Hannah Martin

What are you currently working on?

“I am currently a first-year student in the clinical anatomy master's program working under the supervision of Dr. Shawn Whitehead. My project focuses on evaluating the relationship between vascular stress and microglial activation in a transgenic rat model of Alzheimer's disease. I'm specifically exploring how aging, neuroinflammation and loss of the blood-brain barrier integrity contribute to Alzheimer's disease. Some techniques I'm using include immunohistochemistry, microscopy, image analysis, and by using markers of vascular stress, I can determine if they are respondingto activated microglia. Finally, I can see how that contributes to Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis.”

“Seeing this deterioration firsthand has driven me to get involved with this kind of research.”

Any future research goals you’d like to share?

“I hope to eventually further my research in contributing to specifically neurodegenerative diseases. For me, this hits close to home as my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease about seven years ago. Seeing this deterioration firsthand has driven me to get involved with this kind of research. I think something that particularly interests me is that individuals with vascular risk factors such as diabetes and mid-life hypertension are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. So, by focusing on the various contributing factors, we can come up with effective preventative measures, even as simple as lifestyle changes which may decrease the overall inflammatory load on the body and Alzheimer's disease risk drastically. After my master's though, I would like to further my education in medicine. But, I am still really interested in this research.”

Graduate Student MSc Clinical Anatomy Candidate Contact Info hmarti28@uwo.ca

What are some influential steps you took for your career?

“I realized what I liked and what I didn’t like in terms of courses and research. Once I reflected on these, I could really focus on what I was passionate about. For me, that was anatomy. By setting realistic short-term and long-term goals, I continue to be challenged to learn new things and push myself past comfortable boundaries. Like with setting up informational interviews, the one I had in 4th year was really helpful. By setting thoseup, either in your field or in a field that interests you, is a great way to establish your professional network. I also think that working on my professional development has really helped me to identify what my strengths and weaknesses are, so that I could focus on developing transferable skills, which are beneficial in any step of a career.”

“During my undergrad, I took a few courses offered by the anatomy and cell biology department and I enjoyed them immensely. These courses really opened up my eyes to the incredible clinical applications of anatomy and cell biology. I soon realized that pursuing graduate studies in anatomy was perfect for me as it closely aligned with my future. In my fourth year, I took an integrative neuroanatomy course and one of the assignments was to interview a graduate student. So, I reached out to a student in the clinical anatomy master's program. And I just learned more about the program and the department and the diversity of research in anatomy and cell biology. That’s what ultimately led me to research in the department.”

Why did you choose to study anatomy?

“a positive impact, not only within the research community, but also on society as a whole”

What is your favourite thing about research?

“That's a tough question. I think my favourite thing is that there’s always more to learn due to research’s evolving nature. Every day is different and I collaborate and network with so many amazing people in the department who share their ideas and their perspectives and experiences. Everyone in this department is so open and willing to help. Also, for me specifically, since a young age, I have always enjoyed figuring things out and following through with projects and watching things grow from hard work. I think research is so incredible because we can use our findings about something that we’re passionate about to make a positive impact, not only within the research community, but also on society as a whole.”