Bilal Shakir

Twelfth cohort

Scholars Academy

Cumming School of Medicine - Biomedical Sciences

3rd Year

Contact information

Biography

"Know thy self."

Born in the northern Pakistani town of Attock, I arrived in Canada at the age of 2. Specifically, I spent my early childhood in Toronto.

As a kid, I remember being quite shy. I didn't have many friends, but I think I was fine with that. I'm naturally introverted, so having a small circle was actually a comfort. However, I also felt limited by my inability to approach others, make new friends, and find confidence in myself. In some bizarre twist of fate, this was also around the time my fourth grade teacher assigned us a public speaking project. To this day, giving a speech about the Peregrine falcon in front of my 4th grade class is one of the most daunting things I've done. But I'm glad I did it, because that experience thought me to push past my comfort zone, take chances, and be open to learning.

Even after moving to Calgary, I've kept that memory class to my heart. I graduated from James Fowler High School in 2020, and decided to enter a research-heavy program that would fulfill my intellectual curiosity and expand my comfort zone.

Publications

  • Journal Publications:
    1. Hanne N, Hu D, Allen C, Shakir MB, Liu W, Hallgrímsson B, Murcucio R. Downstream Branches of the Fibroblast Growth Factor Signaling Pathway Act Interdependently to Shape the Face. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. May, 2022. 36(1).
  • Conference presentations:
    1. Shakir MB, Barretto E, Lo Vercio LD, Mahika A, Hallgrímsson B. Optimization of light sheet microscopy to visualize craniofacial morphology. McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health. Calgary, AB. Aug 2021.
    2. Shakir MB, Barretto E, Lo Vercio LD, Mahika A, Hallgrímsson B. Optimization of light sheet microscopy to visualize craniofacial morphology. Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Calgary, AB. Aug 2021.

Awards

  • NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award ($7500) - 2022
  • R.R. Singleton Summer Studentship Award ($5000) – 2021
  • Jason Lang Scholarship ($1000) – 2021
  • Governor General’s Academic Medal – 2021
  • President’s Admission Scholarship ($5000) - 2020
  • Gordon Edward Wright Scholarship ($3200) - 2020
  • Alexander Rutherford Scholarship ($2500) - 2020
  • High School Valedictorian - 2020