Upcoming events
Mini-Networking Night 3: Science Communication, Policy and R&D
Join us at our third Mini-Networking Night of the year to network and meet professional guests in Science Communication, Policy and R&D. It will feature professionals from Sanofi Pasteur, Notch Therapeutics, Scientific Global, Recursion, Klick Health, OmniaBio,and the Curry Rockefeller Group and more.
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, February 13th, 2025
Time: 6:00 - 8:30 PM EST
Location: Hart House
Cost: $15
Event Agenda:
1) Opening Remarks
2) Structured Networking Sessions (4x sessions)
5) Open Networking
6) Closing Remarks
Mini-Networking Night 2: Consulting & Sales
Join us at our second Mini-Networking Night of the year to network and meet professional guests in Consulting & Sales. It will feature professionals from STRATENYM, Deloitte, MORSE Consulting, AspireBio Consulting and more.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, December 4th, 2024
Time: 6:00 - 8:30 PM EST
Location: Hart House
Cost: $15
Event Agenda:
1) Opening Remarks
2) Structured Networking Sessions (4x sessions)
5) Open Networking
6) Closing Remarks
Mini-Networking Night 1: Medical & Regulatory Affairs
Join us at our first Mini-Networking Night of the year to network and meet professional guests in Medical & Regulatory Affairs. This event is tailored for graduate trainees and postdoctoral fellows to connect with professionals from top companies in these fields. Meet and engage with experts from leading companies such as Boehringer Ingelheim Canada, Bausch and Lomb, Moderna, Regeneron, Ilac, AstraZeneca, and Hoffmann-La Roche. Gain valuable insights into career paths, industry trends, and professional growth in Medical & Regulatory Affairs.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at networking@lscds.org.
Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, October 29th, 2024
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM EST
Location: online Zoom meeting
Cost: $5
Event Agenda:
1) Opening Remarks
2) Structured Networking Sessions (4x | 20 minutes/session)
3) Open Networking (30 minutes)
Note that spots are limited and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. We will prioritize registrants currently enrolled in a graduate degree (MSc, PhD, other professional degrees) or postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto. If you are accepted and do not inform the team you will no longer be attending, you may not be accepted to attend future mini-networking events.
This event is brought to you by Proteintech, Unity Health Toronto and SickKids.
Mini-Networking Night 2: Medical Writing, Policy, and Regulatory Affairs
Join us at our second Mini-Networking Night of the year to network and meet professional guests in Medical Writing, Policy, and Regulatory Affairs. It will feature professionals from Klick Health, Joy Medical, Nutrasource, and Health Canada!
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, December 7th, 2023
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM EST
Location: Zoom
Event Agenda:
1) Opening Remarks
2) Professional Guests Introduction (15 minutes)
3) Open Q&A (5 minutes)
4) Structured Networking Sessions (4x | 15 minutes/session)
5) Open Networking (30 minutes)
6) Closing Remarks
This event was brought to you by ACTO, the #1 Learning Platform in Life Sciences.
Mini-Networking Night 1: Pharma, Biotech and R&D
Join us at our first Mini-Networking Night of the year to network and meet professional guests in Pharma, Biotech and R&D. It will feature professionals from ProteinQure, adMare BioInnovations, Deep Genomics Inc., FSD Pharma, BlueRock Therapeutics, and BenchSci.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at networking@lscds.org.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, October 25th, 2023
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM EST
Location: 144 College St, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Room 850
Cost: $5, light refreshments will be provided
Register with the button below by Monday, October 23 at 11:59 PM
Event Agenda:
1) Opening Remarks
2) Professional Guests Introduction (15 minutes)
3) Open Q&A (5 minutes)
4) Structured Networking Sessions (4x | 15 minutes/session)
Trainees are assigned to specific tables. Professional guests will rotate, such that trainees will have an opportunity to network with all our professional attendees.
5) Open Networking (30 minutes)
Trainees are given the opportunity to interact with any of the professional guests they please.
6) Closing Remarks
Note that spots are limited and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. We will prioritize registrants currently enrolled in a graduate degree (MSc, PhD, other professional degrees) or postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto. If you are accepted and do not inform the team you will no longer be attending, you may not be accepted to attend future mini-networking events.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at networking@lscds.org.
This event was brought to you by ACTO, the #1 Learning Platform in Life Sciences.
