When Seyed Amirhossein Nasseri began his graduate studies at UBC, the destination wasn’t entirely clear—but the direction was.
“I didn’t always know what I wanted to research,” Nasseri recalls. “What I did know was that I was most drawn to scientific puzzles at the interface of chemistry and biology.”
That instinct led him to a PhD focused on uncovering how bacteria consume sugar molecules and how that knowledge could be harnessed to influence complex microbial communities, such as those found in the human gut.
His doctoral research, conducted in the Withers Lab at UBC’s Department of Chemistry and the Michael Smith Laboratories, became a deep dive into the molecular language of bacterial life.
A PhD is about far more than just the research itself; Nasseri highlights the various other factors he's carefully weighed in making his decision. After completing his undergraduate degree, Nasseri joined the Withers Lab for his master’s, drawn not only by the research but also by the lab’s collaborative and supportive atmosphere.
“What really drew me to UBC for my PhD was the quality of mentorship I’d already experienced, and the incredibly supportive environment of the lab and the department,” he says. “I felt so sure about the fit, I didn’t even apply anywhere else.”
That clarity proved invaluable, especially as his PhD was disrupted—like so many others—by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nasseri is quick to downplay the hardships, choosing not to focus on the specifics, but he acknowledges the magnitude of the challenge.
As he completed his PhD, Nasseri was named the recipient of the Governor General’s Gold Medal—one of the highest academic honours awarded to graduate students in Canada.
“It’s a great honour, of course,” he reflects, “but more than anything, it feels like recognition of the mentorship and support I’ve received. This award has my name on it, but it belongs just as much to the people who helped me get here.”
Now a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University, Nasseri continues to explore the complex and fascinating chemistry of bacteria. The questions have become more complex, the tools more advanced—but at its core, his work is still fueled by the same curiosity and passion for solving puzzles that ignited it in the first place.