Lovell Lab

Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science
University of Ottawa
10, Marie Curie St.
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada

Biography
Prof. Terri Lovell specializes in design, construction, and utilization of fluorophores. She obtained her MSc in polymer science at the University of Oregon (UO), which funded by the Qalipu Mi’Kmaq First Nation Band of Canada. Prof. Lovell interned at Thermo Fisher Scientific (legacy Molecular Probes), synthesizing novel fluorescent polymers for disease detection using flow cytometry. This is where she became fascinated by fluorophores, so she decided to pursue her PhD (2020) in organic chemistry from the University of Oregon under the mentorship of Prof. Ramesh Jasti. During her PhD she focused on using nanohoops as new fluorescent scaffolds, fine-tuning their photophysical properties, and exploring their biological applications. Having attained efficient fluorophore preparation and design skills, she obtained an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship and chose a postdoctoral position with Prof. Gonzalo Cosa to acquire super-resolution microscopy expertise. Here she developed and tested new photostabilizing agents for single-molecule microscopy and designed assays to analyze viral polymerase (SARS-CoV-2 and HCV) interactions with RNA substrates on the single-molecule level. This work equipped her with the knowledge and skills to synthesize new fluorescent probes with superior photostability and sensitivity as well as develop new single-molecule microscopy techniques. Prof. Lovell joined the University of Ottawa in summer 2024. Her research is to enable single-molecule microscopy techniques not currently possible. Specifically, through i) constructing new fluorophores to report protein dynamics currently inaccessible with available probes, ii) designing new fluorescent scaffolds for SMM with superior photostability, and iii) establishing new single-molecule fluorescence microscopy methods with unmet signal-to-background ratio and the ability to analyze thick specimens.

Education & research experience
• Assistant Professor (2024-present) – University of Ottawa, Canada
• NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow (2020-2024) – Chemistry – McGill University, Canada
• PhD (2016-2020) – Chemistry – University of Oregon, USA
• Research and Development Intern II (2015-2016) – ThermoFisher Scientific, USA
• Master of Science (2015-2016) – Polymer Science – University of Oregon, USA
• Bachelor of Science (2011-2015) – Chemistry – Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada

Awards
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council PostDoctoral Fellow Award, 2021
• Knight Campus Transitioning Scholar Fellowship, 2020
• OHSU-UO Collaborative Seed Grant (for PhD stipend), 2019
• Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition Oral Presentation Award, 2019
• Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Post-Secondary Student Support Program, 2015
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Undergraduate Student Research Award (Declined), 2015
• Chemical Institute of Canada–Science Atlantic Science Communication Presentation Award, 2015
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Undergraduate Student Research Award, 2014
• Hebron Diversity Award, 2014
• Summer Organic Chemistry Conference Undergraduate Presentation Award, 2014
• Hebron Diversity Award, 2013
• Memorial University of Newfoundland Vice President’s List, 2011
• Memorial University of Newfoundland Entrance Scholarship, 2011