PhD student Jaime Wertman (BSc’12, MSc’13), studying in the Department of Pharmacology, has always had an affinity for helping those in need.

As a child, she would often bring home injured birds and bugs to nurse back to health. Once, she even took on a litter of skunks until they were healthy.

Despite top marks in high school biology, placing in the top 4% worldwide, Wertman pursued her studies in a unique way — she enrolled at The University of Kings College in the First Year Programme, which focuses on art, philosophy, and literature.

“The Foundation Year helped me to think outside the box. It helped me to write clearly and use plain language. Both are important skills for researchers,” says Jaime.

For now, Wertman studies in Dalhousie University’s Department of Pharmacology, investigating prostate cancer; specifically, how it spreads within the body.

“This disease affects one in seven men in Canada and will become even more prevalent in an aging population,” notes Jaime, in Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation’s (NSHRF) recent annual report.

Read more about Jaime on pg. 20 in NSHRF’s Annual Report.