By Sarah Fullerton
Digital Communications Specialist
Congratulations to Natoya Peart on her first anniversary as a Biology Faculty member in the Faculty of Science! Peart is an RNA and molecular biologist conducting research in the Department of Biology. With an impressive academic journey that includes a BSc from Yale University, a PhD from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania, Peart is poised to make significant strides in RNA research and as an Assistant Professor. Join us as she reflects on her first year at the university and looks ahead to what’s to come.
What brought you to the University of Waterloo?
My decision to join the University stemmed from my passion for academic research. As a new faculty member, I was tasked with building a state-of-the-art biology lab dedicated to tackling questions related to RNA processing. Our central question is: How does messenger RNA (mRNA) processing shape cell identity?
Building the lab involved acquiring the necessary equipment and resources, as well as recruiting a dynamic team of undergraduate and graduate students eager to delve into RNA research. Projects in the lab provide students with hands-on experience in alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation, and protein-RNA interaction in epithelial cell biology. With our research, we hope to increase our understanding of how the modulation of mRNA processing influence cell fate and contribute to tissue development and disease.
Outside of the lab, what courses do you teach?
This fall, I am excited to begin another exciting chapter in my career by teaching my first undergraduate class. I will be teaching BIOL 434: Human Molecular Genetics. The course will explore the intricacies of DNA and its impact on human health and disease. I’m thrilled to teach this class, and I look forward to introducing assignments that I enjoyed as an undergraduate student. It is my hope to inspire future molecular biologists.
What has been most rewarding as a new faculty member in Science?
The reality of working in scientific research is that it involves a lot of trial and error. However, working with students to overcome those roadblocks has been incredibly rewarding. I am an advocate for involving students (especially undergraduate students) in research because they are the future of science!
The collaborative environment in the Faculty of Science has been instrumental in this endeavour. Science has contributed over $260,000 to support undergraduate employment in labs across campus this summer, two of which are working in my lab.
What are your goals for the upcoming year?
I am both nervous and excited to teach my first undergraduate class this fall, and I hope I can inspire students’ passion for molecular biology. I will also continue to expand my research program by recruiting students and building off our findings each term. The goal is to develop publishable data that will contribute to the field of RNA biology.