HQP Highlight Series: Parimah Aminfar
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Welcome to the HQP Highlight Series: a series of interviews designed to highlight the innovative research and diverse experiences of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) across the Carbon to Metal Coating Institute (C2MCI) network.
Today, we welcome Dr. Parimah Aminfar, a Postdoctoral Researcher working with Dr. Kevin Stamplecoskie on nano-scale research at Queen's University. Dr. Aminfar will be sharing her insights on the exciting science taking place at C2MCI and the approaches, challenges, collaborations, and career journey behind her research.
Could you introduce yourself and briefly share what you’re currently working on at C2MCI?
My name is Parimah, and I am a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Carbon to Metal Coating Institute at Queen’s University. I completed my PhD at Queen’s as well, where I became familiar with the institute and began collaborating with the team.
In my current postdoctoral work, I focus on assessing the photophysical properties of metal nanoclusters with the goal of developing potential theranostic agents for cancer treatment, particularly through photodynamic therapy and radiotherapy.
What first drew you to your field of research?
I’ve always been interested in designing materials with clear structure-function relationships that can be applied across multiple biomedical challenges. Early in my PhD, I had the opportunity to collaborate with the Carbon to Metal Coating Institute team at the University Health Network (UHN), where I was introduced to nanomaterials with remarkable potential for cancer therapy.
Seeing how small-scale design at the nano level could directly influence biological interactions and therapeutic outcomes drew me in. That experience motivated me to focus more deeply on nanomaterials, particularly for targeted cancer applications, where precise control at the nanoscale can make a meaningful difference.
Which of your recent projects with C2MCI are you most proud of, and what made it special?
I’ve really enjoyed all the projects I’ve been involved in with C2MCI, but I’m especially proud of my work on water-soluble nanoclusters. I focused on assessing how modifying their surface ligands and introducing cancer-targeting functionalities affect their photophysical properties and overall performance.
What made this project special to me was the opportunity to work with a diverse set of nanoclusters and build a more complete library of materials than I had ever studied before. This allowed me to draw meaningful connections between structure, functionality, and potential biomedical applications.
Can you share a time you really enjoyed working as part of a team? What made it memorable?
One experience I really enjoyed was our in-person meetings with collaborators from different research backgrounds within the nano team. These sessions were memorable because they brought together people with diverse expertise, which led to meaningful discussions and creative brainstorming.
Hearing different perspectives helped me approach problems in new ways and often improved the direction of my research. I found that this collaborative environment not only strengthened the quality of our work but also made the process more engaging and rewarding.
How do you usually explain your research to someone outside your field?
I usually start by explaining the real-world impact of my research rather than the technical details. For example, how these materials can be used in areas like energy storage or cancer treatment. That helps people immediately see why the work matters. Then I gradually narrow it down to my specific focus, explaining in simple terms how these materials could be used to target cancer cells during radiotherapy.
I avoid jargon and use analogies when possible so that the idea is easy to follow, and I emphasize why understanding the properties of these materials is critical before they can be safely used in the human body.
Can you share a time when you faced a tricky problem in the lab? How did you approach it?
One problem I faced was inconsistent results in the biocompatibility of a nanocluster we were studying. Instead of assuming experimental error, I focused on communicating closely with our collaborators and arranged to send the samples back for further stability testing.
Through this process, we were able to identify an impurity that had been difficult to detect using our conventional characterization techniques. This experience pushed us to adopt more advanced and careful approaches to assess the stability of the material before moving forward with further applications.
Do you have a favourite chemical element or molecule? Why does it stand out to you?
I’d say gold (Au) stands out to me. Beyond its obvious appeal, I’ve worked with gold-based nanomaterials, and I find their properties really fascinating, especially how their behaviour changes at the nanoscale compared to bulk gold.
Working with them has made me appreciate how a familiar element can behave in completely unexpected ways at small scales. And as a bonus, it’s one of the few elements that connects both science and everyday life.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting their journey in chemistry?
I’d say don’t just focus on memorizing concepts. Practice thinking critically and questioning results. In chemistry, some of the most interesting ideas come from moments when things don’t work as expected. Instead of ignoring those results, take the time to understand why they happened.
Developing that mindset and being curious, open to unexpected outcomes, and willing to think beyond standard explanations can lead to more creative and meaningful discoveries.
The HQP Highlight Series is made possible by the support of the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (#NFRFT-2020-00573).
If you are a C2MCI HQP who might be interested in appearing in future instalments of the HQP Highlight Series, please reach out to Dr. Tetyana Levchenko to get involved.
Stay connected with C2MCI!
