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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 University of Toronto’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.