Saturday, November 28, 2026
Did you know that biology has mastered origami?
The 3D shapes of proteins are connected to their function. A protein that is in the wrong shape can affect our health! Join us as we build 3D models of hemoglobin, the protein responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body!
Time
Due to complexities across provinces, standard and daylight times for each time zone are listed below. Please check your region’s time zone carefully.
Ages 7-12: 9 am MST • 9 am PT • 10 am MDT • 10 am CST • 11 am CDT • 11 am EST • 12 pm EDT • 12 pm AST • 1 pm ADT • 12:30 pm NST • 1:30 pm NDT
Ages 13-17: 11 am MST • 11 am PT • 12 pm MDT • 12 pm CST • 1 pm CDT • 1 pm EST • 2 pm EDT • 2 pm AST • 3 pm ADT • 2:30 pm NST • 3:30 pm NDT
Materials and Preparation
Before the session:
Materials for the session
- Egg white (about ½ cup)
- Vegan alternative is aquafaba (liquid that chickpeas are cooked in: buy a can of chickpeas and drain/save the liquid)
- 1 small bowl
- Spoon or other utensil to stir
- Vinegar or lemon juice
- Salt (any kind)
- Hot water (could be boiled in a kettle or heated in a microwave)
- Scotch tape
- 10 pipe cleaners
- Cylindrical object: marker, pencil, handle of a paintbrush, handle of a cooking utensil, large straw
- Paper towels (for potential cleanup)
- Ping pong ball or cotton ball or other similarly-sized lightweight, spherical object
Meet the Expert
Dr. Faiza Islam
Dr. Faiza Islam is a postdoctoral researcher at the Princess Margaret Cancer Research Tower at the University Health Network in Toronto. She specializes in structural biology, studying how the shape of proteins influences their function. She uses techniques including electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography, and computational approaches to understand protein structures. Currently, she studies the structure and function of Fatty Acid Synthase, an enzyme responsible for making fatty acids in the body. More broadly, she is interested in metabolism and redox signaling chemistry in health and disease.
This programming was developed by Dr. Faiza Islam and Sydney Brooks.
