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Third-year Chemistry PhD student has won first place at the 2023 Ontario Regional Finals of the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. 

Held on May 17 at Queen’s University, the regional finals followed at the �ؿ�ζSM’s tenth 3MT competition in April.

The  challenges graduate students in thesis-based programs to present their research to a non-expert audience in under three minutes, using one static slide. The presentations are assessed for communication, comprehension and engagement, rather than the quality of the student’s research.

"Distilling a complex concept down to its essence, and then being able to communicate that, is a skill I am glad to have developed," Majaesic said.

For her achievement, Majaesic received a prize of $1,000. In November, she and the second-place winner will represent Ontario at the National 3MT Competition in Victoria, B.C.

“Emily took a complex concept – the early detection of leukemia through protein markers – and not only made it accessible but also humanized it,” said Christopher DeLuca, associate dean at Queen’s University’s School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs.

“Through a personal narrative, humour, and clear communication, Emily’s 3MT talk made us understand the cutting-edge work she is pursuing, which has clear, life-saving potential through the early identification and treatment of diseases.”

The award-winning presentation, "Catch A Protein By Its Tail," refers to Majaesic’s research on the latest application of the enzyme, ClpX. One possible application of this technology is the detection of very low-level biomarker proteins, which could alert doctors to the onset of disease at very early stages.