A researcher at the University of Rochester Medical Center is encouraging young women and girls to think about a career in science.

Lynne Maquat is a professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

She’s known worldwide for discovering a mechanism in the body that prevents the production of abnormally short proteins that can be toxic to cells.

Not only was Maquat elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2011, she was recently awarded the 2015 Gairdner International Award, the first upstate scientist to ever receive the honor.

“The challenge I solved was to understand the causes of particular human diseases, what happens in our cells during disease,” Maquat said.

She says she hopes to use this award to inspire other women to pursue a career in science.

“If you like being creative, if you like puzzles, you can become a scientist and think about problems that have significance to all of us,” she said.

As part of receiving the award, Maquat will travel to Canadian high schools and universities in the fall to talk about her work and answer questions about building a career in science.