CPS Grad Spotlight - Mark Atwood

Name: Mark Atwood

MSc or PhD Candidate: MSc Candidate

Location of Undergraduate Education: H.B.Sc. Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Name of the Lab at CPS: Rauscher Lab

Selected Research Contributions: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=vyLUC5AAAAAJ&hl=en&inst=315209982802967212

Mark, please tell us about yourself and your journey as a MSc Candidate!

How did you come to UTM? What interested you to join a lab here?

I came to UTM to work with Dr. Sarah Rauscher. When I was first accepted to UofT, the Department of Chemistry arranged for me to meet with eight potential supervisors all in one day the summer before I started. I wound up meeting with Dr. Rauscher that day. She explained her work to me in a very easy to understand way that made me excited to be a part of it.

I was interested in joining her lab because their research was totally different from anything I had done before. During my undergrad, I spent two summers working with refractory plasmonic nanoparticles with Dr. Mita Dasog. I did my honours research project in an organic chemistry lab with Dr. Alison Thompson studying BODIPY dyes. With Dr. Rauscher, all the work her group does is computational: using computers to model biological systems. Even though this wasn’t something I had much experience in, I decided I wanted to expand my skillset and try something new.

When did you realize that you wanted to pursue a graduate study?

I decided I wanted to go to grad school in my third year of undergrad. I thought that since I was putting so much effort into learning the skills and knowledge required to be a good scientist, I wanted to make use of them!

What are your research interests? Tell us few exciting things about your research.

As mentioned above, my work involves computationally modelling biological systems. Specifically, we use molecular dynamics to simulate proteins. Molecular dynamics is a method of predicting the behaviour of systems of atoms and molecules using physics. My project involves using the information we find from those simulations to help guide decisions about what mutations we can make to proteins of interest that might be beneficial. By developing our understanding of not only the static structure of a protein, but the many conformations it adopts, we can make more rational choices about how we might go about making changes to create certain effects.

What is your goal when you finish your degree?

I’ll be returning to Dalhousie in the Fall to start medical school!

Do you have any advice for students considering to pursue graduate studies in research?

I have two pieces of advice for undergraduate students considering pursing graduate research. The first is that it is okay to be interested in doing research in a field that is different from where your background lies. If you want to try something new, you should go for it!

The second is that there is more to your life than just classes and research. You can still have a personal life, free time, and hobbies outside of school. I got married three days before I started at UofT! You just need to find a way to manage your time so that it works for you.