Erica completed her bachelor’s degree in University of Toronto Mississauga with a double major in Chemistry and Biology. During her studies she became interested in Organic Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry, inspiring her to pursue research as a medicinal chemist. She completed her undergraduate thesis under the supervision of Patrick Gunning, where she incorporated various heterocycles to modulate the conformation of the parent structure with the purpose of providing pharmacokinetic stability to its electrophilic warhead group.

 

She is currently a PhD student to pursue further research in the Gunning Group. She has worked on a project involving the modulation of a warhead group’s reactivity where she investigated its mechanism through various analogues that examine the sterics and electronics of the warhead moiety. During this project, she identified a novel synthetic scheme that broadened the scope of the warhead strategy. Erica is also involved in the design and synthesis of novel glycogen synthase inhibitors. Recently, she has decided to pursue a research project involving bifunctional molecules where she designs and synthesize these compounds and investigate their activity through biophysical assays.

 

Outside of the academic environment, Erica enjoys playing soccer and spending her leisure time with her dog. She is also a self-proclaimed foodie and coffee connoisseur.