Though Dr. Ava Chow is a native of Edmonton, she completed her B. Sc (Physiology and Psychology double major) at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. She then proceeded to complete her M.Sc (Cellular and Molecular Medicine- Physiology) under the supervision of Dr. Matthew Hogan at the University of Ottawa. Her dissertation work examined the mechanisms that underlie cortical spreading depression-induced neuroprotection. Dr. Chow then returned to Edmonton where she completed her Dental Hygiene Diploma at the University of Alberta, prior to beginning her Ph.D (Medical sciences- Paediatrics) with Dr. Richard Schulz. During her Ph.D training, Dr. Chow remained active with the Dental Hygiene Program, teaching Oral Biology courses. Her Ph.D work examined the intracellular regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 using physiological, cellular and molecular biology techniques. This work was the first to discover that the protein caveolin-1 was capable of inhibiting the destructive capability of the matrix metalloproteinase-2 enzyme, and, as a result, received numerous local, national and international awards.