Emma Thompson, PhD

Research science chose me, not the other way around. During my undergraduate biochemistry degree, I kept designing ‘simple’ experiments that turned into months-long investigations because I couldn’t stop asking follow-up questions. My professors finally told me I had two choices: learn to accept incomplete answers or pursue graduate research where obsessive curiosity is actually an asset.

Toronto’s biomedical research environment is intensely collaborative – you can’t study complex biological systems without drawing expertise from chemistry, physics, engineering, medicine, and computational biology simultaneously. My PhD research on protein folding mechanisms required techniques I learned from at least five different departments. That interdisciplinary training now helps me guide students through similarly complex research projects.

What I specialize in after seven years of research coaching is helping students navigate the methodological complexity of modern biological research. Whether you’re studying molecular mechanisms, developing therapeutic interventions, or analyzing large biological datasets, the technical challenges can be overwhelming without proper guidance and strategic planning.

I’ve worked with 210+ students across Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Bioengineering, and related fields. The common thread is research questions that require multiple experimental approaches, sophisticated instrumentation, and careful controls to produce reliable results. Biological systems are complex, and studying them requires methodological sophistication.

Technical expertise includes protein biochemistry, cell culture techniques, microscopy, spectroscopic analysis, molecular cloning, animal research ethics, and statistical analysis of biological data. I’m experienced with specialized software for sequence analysis, structural modeling, and high-throughput data processing. Understanding laboratory safety and regulatory compliance is essential.

My coaching approach emphasizes experimental troubleshooting and strategic planning. Biological research rarely goes according to protocol – reagents fail, cell lines get contaminated, equipment breaks down at crucial moments. I help students develop problem-solving skills and backup plans that keep research projects moving forward despite inevitable setbacks.

The time management aspect is crucial in experimental research. Some techniques require days of continuous work, others involve months of waiting for results. I work with students on designing research timelines that account for experimental realities while meeting academic deadlines. Flexibility and patience are essential skills.

Students often struggle with negative results and failed experiments. In biological research, unexpected findings are often more interesting than confirming your initial hypotheses. I help students reframe failures as information and develop the persistence necessary for long-term experimental success.

The reproducibility crisis in biomedical research has made rigorous methodology more important than ever. I emphasize proper controls, adequate sample sizes, transparent reporting, and careful documentation. Good biological research should be reproducible across different laboratories and experimental conditions.

My 95% success rate reflects realistic expectations about biological research timelines and challenges. Unlike theoretical research, experimental biology involves unpredictable variables, equipment dependencies, and results that sometimes take months to generate. I help students plan accordingly.

What drives my work most is research with translational potential – studies that could eventually inform therapeutic development, diagnostic improvements, or public health interventions. Basic biological research should ultimately contribute to understanding and treating human disease, even if the connection isn’t immediately obvious.

The Canadian healthcare context provides unique opportunities for clinically relevant research. Collaborations with teaching hospitals, access to patient populations, and connections to pharmaceutical development create pathways for translating laboratory findings into medical applications.

The ethical considerations in biomedical research require constant attention – animal welfare, human subjects protection, dual-use research concerns, and equitable access to research benefits. I help students navigate these complex ethical landscapes while maintaining scientific rigor.

In my spare time, I’m usually cross-country skiing through Toronto’s extensive park system (winter research can be depressing without outdoor exercise), experimenting with fermentation projects in my kitchen – it’s applied microbiology with delicious results – or volunteering at science outreach events for high school students. I believe scientific literacy should be accessible to everyone, not just people pursuing advanced degrees.