The Biophysical Society of Canada is attributing its 2020 Young Investigator Award to Dr. Sabrina Leslie, for her outstanding contributions in the field of single-molecule biophysics.
Dr. Leslie has pioneered and perfected a new type of molecular imaging modality named CLiC, for Convex Lens-Induced Confinement. Through the gentle entrapment of molecules into very small wells it enables the background-free observation of large numbers of individual molecules in natural conditions, over very long periods of time. This elegant and revolutionary platform has allowed investigations into the kinetics, dynamics and interactions of biomolecules that were not previously possible.
Her work astonishes by its breadth and depth. It is rooted in fundamental studies, for example of the untangling of structural transitions in nucleic acids, or of the phase condensation which occurs in cell nuclei at high molecular concentrations, which influence crucial biological function. It also has important applications, for example quantitative studies of the therapeutic perturbation of protein and nucleic acid complexes which help bring into focus how drugs work. Her scientific excellence, entrepreneurship and dedication both as a collaborator and mentor are a great benefit to the Canadian biophysics community. Sabrina is an Associate Professor of Physics and Quantitative Life Sciences at McGill University, as well as co-founder of ScopeSys, a Canadian startup company whose mandate is to bring single-molecule precision and control to real-world applications.
Congratulations Dr. Leslie! View her profile here: https://biophysicalsociety.ca/young-investigators/sabrina-leslie/
