Humans of LMP: Catherine Dong
Each month we speak to a member of the Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology community and find out more about them as part of an initiative from our Wellness, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee (WIDE).
This month, we feature Catherine Dong - Vice President of Recreation & Wellness in CLAMPS, our graduate student union, and a PhD candidate in the lab of Dr. Alan Lazarus.
As part of National Blood Donor Month in January, we're featuring Catherine as her research explores how a life-saving antibody made from donated blood works to prevent a serious condition in unborn babies and newborns, with the long-term goal of creating a lab-made version to ensure a more reliable and sustainable supply.
What are you studying at LMP and why are you interested in studying it?
My name is Chuhan (Catherine) Dong, and I’m a second year Direct-entry PhD student (meaning I joined straight from undergraduate studies, I didn't do a masters) studying the interactions between antibodies and red blood cell antigens, especially in the context of Antibody-mediated Immune Suppression (AMIS).
I’ve always been amazed by how our immune systems which are designed to protect us can sometimes “betray” us and become harmful to our own bodies. I began studying red blood cells during my undergraduate and became interested ever since.
Red blood cells are essential for our lives, yet there’s so much that we don't know about these powerful tiny molecules. For example, other than the familiar ABO/Rh red blood cell antigens, there are more than 300 other known red blood cell antigens grouped across 47 blood group systems!
Tell us about your research
My research focuses on understanding how a polyclonal antibody derived from the plasma of blood donors called “anti-D” can suppress the maternal immune response to fetal red blood cells. Although anti-D prophylaxis has been widely used for decades to prevent Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn, surprisingly we still don't fully understand the exact mechanism behind it. By using a unique transgenic mouse model, I’m investigating a relatively novel concept called trogocytosis (immune cells “nibble” pieces of the RBC membrane) and how different Fcγ receptors and immune cells might contribute to this process.
In short, I’m trying to understand how antibodies with anti-D-like properties can suppress the immune response to red blood cells. By understanding this, hopefully we can design a recombinant antibody that is safer and more sustainable.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve done, seen or got involved with while at LMP?
Becoming Vice President of Recreation & Wellness has definitely been one of the highlights of my time at LMP. It motivates me to get involved beyond research and actively help to contribute to student life.
With LMP being such a diverse department with labs across many research sites, sometimes I feel like it can be difficult for students to meet each other and make friends. Planning wellness activities, socials, and sporting events has allowed me to meet people across different research sites and programs, and it’s an amazing experience to see how these events help bring people together.
It’s been such a rewarding feeling to see people connect with each other outside the lab and contribute to continuing to strengthen our LMP community where everyone feels welcome.
What was the best career advice you ever received?
The best career advice I’ve heard came from our department chair Dr. Rita Kandel at the welcome orientation: “Your name is the most important thing you carry with you”. I’ve heard the advice twice now and every time it reminds me that we are responsible for how we carry ourselves and how we treat others both in our careers and in life.
What has been an important learning experience in your life?
Who is an influential person in your life and why?
The most influential person in my life is and always will be my mom. She is the strongest and most optimistic person I know, and she can always take any situation that I’m stressed about and reframe it in a way to make me feel calm again. She always finds the best in people and in every situation. She’s both my motivation to become a better person and my go-to whenever I need comfort or a moment to recharge.
What would it surprise people to know about you?
My childhood dog that I grew up with was a Tibetan Mastiff called Gyatso (one of the world's largest dog breeds), and I normally show people his pictures.
Another thing that tends to surprise people is that I’ve been studying abroad in Canada on my own since I was 15.
What activities do you enjoy doing outside of work and studies?
It definitely changes with the season! During the winter season, I love hosting friend’s nights at home, or exploring cozy restaurants while catching up on life. When I’m spending time on my own, I love building Lego sets (especially their botanical collection), playing the piano or watching movies.
What is your favourite album, film and novel?
My favourite album changes a little too often depending on my mood. For now is the “Early twenties” by Cat Burns, especially the song "know that you’re not alone”.
For films, my top two favourites are Contratiempo and CoCo.
My all time favourite novel is The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, and I recently love “The mountain is you” by Brianna Wiest.
Who would be your dream dinner guests?
Morrie Schwartz from the book “Tuesday with Morries”. The way Morrie talks about love, purpose and death in the book brings me tears every time, and his perspective on life really grounds me.
If anything is possible for this question, I would also invite my fur buddy Gyatso in a human form. I’d love to ask him what life felt like for a gentle soul living in an intimidating form, and to finally tell him how much he meant to me. I miss him every day, and he will always have a place in my heart.
Where/what is your favourite place?
Anywhere with my parents and grandparents.
If you were stuck on a deserted island but had all your basic needs taken care of (i.e. food and water), what two items would you bring with you?
The first item would be a tent so that I won’t wake up with a lizard staring at me. The second item would be my fully-charged phone, so that I could call for help when I’m ready to return to my normal life (hopefully this is a developed deserted island with cell signals covered).
