Erika
Murray
wants
to
find
a
cure
for
diabetes.
She
is
working
on
a
stem
cell
research
project
that
looks
at
the
cellular
effects
of
a
new
diabetes
drug
INGAP
on
mesenchymal
stem
cells
isolated
from
human
pancreases.
Her
goal?
To
coax
those
cells
to
produce
insulin
to
finally
beat
the
disease.
“In
the
future,
the
field
of
regenerative
medicine
combined
with
tissue
engineering
has
the
potential
to
revolutionize
current
medical
treatments,”
says
the
chemical
engineering
doctoral
student.
As
well
as
conducting
life-changing
research,
Murray
volunteers
as
a
member
of
Waterloo’s
Women
in
Engineering
Committee
and
as
the
chapter
coordinator
of
the
Canadian
Association
for
Girls
in
Science
(CAGIS).
A
2009
recipient
of
a
University
of
Waterloo
President’s
Circle
Award
for
volunteerism,
she
says
giving
back
to
the
community
through
research
and
volunteering
just
makes
sense.
“When
I
was
younger
I
had
a
lot
of
encouragement.
I
want
to
pass
that
along.”
Graduate student, Chemical Engineering