Justin Lee wins first prize in Grad Slam competition

April 14, 2022
Photo of Justin Lee (blue) with text GRAD SLAM WINNER and Rausser College logo

Graduate student Justin Lee was awarded first place in the UC Berkeley Grad Slam for his presentation titled “Jamming the SARS-CoV-2 Copy Machine.” Grad Slam is a UC-sponsored competitive speaking event that showcases graduate student research in three-minute talks pitched to a general audience.

On Friday, May 6th, Lee will compete against graduate students from other UC campuses at the UC-wide championship competition. This live-streamed event will be emceed by UC President Michael V. Drake. Competitors will be judged by notable leaders in industry, government, and media.

A third-year PhD student from the Bay Area, Lee is fascinated by the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on our evolving world. As a metabolic biologist turned coronavirologist, Justin explores the synergy between disease biology and clinical medicine with hopes of developing effective therapeutics against the virus. Watch his presentation at the UC Berkeley Grad Slam event below: