Issue link: https://publications.tfs.ca/i/1531851
DHANA ABDO '19 University of Toronto, Bachelor of Applied Science BASc, Engineering Science 2019–2024 JOINED TFS IN GRADE 7 TFS alum Dhana Abdo is motivated by the many intersectional applications of STEAM, particularly in the realm of medicine. She is working hard during her post-secondary studies to find trailblazing ways to impact and shape the future. Drawing inspiration from those in her field, and even some familiar faces from TFS, she is determined to take her own strides along her chosen path. What was your favourite subject at TFS and why? It's always been math that motivated me at school. I loved the logic of it and the problem-solving aspect of it. Do you remember what you wanted to do when you were a kid? When I reached the Senior School, I wanted to be a doctor. I was good at science, so I didn't think of engineering at that time. But, in Level III, while looking at university options, my guidance counsellor suggested I consider biomedical engineering because it would still allow me to study medicine down the road. It was great advice since I had to choose my IB courses for the diploma at the time. I did chemistry and physics, which ultimately helped me get into my university program. Did you hesitate over other areas of study? I hesitated with investment banking, which is what my parents wanted me to do. Given their own careers, it's a field that speaks to them a lot more than the sciences, and they felt like it was more tangible and that I could also better apply my love for mathematics. The only problem was that I loved science too much to let that go. What do you want to do after you graduate from UofT? I took a gap year during my undergraduate program during which I worked at a biomedical engineering research lab at UofT, specializing in cell therapy for strokes. The lab is actually run by a TFS alum, Dr. Molly Shoichet * , which I found out after. It was a fabulous experience and it made me want to continue doing research. I hope to work for one year in one of the UofT labs while I apply for a PhD in 2025. And in the long run? I want my PhD to be about neuroscientific research. Regenerative medicine really fascinates me. In the long term, my goal is to contribute to developing treatment for strokes, Alzheimer's and other kinds of neurodegenerative diseases. Did the social impact of what you're doing occur to you when you chose this career path? I chose this program out of TFS because the first two years were very general. I thought if I didn't like it, I would be able to switch to computer science or engineering, but what drew me to biomedical engineering was the tangible impact on people. The brain is so fascinating, and people suffer so much from neurological and neurodegenerative diseases (diseases directly linked to the brain). While still in their early stages, cell therapies have great potential to help treat these diseases. Now I realize how much of what we do in this field can have a substantial impact on people. It will definitely guide my research. * 2020 recipient of the Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering 17 TFS