Interview with Jamie Wilson – SynBio 8.0 Logo Contest Winner

Can you introduce yourself and tell us how you got into science?

I'm an honors biology student here at uOttawa. I was always a really curious kid, spent a lot of time in science museums and enjoyed science at school. Fun fact about me: I grew up on a dairy farm about an hour south of Ottawa, which definitely had a role in pursuing this pathway. Growing up on a farm got me really interested in genetics and breeding with regards to both crops and livestock, and how that influences productivity. But it wasn’t until my first co-op term at university that I really felt sure that science was where I wanted to be. I was working at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa on plant science, which ultimately led me to my current lab.

What kind of research are you currently working on?

I'm working in a plant science lab that studies lignin, which is a major component of plant cell walls. The lab looks at both lignin biosynthesis and lignin engineering. I'm studying how lignin is made in seed pods and its role in seed pod shattering. That's when pods burst open to release the seeds, which is great for wild plants but awful for agriculture. It's a problem I've seen firsthand growing up, so it's been really interesting to study it at the molecular level.

How does your work connect to synthetic biology?

My lab does lignin engineering, introducing genes from non-plant species to alter lignin properties, like making it more soluble for industrial uses. Even though my own project is more on the traditional biology side and not synthetic biology, my interest in SynBio goes way back. I became obsessed with CRISPR when I was around 12, before it was even taught in schools. More recently, I’ve been involved with the University of Ottawa’s iGEM team which really solidified my interest in synthetic biology.

Can you tell us more about your experience with iGEM?

I was on the team last year and I'm also part of it this year. Last year’s project focused on engineering the skin microbiome using phage therapy to produce an alternative mosquito repellent. I didn’t get to travel to Paris with the team, but I was really involved and did a lot of graphic design for the project, including the logo.

Where does your interest in graphic design come from?

I've always been creative — I love painting and I've kept sketchbooks most of my life. As school and research got busier, it became harder to make time for art. Graphic design felt like a way to combine my creativity with my research, but also a way to communicate science. I really care about science communication, and good visuals make complex science much easier to understand. I design all my own figures and graphics for posters and presentations.

What are your plans after graduating?

I will be starting a master's degree in botany at UBC in the fall. It’s a big move, but I’m excited. Academia is the plan for now, and I definitely want to keep using graphic design as part of how I communicate science.

Interviewer: Martin Chenal