Michael Kamin Hart left an indelible mark on the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research. His genuine passion for science was contagious, and his pursuit of knowledge was immensely admirable.
Since 2011, the Michael Kamin Hart Memorial Scholarship has been awarded to a Master’s student who demonstrates academic excellence, leadership, and the same enthusiasm for science that was evident in Michael. This year, thanks to the very generous support of Michael’s family and friends, the IIDR has expanded this prestigious scholarship to include a summer undergraduate award and a Ph.D. award.
This year’s recipients of the Michael Kamin Hart Memorial Scholarships are Kali Iyer (summer undergraduate), Netusha Thevaranjan (MSc) and Andrew King (PhD student).
Kali Iyer
As a member of the Brown Lab, Kali has shown great potential to thrive in a research environment, and as she completes her final project – which looks to classify essentiality of biotin biosynthesis in vivo during Klebsiella pneumonia infection – her supervisor, Dr. Eric Brown, and colleagues are certain she will continue to find success and exceed expectations.
Netusha Thevaranjan
Netusha exemplifies the academic and personal qualities the IIDR looks for in a recipient of this honour, says her supervisor, Dr. Dawn Bowdish. “She is technically talented, collaborative, determined and inquisitive.”
Currently in her second year of a MSc, Netusha continues to shed light on the interplay between the aging immune system, the resident microflora and susceptibility to pneumococcal pneumonia.
“The main goal driving my research is its potential impact on the general public,” Netusha says. “By presenting my work at this year’s Trainee Day, I am able to show what I am doing in the lab and demonstrate how it is applicable to the real world.”
Receiving the Michael Kamin Hart Memorial Scholarship is both an honour and humbling, she adds. “I’m very grateful to the Hart family for establishing this award. Although I never had the chance to meet Michael, I know he was a driven and dedicated scientist – something I continually aspire to be.”
Andrew King
Andrew is currently completing his PhD in Chemical Biology under the supervision of Dr. Gerry Wright. His research focuses on the discovery and characterization of small molecules able to reverse bacterial resistance to antibiotics. In particular, Andrew is interested in the detailed mechanism of action of β-lactamase inhibitors possessing potential for clinical use.
Andrew’s findings have been published in a number of top academic journals, including Nature, ACS Infectious Diseases and Science, earning him a number of prestigious awards and fellowships, as well as numerous invitations to speak at conferences worldwide.
Andrew’s contributions to the field of antibiotic resistance are significant, says Dr. Gerry Wright, especially at a time when “new drug candidates are desperately needed.”
“Having been nominated and selected as one of this year’s recipients of the Michael Kamin Hart Memorial Scholarships is high on his list of achievements”, says Andrew.
“In a short time, this scholarship has established itself as one of the most prestigious an IIDR trainee can achieve. I feel honoured that my science can be a small part of his legacy, and I extend my deepest thanks to the Hart family for their generosity and vision.”
Congratulations to this year’s recipients!