I received my BSc (Honours) in Biotechnology and General Chemistry from The University of the West Indies, Mona in 2011. Currently, I am pursuing my MPhil degree within the Natural Products Institute. My work involves screening several Jamaican plants to determine their cytotoxic impact on prostate and colon cancer cell lines at the Cytotoxicity Screening Lab at the Natural Products Institute. This project is worthwhile since prostate cancer disproportionally affects black men including those of Caribbean lineage and Jamaican has a higher level of colon cancer incidence when compared to the West African population. Jamaica belongs to a region classified as the 5th most endemic region in the world, even so, some non-endemic plants may possess unique phytochemicals which may have medicinal properties including the ability to treat cancers that affect the Jamaican and Caribbean regions as well as the rest of the world.

 

Outside of academia, I enjoy travelling across Jamaica visiting unique locations and taking photographs. I am a part of the Natural History Society where I can attend interesting seminars on scientific and historical topics as well as visit various idyllic locations across Jamaica that hold such significance.