Researcher recognized for bacteria research
Contact:
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Fiona Brinkman, 604.291.5646, brinkman@sfu.ca
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Carol Thorbes, 604.291.3210, cthorbes@sfu.ca
The Simon Fraser University microbiolgist recently added close to $1 million to her already multi-million dollar research treasure chest. This time, the funding included a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) Senior Scholar award and a Canadian Society of Microbiologists (CSM) Fisher award.
While the Fisher’s monetary value ($1,500) doesn’t compare to that of her MSFHR award ($100,000 annually for five years), its research significance is valuable.
Brinkman is only the second female researcher in Canada to be awarded the Fisher. The CSM awards the national prize annually to a researcher under age 40 who has made outstanding contributions in microbiology.
“This award is particularly meaningful for me because it reflects the society’s acknowledgement of the significance of bioinformatics in microbiology,” says Brinkman.
Since bursting onto the research scene at SFU as an up-and-coming bioinformatics expert six years ago Brinkman has scored at least eight major national and international awards.
They acknowledge and help fund her revolutionary development of new ways to computer mine biological and molecular information about bacteria, such as the internationally acclaimed PSORT program. The software is now the world’s most precise method of identifying cell surface and secreted proteins on bacteria that make the best targets for new vaccines and infection-combating drugs.
Brinkman’s MSFHR grant will enable her to spend more time on her research, which includes gaining insight into how bacterial pathogens evolve.
Brinkman is also one of two leaders of the recently funded Bioinformatics for Combating Infectious Diseases (BCID) project, a multi-disciplinary project that has secured Community Trust Endowment funding at SFU. Involving 12 researchers from diverse disciplines, including physics, chemistry and biology, Brinkman’s and computing scientist Cenk Sahinalp’s BCID team is investigating ways to improve the accuracy of bioinformatics methods for identifying anti-infection drug targets.
Asked how she juggles working on four major research projects with caring for two small children, Brinkman replies, “I have a great support network at home and at work. I have to be good at organizing my time and I benefit from, and really enjoy, bringing people from different disciplines together.
(electronic photo file available, Brinkman lives in Coquitlam)