When Jake Ostberg submitted his research abstract to one of the world’s most respected conferences on obesity and diabetes, he never imagined where it might lead. Now, the first-year Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies student at UNBC finds himself among an elite group of award-winning research trainees from across the globe.

Ostberg was one of just 23 students worldwide—and one of only two from Canada—to receive the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Keystone Symposia Scholarship. an award presented to trainees based on the quality of their submitted abstracts. His work was selected from approximately 200 submissions; award recipients represented leading institutions including the Mayo Clinic, University of Oxford, McGill University, and ETH Zurich.

“Receiving the award and attending this conference was a very exciting opportunity for me,” says Ostberg. “It was inspiring to hear from influential speakers in the fields of obesity, adipose tissue and type 2 diabetes, and connect with other faculty and fellow trainees from universities around the world.”

Notably, Ostberg was among the most junior awardees, with most others being PhD students or postdoctoral researchers. Having completed his Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) in Biomedical Studies at UNBC, Ostberg is in the early stages of his graduate studies and has been working under the guidance of Dr. Sarah Gray, a professor in the UBC Northern Medical Program based at UNBC.

"It is such a great achievement for Jake to have his research recognized in this way,” says Gray. “The conference served as an incredible opportunity for Jake to network with researchers from around the world and to showcase research being done at UNBC.”

Ostberg’s project focuses on targeting fat tissue for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Working in collaboration with Dr. Urs Häfeli’s lab at the University of British Columbia, he is exploring how magnetic nanoparticles can be used to deliver anti-diabetic drugs directly to fat—potentially minimizing side effects associated with oral medications.

“Being recognized for this award while representing UNBC at this conference was very rewarding and encouraging for my journey in science,” he says. “I’m grateful for this opportunity Dr. Gray and my research work at UNBC has given me.”

A Prince George resident, Ostberg says his motivation is both personal and professional. With family members affected by type 2 diabetes, he is committed to continuing his work in the field and hopes to pursue a PhD and a research career focused on metabolism.