A student from the University of Northern British Columbia has won the top Studentship from the BC Cancer Agency and will conduct cancer research at the University this summer. This is the first time the top award has ever gone to a student from northern BC.

Randi Woodbeck, a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology student from Houston BC will be carrying out her research under UNBC Biochemistry professor Chow Lee, and investigating an enzyme that she discovered in the lab two years ago.

“I began this research here at UNBC nearly two years ago. It involved searching through hundreds of enzymes to find one that behaves in this particular way with cancer,” says Woodbeck who is in her fourth year of studies. “And now with this studentship, I get to focus on this enzyme and continue with my research, so that’s great.”

The J.M. Warren Award is given each year to the top-ranking non-medical BC Cancer studentship and is worth $6000. Woodbeck’s work also resulted in her winning one of the top prizes at last year’s Rising Stars of Research competition at UBC.

“This is a fantastic achievement. Many UNBC students have won BC Cancer Studentships, but never the top award,” says Dr. Lee. “As a professor, it is gratifying to see that UNBC continues to be such a nourishing environment for students. Randi has great talent, is highly driven, and is willing to take risks.  So, I’m certain she will flourish in her career and future research endeavours.”

Woodbeck says she intends to attend medical school and become a medical researcher.