works to improve public health in developing countries through building local capacity for infectious diseases research. Prof. Harris is also a MacArthur Fellow, Global Leader for Tomorrow (World Economic Forum), and Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine.
SFU Science Undergraduate Research Journal 