Brittany Campbell
Height: 5’9
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Languages: English, Brazilian Portuguese
Occupation:
Dr. Brittany Campbell was born in Toronto, Ontario to parents of Brazilian, Jamaican and Chinese ancestry. She thrived academically and demonstrated leadership potential as early as ten years old by winning the Principal’s Award for Student Leadership by the Ontario Principals’ Council. She completed half of her early schooling in French and won three medals from competing in provincial ‘concours d’art oratoire,’ – French public speaking competitions. She also delighted her high school Spanish teacher by winning first place at the provincial Ontario Secondary School Spanish Contest at Glendon College.
While earning her Bachelor of Biological Sciences, Brittany spent her summers fighting diabetes by introducing new genes into cells to test the different ways our cells react to sugar. During the cholera outbreak of 2010 in Haiti, Brittany created an artificial version of the toxins responsible for the symptoms and tested ways to block them. She graduated First Class with Distinction and continued to pursue medical research until she defended her PhD at age 26, helping children born with genetic disorders that predisposed them to brain cancer in early life. She is published in major scientific journals like Cell and Nature Genetics and her thesis was enthusiastically endorsed by Harvard University.
Her research also caught international attention and she was invited to relocate to London, United Kingdom as a visiting researcher at University College London. It was here that she won a highly competitive fellowship awarded by the European Molecular Biology Organization. She has given lectures to large professional societies composed of surgeons, oncologists and geneticists. She loves to nurture local scientific talent by serving as a panelist at Scientific Day at her alma mater, mentoring the next generation of young scientists.
Brittany holds dual Brazilian – Canadian citizenship, and she participated in her first pageant – the Miss Brazil-Canada pageant – where she placed in the top five and won Miss Congeniality. Her hobbies include fashion design and music – having played piano and violin – including orchestral and choir performances at Massey Hall. While in London during the lockdown, she taught herself guitar and collaborated with two British writer/producers to release an album for which she performed vocals and wrote lyrics and melodies.
She sees the Miss Universe competition as an opportunity to share her heart for people and to bond with other smart, passionate women. Monica Belluci once said: beauty inspires poets but can also provoke curiosity and rage, it can make people aggressive. Brittany believes that as a society we can learn to cherish and protect a woman’s beauty like we do fine works of art.
What are your interests and what do you enjoy doing the most?
- Sewing
- Studying fashion design
- Discovering new cooking methods
- Watching Formula 1 races
- Singing
- Learning new languages
List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc.)
- Voice training
- Piano and violin
- Musical theatre
- Ballet
In what sports, if any, have you participated?
I have played volleyball and soccer.
Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life. Why?
My little brother teaches me what is cool, he also keeps me humble.
What is your proudest personal accomplishment (other than participating in this pageant)?
I’ve been invited to speak in over ten cities to share research I’ve done on genetically compromised children.
What is the most interesting or unique thing that has ever happened to you and/or what is the most interesting thing about you?
I’ve been told that when I laugh, I sound like I really enjoy it.
What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
After picking up sewing during the pandemic, I have found myself very interested in costume design and fashion in movies. I love how clothes create characters and I would love to spend time curating pieces (clothes, jewelry) that assist in telling a compelling story.
What would be your “dream job” in life?
My dream job in life would be to become the person people seek out to become the most beautiful and confident version of themselves.
Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
I was raised in the west end of Downtown Toronto and my childhood was busy and multicultural. My parents shared custody and I looked forward to seeing my dad to take me to swimming lessons on the weekends. He also used to race go-karts so I would go with him to the tracks for races. I participated in as many after-school activities as I could sign up for – drama, French classes, music, art. We had a tree outside my childhood home that favoured ladybugs and there were always hundreds of them around.
List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.
I used to feed bumblebees in an apiary. White suit and everything.
List any volunteering you have done.
I have volunteered on a phone line as a peer counsellor for youth struggling with mental health. I have also taught young children to read as part of the Toronto Public Library programs.
What is your most unusual talent?
I am an exceptional listener!
Where is the most interesting place you have been to?
The Bascule Chambers – the hidden part underneath Tower Bridge in London, UK.
What do you hope to be doing in ten years?
I hope to be creating art, celebrating beauty, and connecting fondly with others.