2C48 HRIC Building
3230 Hospital Drive NW
Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6
My name is Simmone, and I am a Master's student at the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine, Dept. Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. In 2019, I graduated with a BSc. Biochemistry (Hons.) from the University of Lethbridge. During my undergraduate degree I spent several summers and semesters performing virology related biophysics research in Dr. Patel's lab. From these experiences I gained a passion for research virology and wanted to expand my research scope into viral hepatitis by joining Dr. Coffin's lab.
My project hopes to investigate and characterize viral interactions during HBV-HCV co-infection. We have identified novel nucleic secondary structures in HBV and HCV called guanine-quadruplexes. These DNA/RNA secondary structures play an important role in the viral lifecycle and we hope to investigate these structures as potential targets for antiviral therapeutic development.
Mentors:
- Dr. Carla Coffin - clinician scientist/hepatologist at the University of Calgary
- Dr. Trushar Patel - molecular biophysicist at the University of Lethbridge
