As a young scientist looking at a career in physics research, Dr. Cecile Fradin faced a quandary.

“What I liked about physics,” says Dr. Fradin, “was that, potentially, you understand how the universe works. But my impression was that the important discoveries had been made a hundred years ago, and now we were just fleshing things out.”

And then there was the focus of modern physics on theory, and on dimensions of reality that tended either to the unimaginably small or the inconceivably large. “I like to see what I’m doing,” explains Dr. Fradin.

She found her calling in biophysics—a hybrid discipline that applies the principles of physics to biological functions. Because the field is relatively new, major discoveries are still possible. And Dr. Fradin also found the prospects for experimentation more appealing. “This is an area where you can do microscopy and see your sample.”

Dr. Fradin began her work at McMaster University looking at protein motion within a cell, and in particular how proteins move in and out of the nucleus. Her research led her to a collaboration with a biochemist at McMaster, Dr. David Andrews, on another aspect of protein motion—the movement of proteins in a cell during the early stages of apoptosis, or cell death. Apoptosis is a natural process in the body for eliminating diseased or aberrant cells. When it fails, the result can be cancer. Understanding the role of proteins in cell death may shed light on new approaches to cancer therapy.

Cancer treatment may also get a boost from another of Dr. Fradin’s research projects. She’s looking at how to introduce sample cancer cells from a patient onto a tiny “microfluidic” test chip. Minute channels on the chip would allow the application of precise amounts of various drugs or other substances to the samples. The technology would enable doctors to test multiple potential therapies in advance, safely and quickly. Dr. Fradin is particularly focused on how to measure and maintain precise temperatures on microfluidic chips—essential for keeping the sample cells alive, but very difficult in such a highly miniaturized environment.

It’s the kind of challenge, however, that reaffirms her decision to work in biophysics. “If I was working in physics or engineering,” she says, “maybe I’d be making a better fridge. I’m happier doing something that has the potential to really make a contribution to human health, to humanity.”