A UNBC undergraduate student has the prestige of being the top ranking applicant for a research scholarship by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BC/Yukon Region.
Randi Woodbeck of Houston B.C. is receiving the $6,000 J.M. Warren Award to do four months of cancer research this summer alongside Dr. Chow Lee, UNBC's National Cancer Institute of Canada research scientist.
Woodbeck is a fourth year student majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology who ultimately wants to do medical research, said Lee.
Her win is a first for UNBC to have the top ranking non-medical studentship applicant for the B.C. Cancer Foundation award.
"Her application contained a one-page research proposal on what she would like to do as well as her university transcript of prior research experience," said Lee.
The Canadian Cancer Foundation says the award is given to encourage student interest in a career in one of many areas relating to cancer.
During the past two summers Woodbeck has won research awards including those by Natural Science Engineering Research Council and the Undergraduate Student Research Award by B.C. Research at UBC.
This summer Woodbeck will work with Lee on a method to try to identify and understand a new enzyme that is believed to be able to "cut the bad RNA [cousin of DNA] which cause cancer," said Lee.
He noted since there are also good RNA in the body, it's important to be able to distinguish between them.
DNA is a capsule of genetic information, and RNA molecules are temporary copies of DNA. Messenger RNAs are used to make proteins which carry out most of a cell's biological functions, and microRNAs are directly involved in the control of many cellular processes.
An excessive amount of bad messenger RNAs and micro-RNAs cause cells to grow too quickly and invasively, which often leads to cancer, Lee said.
"The fact that UNBC is participating in major studies that can lead to improvements in cancer treatment around the world is very exciting," said Lee.
"This research has the potential to be very beneficial for the treatment of cancer and other maladies. If nothing else, it could mean having to rewrite chapters in biochemistry and molecular biology textbooks. Local residents can take pride in the fact that research is being conducted in their own backyard is making a difference in the world."
Over the past eight years, 50 UNBC students and researchers have worked on the project with Lee.
"UNBC can offer this experience to undergraduates because we're a small university. It's unlikely they would get the same opportunities in a large university."
