Kristian Baker, associate professor in Center for RNA Molecular Biology at the School of Medicine, recently received the Crowning Achievement Award for Professional Achievement from her alma mater, the University of Regina.
The award seeks to recognize alumni of the university who have achieved exceptional professional distinction and made innovative contributions to their field.
Baker received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of Regina in 1992 and her master’s in biochemistry in 1994.
Baker’s research primarily focuses on understanding the metabolism and function of RNA. In 2013, she received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award for her work on cellular process called nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). This process involves a molecular machine that targets flawed mRNA, which is the information carrier for how to build protein.