Career Seminar: Careers in Science
Are you wondering what you can do with your graduate degree and the skills you have gained during your studies in life sciences? Join us for an interactive session where you can explore potential career paths. We will share programs to help you discover your career options, provide resources to show what others with similar backgrounds have done, and have a detailed discussion about networking, coffee chats, and informational interviews as ways to learn more about potential careers.
Career Seminar Series
Interested in a Medical Writing career?
Come and discuss the career possibilities with our panelists:
Dr. Tyler Saumur, Medical Writer at Everest Clinical Research
Sahana Selladurai, Director of Medical Strategy at TANK Worldwide
Dr. Faraj Haddad, Assistant Professor at Western University
Dr. Jessie Filer, Freelance Medical Writer at Aletheia Medical Communications
Guest Bio
Dr. Tyler Saumur, Medical Writer at Everest Clinical Research
Tyler completed his MSc and PhD from the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute (RSI) at U of T in 2017 and 2021. His research focused on neurophysiological biomarkers of motor preparation and understanding how muscle function impacts our ability to regain stability after a loss of balance. In September 2021, Tyler transitioned into a role as a Medical Writer at Everest Clinical Research, where he spearheads and collaborates on various writing projects such as clinical study protocols and reports, patient narratives, and manuscripts. Tyler also takes on a supervisory role, mentoring 5 of his team members.
Sahana Selladurai, Director of Medical Strategy at TANK Worldwide
I have been working in the pharmaceutical marketing and communications field for over seven years, starting right after completing my M.Sc. in chemistry. Beginning as a medical writer, I rapidly acquired knowledge about the industry's intricacies and the role's expectations. After a few years of experience in medical writing, I decided to pursue a medical strategy position, allowing me to contribute to shaping and informing marketing and communications campaigns from the outset, rather than solely focusing on their execution.
Dr. Faraj Haddad, Assistant Professor at Western University
Dr. Faraj Haddad is an Assistant Professor at Western University and a contract Medical Communications Writer for sixsense strategy group. Dr. Haddad completed his Bachelor of Medical Mcience in 2016 and then his PhD in neuroscience in 2021, both at Western University. He then took on a 1-year teaching postdoc position, and at the same time, joined sixsense strategy group as a contract medical writer. Currently, he remains in his contract position but his primary job is as an Assistant Professor in the Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences program at Western's Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Dr. Jessie Filer, Freelance Medical Writer at Aletheia Medical Communications
Jessie Filer, PhD is a freelance medical writer and owner of Aletheia Medical Communications. She holds fast to truth and accuracy woven into memorable stories as the best way to advance medicine and help patients. With more than 4 years of medical writing experience, she specializes in training and education materials for diverse audiences. Jessie has written over 45 training assets spanning 19 therapeutic areas and has assisted with writing or editing on dozens of others. Learn more about her company at https://aletheiamedcomms.com/.
Career Seminar Series: Policy and Clinical Research Careers
In this career seminar, we will feature Dr. Uzma Urooj and Aida Habib. Join us if you want to learn about Policy and Clinical Research and how to transition into these fields!
This event was brought to you by BioRender and the Office of Research Trainees.
Guest Speakers
Dr. Uzma Urooj, Senior Policy Advisor - Science Programs and Partnerships , Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Government of Canada
Uzma has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroimaging from the University of York, UK, and BSc Honors in Neuroscience and Linguistics from the University of Toronto, Canada. With experiences in research management, technology transfer, and strategy development/implementation, Uzma is currently working as the Senior Policy Advisor at Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) at the Government of Canada. Previously, Uzma has worked at the Canadian federal granting agencies (CIHR and NSERC) where she developed and implemented research funding programs, strategies and policies to support research training in Canada. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked at the forefront of mobilizing health research and developing preparedness, response, and recovery strategies for future health emergencies. Uzma is intimately involved at the interface of science and policy and is an active member of the Canadian Science Policy Community through several grass-root science policy platforms such as Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC) and International Network for Government Science (INGSA). Passionate about raising the bar for research excellence and the development of the next generation of Canadian researchers, Uzma regularly participates in mentoring and career development events to impart whatever she has learned to those coming behind her. She is currently serving on the CSPC’s strategic advisory committee and chairs the ISED Professional Network. Previously, she chaired the CSPC Program Committee and CSPC Evaluation Committee, and coordinated international symposiums on science diplomacy.
Aida Habib, Clinical Operations Lead,
Roche
Originally from Syria. Moved to Canada in 2018. Have a bachelor of Pharmacy and a masters degree in Biotechnology from UTM. Have been working in clinical trial management for 3 years and did Pharma sales prior to that for a year.
