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Natalie Strynadka

Professor Natalie C. J. Strynadka FRS.jpg
Strynadka in 2015
Born 1963 (age 61–62)
Alma mater University of Alberta
Awards
  • Prize Steacie [fr] (2002)
  • FRS (2015)
Scientific career
Fields
  • Biochemistry
  • Bacterial cell structure
  • Beta-lactamase inhibitor proteins
Institutions
Thesis Probing molecular interactions at various levels of structural definition (1990)
Doctoral advisor Michael N. G. James

Natalie C. J. Strynadka is a Canadian biochemist. She is a professor of Biochemistry at the University of British Columbia. Her work helps us understand how tiny parts of cells work.

Education and Early Career

Natalie Strynadka studied at the University of Alberta. In 1990, she earned her PhD degree there. A PhD is a very high university degree. It shows that a person is an expert in their field. Her research focused on understanding how molecules interact.

Awards and Important Work

In 2015, Natalie Strynadka became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very special honour for scientists in the United Kingdom. It means she is one of the best scientists in the world.

Her important work focuses on proteins. Proteins are like tiny machines that do many jobs inside living things. She studies how proteins work together in bacteria. She looks at how bacteria cause sickness and how they become resistant to medicines.

Fighting Germs and Superbugs

Dr. Strynadka is a leader in studying how bacteria cause infection. She looks at how bacteria build their cell walls. The cell wall is like a protective shield around bacteria. If we understand how bacteria build this shield, we can find ways to stop them.

Her research helps create new medicines. These medicines include antibiotics and vaccines. Antibiotics fight bacterial infections. Vaccines help your body learn to fight off germs before you get sick. Her discoveries are very important for developing new ways to fight "superbugs." Superbugs are germs that are hard to kill with regular medicines.

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