I was recently profiled by the School of Graduate Studies. These profiles are being used as a means to recruit new prospective graduate students to Memorial University. Below is an edited version of the interview. The original version of the full interview can be found here.

Ernest Williams has always been fascinated by the chemistry of drugs and how they affect our bodies. At 17, Ernest left his parents and siblings in Ghana to pursue his dream of a career creating the next generation of medicines. Now working towards his PhD in chemistry at Memorial, Ernest is using computer-aided drug discovery to develop better medicines for the future.

Why did you choose to pursue a graduate or post-doctoral degree?
I chose to pursue a graduate degree because I fell in love with research during my bachelor’s degree. I was fortunate to work in the labs of professors Westcott, Ghandi, and Briand during my time at Mount Allison University and this helped in my decision to pursue graduate school.

Why did you choose Memorial for graduate or post-doctoral studies?
I chose Memorial University primarily because I was interested in the research that was being done in the chemistry department, particularly Rowley group. St. John’s, NL is a beautiful city and the hospitality of its inhabitants is second to none. Also, being an international student, the relatively low tuition here at MUN compared to other universities in Canada was a factor in my decision to come here.

How would you describe your experience as a graduate student at Memorial?
My experience as a graduate student at Memorial has been splendid so far. I have had the opportunity to make a lot of friends both within and outside my department. I have been to more than five conferences and have had the opportunity to present my research in all of them. I am also a member of the Memorial University Biophysics Society, which is a multidisciplinary group of researchers from the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography (Morrow, Wallin, & Yethiraj labs), Department of Biochemistry (Booth lab), and the Department of Chemistry (Merschrod and Rowley labs). We meet biweekly to discuss scientific literature and have fun. This along with other events provides a supportive environment to interact with faculty, staff, and students. I have also been involved in a number of extracurricular activities (Memorial SOS, MUN CGS, St. John’s soccer, etc.). There are ample opportunities and activities graduate students can engage in to enhance their experience while at Memorial University.

What is your degree program and area of specialization?
My current degree program is a doctorate in chemistry with a focus on computer-aided drug discovery. I am looking into how we can use computer software to develop better medicines for the future.

Why did you choose this area of study?
I am interested in the chemistry of drugs and how they do what they do in our bodies. This has fascinated me from a young age and I’ve always dreamed of a career researching the next generation of medicines. Pursuing my interests led me to choose this area of study.

What is your research/thesis about?
In my research, I use computer software to identify druggable targets in biological enzymes whose malfunction can lead to physiological disorders such as cancer and inflammation. More specifically, I am investigating the reactivity and selectivity of druggable sites in enzymes so that a given drug can elicit its maximum biological effect.

What are the implications of your research project?
Given that the development of a new pharmaceutical drug costs billions of dollars and takes over a decade to appear on our shelves, the information from my research will provide drug developers with new insights into developing more potent and efficacious drugs with less unintended side effects. It will also reduce the time and cost needed to develop these drugs.

What are you planning to do after you complete your degree?
I plan on continuing research in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, either in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical industry, or academic space.

Do you have any advice for current and/or future graduate students?
My advice would be to always trust and believe in yourself and your capabilities. If you have made it to graduate school, you deserve to be there and don’t let the imposter syndrome affect your work and productivity. Know why you chose to be here and don’t lose focus of that. It is also important to find other interests or hobbies outside of your work, so that you do not burn out. Be ready to accept rejection for awards, publications, or grants, but never, ever give up.