Monifa A. V. Fahie, Ph.D, on July 1, 2018, joined the Lee Research Laboratory at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA as one of three Postdoctoral Research Fellows in the Biology Department. The recently established laboratory is headed by Principal Investigator, Dr. Amy S. Y. Lee, Assistant Professor of Biology.
Dr. Monifa Fahie, after 11 years of intense tertiary education studies in Biological Science from 2006, graduated in September 2017 from the University of Massachusetts (UMass), in the town of Amherst, with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She had spent six years as a doctoral student, from 2011 – 2017, in the Chen Laboratory headed by Principal Investigator, Associate Professor Min Chen. After earning her doctorate, Monifa spent another nine months at UMass Amherst until June 2018, as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow.
Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, is the school where Monifa began her university studies in September 2006. She read Chemistry and Biochemistry, graduating ‘Cum Laude’ in 2010 with a BA. She was financed by the Anguilla Government and Clark University. Monifa spent a fifth year at Clark on an additional Clark scholarship, working in the lab of Professor Denis Larochelle. Before completing and submitting her MA dissertation to Clark, she was offered a Ph.D position on a scholarship from UMass Amherst and entered in the Molecular and Cellular Biology programme in September 2011.
Monifa, before starting college, obtained best results at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School (ALHCS) in the 2006 CAPE Exams of the Caribbean Examinations Council. She obtained Grade I in eight subjects, Grade II in two subjects, earning an Associate Degree in Science and won the 2006 National Scholarship.
Clark University, in 2006, also granted Monifa an International Student Scholarship. It covered more than half of the costs of her studies. As a result, she did not utilize all of the funds allocated by the Anguilla Government for her university studies as the 2006 National Scholar.
The possibilities to pursue scientific research caught Monifa’s attention while in Anguilla but opportunities arose while at Clark. There she began to diligently familiarize herself with research in Biochemistry serving as a Research Assistant in the La Rochelle Lab, 2008 to 2011. From 2011 to 2017 at UMass Amherst she further developed and honed her research skills as a Ph.D student.
Monifa excelled at UMass Amherst. She thrived as a researcher producing a significant and outstanding body of published scholastic work. It includes notably nine (9) published research articles from 2013 to 2018, in addition to her dissertation. She also produced six scientific posters and took part in a number of conferences and symposia. Over the period she also served as a Teaching Assistant and mentor to Biological Science undergraduates.
Dr. Fahie’s latent leadership instincts, attributes and potential came to the fore in the Chen Lab. Her apt Linkedin self-portrait states: “Monifa is self-motivated and is a motivator of others. Is resourceful and thinks holistically. Is a problem solver. Aims for excellence, has great communication skills. Quickly adapts to and learns from varying situations. Works efficiently under stress, is diplomatic and fair. Willing to do the hard work and the routine work”.
Professor Chen and UMass recognized Monifa’s research and scholastic work as a Ph.D student at various points in her studies. Particularly, in 2014 she was awarded a traineeship from the Chemistry and Biology Interface Programme. This enabled her to take leave from her duties as a Teaching Assistant for three semesters to speed up the completion of several research projects from which three articles were published in 2015-2016.
The crowning achievement of Dr. Monifa Fahie’s doctoral studies at UMass was the award in 2018 of the Byron Prize for Best Ph.D Dissertation in Molecular and Cellular Biology from 2017. Her study is entitled: “Pore Forming Protein Assembly and the use in Nanopore Sensing: A Study on E. Coli Proteins ClyA and OmpG”. For 2018, rather than one winner three were chosen to mark 25 years since the Prize was established. She is grateful and humbled to have been chosen.
Monifa’s creativity, innovativeness and self-confidence, as a doctoral student, to search for novel approaches to solving research challenges resulted in her becoming one of three inventors listed on U.S Patent No. 9896485 granted in February 2018 for “Nanopore Sensors and Uses thereof”. This invention is and will be generally applicable in the creation of devices and sensors in the fields of Healthcare, Biotechnology, Diagnostic Technology, Life Sciences and in the development of other biochemical research tools.
Monifa’s work ethics and achievements are reflections of the three mottos she holds dear: “Aim for Excellence” from her Valley Primary School days, “Decus est servire” (It is an honour to serve) from her ALHCS days and “Challenge Convention” from her Clark University days. She truly believes and says in good Anguillian dialect that “Small islann people can shake up de worl”.
Monifa A.V. Fahie is the daughter of Verna Fahie and Fabian Fahie, sister of Kamau Fahie, Ph.D. (2009) Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, USA and granddaughter of Rev. Richard Fahie of The Forest.
