Interviewer (IN): Congratulations on being one of the 2023 Gairdner Early Career Investigator Competition Award winners! We would love to hear about your day at the Laureate Lectures in Toronto.
Dr. Abiola Olaitan (AO): That day, I woke up excited about the day ahead. Before breakfast, I was introduced to Dr. Bonnie L. Bassler, Dr. E Peter Greenberg, and Dr. Michael R. Silverman, the Gairdner Laureates who selected me for this award. All of them have been great inspirations to me in my career through their research. I have always been fascinated by the concept of bacterial communication or quorum, which they have pioneered.
After breakfast, I met the Gairdner representatives who went through the day with me, and then I got ready for my lecture.
IN: What was your lecture on?
AO: My talk was entitled, “How Clostridioides difficile hijacks heme to mediate metronidazole resistance,” drawing on the research directly related to my award win. Dr’s Bassler, Greenburg, and Silverman also presented on bacteria communication right before me, and I really enjoyed their lectures.
IN: How did your lecture go?
AO: It was great! It was a positive experience, and I was very happy to share my research with those in attendance and the Laureates who chose me for the award.
To learn more, please visit Dr. Abiola Olaitan finds inspiration in Gairdner award win on Waterloo Science News.