Eniolaye Balogun (she/her), Ness Lab

What do you study? I study mutations in a green algae called Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. I am interested in how mutations contribute to the differences we see in populations.

What does this mean you do day to day? I spend much of my time in the lab prepping samples of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a green algae, for RNA sequencing. Once my sequencing data is made available, I spend the remainder of my time analysing my data to see how often a gene is expressed and how that is related to the number and position of mutations it had.

When you aren’t doing research, how do you spend your time? You can find me at the gym, or at my favourite yoga & pilates studio. I usually attend a Hot HIIT (high intensity interval training) pilates class every weekend which involves a combination of weighted exercises and stretches in a heated room. Since I’m busy during the week and have no energy to run on a treadmill anymore, these classes force me to get my heart rate up. I confess that the majority of the time, I’m watching Law & Order on my phone

Why did you take on this committee work? Completing a graduate degree is stressful, and I’ve had my bouts of anxiety and chronic stress that have heavily affected my mental health. I would like to provide support to others and also benefit from the programs available myself.

How would I find you if I need to?  Send me an email (eni.balogun@mail.utoronto.ca).