Alexis Wood

Hi! My name is Alexis. I am a third-year Biology Major at University of Prince Edward Island. I am a proud islander from a small community called Cherry Valley. I grew up on a family farm with two younger brothers who shaped me into a competitive athlete. I am one of the captains on the women's UPEI field hockey team and recently attended a Next Gen Field Hockey Canada training camp in Toronto. During my spare time, I enjoy giving back to my community through volunteer work in the Emergency Department, at. the Provincial Palliative Care Center, and via field hockey coaching opportunities.

I enjoy learning about the physiology of human body as I find its complexity incredibly fascinating. My interest in neuroscience led me to Dr. Tasker at the Biomedical Research Institute at the Atlantic Veterinary College. I was fortunate enough to receive an NSERC award. The purpose of my summer project was to investigate the effects of a common neonicotinoid pesticide, thiamethoxam, on the mammalian brain in utero. I assisted in the surgical insertion of osmotic pumps into pregnant rats so that the drug could be administered in utero at a constant rate; then, I conducted neurobehavioral tests on the pups to monitor their development. This summer, I am excited to learn about hereditary breast and ovarian cancer prevention with Dr. Joanne Kotsopoulos at the Women's College hospital! I will be working on the data collection and pathology of their Risk Factor study, which is the largest long-term study of women who carry a BRAC1/BRAC2 mutation.