Prabhlin Aujla

Snapshot

  • Honours Biology Level IV student researching lumbar spine positioning and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) outcomes

  • Currently in a thesis

  • Position obtained through: cold emailing, classes, and the Applied Biology Placement (Biology 3EP3)

  • I work with Dr. Cheryl Quenneville in McMaster Injury Biomechanics Laboratory to examine how changes in the positioning of lumbar spines at different postural increments may affect bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC) and total area. The outcomes from this study are a first step towards producing accurate guidelines for spine positioning for consistent data in clinical practice as well as clinical diagnosis of osteoporosis.

  • One of my responsibilities is to gather, dissect, and pot lumbar spines. Another is to gather data using DXA spine scanning and assess the results using SPSS statistical analysis. 

“When I was in my third year, I completed my research placement course under the supervision of Dr. Cheryl Quenneville. At the end of my placement, I realized how much I wanted to continue doing research in her lab, so I asked her if I could get involved in a research project and eventually finish my thesis course. I strongly advise students to enroll in a research placement course before fourth year for three reasons:

  1. Determine whether they truly enjoy research to the point where they can successfully complete a thesis course in their senior year

  2. Decide whether they want to continue conducting research with the same supervisor as for their placement or look for additional research opportunities outside of the department (like me)

  3. Students who thoroughly enjoyed their research during their placement can find it easier to enroll in a thesis course as their supervisors are already familiar with them and may be willing to take them for an additional year.”