Mini-Networking Night 3
Our final Mini-Networking Night of the year will provide graduate trainees and postdoctoral fellows the opportunity to meet professional guests in Medical Affairs. It will feature professionals from GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, Abbott, and Bayer. This event will be In person: 144 college street Toronto M5S 3M2 Leslie Dan faculty of pharmacy Room 850
Note that spots are limited to maintain a guest-to-trainee ratio of 1:5-8 and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. We will prioritize registrants currently enrolled in a graduate degree (MSc, PhD, other professional degrees) or postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto. If you are accepted and do not inform the team you will no longer be attending, you may not be accepted to attend future mini-networking events.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at networking@lscds.org.
Event Agenda:
1) Opening Remarks
2) Open Networking
Trainees are given the opportunity to interact with any of the professional guests they please.
Food and drinks will be provided during this session.
3) Structured Networking Sessions (3x | 25 minutes/session)
Trainees are assigned to specific tables and will rotate, such that trainees will have an opportunity to network with 3 different professionals.
4) Closing Remarks
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, April 11 at 11:59 PM
This event was brought to you by the Master of Management and Professional Accounting (MMPA) and CAMH.
Guest Speakers
Dr. Heather VanSeggelen - Senior Global Medical Affairs Manager, GSK
Dr. Michelle Dubinsky - Medical Science Liason, Boehringer Ingelheim
Angelica Giansante - Primary Care and Medical Operations Associate, Bayer
Dr. Robert Ungard - Medical Science Liason, GSK
Dr. Shadi Zarei - Freelance Medical Writer, Joy Medical
LSCE Information Night
The Life Sciences Career Development Syndicate (LSCDS), Career Exploration and Education, and the University of Toronto (UofT) are excited to announce that the Life Sciences Career Expo 2023: Expanding Your Possibilities is open for registration! This multi-day event will be offered virtually on May 1st and May 3rd and in-person on May 4th in Toronto. To view our past programming and professional guests, please visit our archive.
This event aims to bring together life sciences trainees across Canada with educators, researchers, industry partners, and government stakeholders that have a common interest in educating and preparing the next generation for diverse careers. The expo will feature a variety of sessions aimed at educational and professional development, including keynote and career panel discussions, company spotlight presentations, professional development workshops, practice interviews, company booths, and more! Please refer to our information package here.
Info Night:
Trainees interested in learning more about LSCE 2023 are encouraged to attend our upcoming Information Night on Apr 5, 2023 at 5:00PM EST. The organizing team and faculty will overview Expo structure, session types and attending companies followed by a Q&A period.
Ticket Prices:
Use the promo code “EARLYBIRD” to redeem 50% off the ticket prices listed below
Virtual - May 1st & 3rd: $20 (students), $30 (staff, postdoctoral fellows, recent graduates)
In-person - May 4th: $30 (all attendees)
For inquiries about the event, please visit our current website or contact us at lsce@lscds.org. We hope to see you at the conference!
ITCS Industry Seminar 2 - Marketing & Sales and Market Access
The ITCS Program is hosting the second of its lectures on careers in the pharmaceutical industry. Join us on February 15th, 2023 from 6 PM - 8 PM for a series of lectures on Marketing & Sales and Market Access. This event is open to ALL members of the LSCDS community, but it is mandatory for ITCS Trainees to attend the seminar pertaining to their assigned sector.
The Industry Seminar is brought to you by Klick Health, The Office of Research Trainees (ORT) at UHN and bioRender.
ITCS Industry Seminar 1 - Medical & Regulatory Affairs
The ITCS Program is hosting the first of its lectures on careers in the pharmaceutical industry. Join us on February 9th, 2023 from 6 PM - 8 PM for a series of lectures on Medical and Regulatory Affairs. This event is open to ALL members of the LSCDS community, but it is mandatory for ITCS Trainees to attend the seminar pertaining to their assigned sector.
The Industry Seminar is brought to you by Klick Health, The Office of Research Trainees (ORT) at UHN and bioRender.
Networking Reception
Excited to connect with leading industry professionals over food and drinks? Join us at the LSCDS Networking Reception! This is a great opportunity to meet professionals from the following sectors:
Medical Affairs
Regulatory Affairs
Consulting
Value & Evidence Division, Marketing & Market Access
R&D/Clinical Research
Venture Capital/Entrepreneurship
Medical writer/editor
Data Science
Policy
Event details:
Date/Time: Feb 8th, 5:30-8pm
Location: Hart House (Great Hall)
Fee: $10
Agenda:
5:30-5:40 - Opening Remarks
5:40-6:10 - Structured Session One
6:15-6:45 - Open Networking (Food and Drinks!)
6:50-7:15 - Structured Session Two
7:20-7:45 - Open Networking
7:50-8:00 - Closing remarks
The LSCDS Networking Receptions is brought to you by the Master of Management & Professional Accounting and The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. This event was organized by the LSCDS Networking team: Celene Titus, Jon Lacanlale, Sarah Cash, and Céline Cuinat Cuinat!
Interview Workshop
NOTE: The workshop date has been changed to Jan 18.
Join us to learn how to strengthen your interview strategy! In this session, we will be covering:
Interview Basics
Formats, Preparation, Question Types, and STAR(R) method
Strategies to prepare for interviews for fostering interview readiness
Understanding your rights & navigating disclosure
About our Speaker: Hannah Stevenson (she/her), is a Career Educator with Career Exploration & Education. She collaborates with University of Toronto students and recent alumni as they build their future in our changing world. Whether learners are looking for a job, considering further education, or determining what you they can do with their degree – they can meet with a Career Educator for support. Hannah brings an anti-oppression framework to her role and seeks to support students and recent alumni to build a career that honours and integrates their whole, authentic selves.Make it stand out
Career Seminar Series: Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital
In this career seminar, we will feature Michael Do, Dr. Kenneth Grisé and Livia Guo. Join us if you want to learn about Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital and how to transition into these fields!
This event was brought to you by BioRender and the Office of Research Trainees.
Guest Bio
Michael Do
CTO and Co-Founder, MedEssist
Michael is a pharmacist & software engineer who’s managed an independent community pharmacy for close to 10 years before founding pharmacy technology company, MedEssist. As the CTO & co-founder of MedEssist, Michael combines his pharmacy experience with his programming skills to lead the clinical and engineering teams. MedEssist's mission is to create a more accessible, equitable, and personal health care system through the modernization of local community pharmacies.
Dr. Kenneth Grisé
Venture Capital Investment Associate, Sixty Degree Capital
Ken is an investment associate with the healthcare team at Sixty Degree Capital. He leverages his scientific and market expertise to guide investments into biotechnology and healthcare companies that he believes are developing the most innovative technologies and will have the most profound impacts on the lives of patients. Previously, Ken has worked on: drug discovery for regenerative medicine applications with Endogena Therapeutics, the development of a cell therapy for diabetes with Sernova Corp, and stem cell-based approaches to treat degenerative diseases of the retina and the brain with the Neurobiology Research Group at the Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research at the University of Toronto. Ken is also passionate about scientific outreach and education, and acts as a scientific consultant for the entertainment industry. Ken holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics form the University of Toronto, an M.Sc. in Kinesiology from Western University, and a B.Sc. in Physiology & Psychology from Western University.
Livia Guo
Software Product Manager, Nicoya Lifesciences
After graduating from the Pharmaceutical Sciences Master Program at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Livia Guo co-founded LSK Technologies - a medical device company with the vision of democratizing access to lab-quality diagnostic tests. Over the span of 3 years, Livia acted as the COO to help design, develop, and commercialize two versions of their low-cost point-of-care product - PLUM and PLUM-HT. The company was later acquired by Nicoya Lifesciences in 2022, where Livia currently works as a software product manager to develop their flagship SPR product - Alto.
Mini-Networking Night 2
Our second mini-networking night of the year will provide graduate trainees and postdoctoral fellows the opportunity to meet professional guests in Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship. It will feature professionals from Sixty Degree Capital, Noetic Fund, SyntheX Inc and Amplitude Ventures.
Note that spots are limited to maintain a guest-to-trainee ratio of 1:5-8 and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. We will prioritize registrants currently enrolled in a graduate degree (MSc, PhD, other professional degrees) or postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto. Your spot in the event is confirmed only when you receive an email by December 2, 2022 containing your breakout room assignment and the Zoom Link. Please ensure you check your junk mail. If you do not receive this information, unfortunately, the event capacity has been reached and we are unable to accommodate any additional participants. Please be considerate when registering for this event. If you are accepted and do not inform the team (networking@lscds.org) you will no longer be attending, you may not be accepted to attend future mini-networking events.
In preparation for the event, you are encouraged to read the guests' bios below to develop tailored questions and facilitate more meaningful conversations.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at networking@lscds.org.
Event Agenda:
1) Opening Remarks and Guest Introductions (5-10 minutes)
2) 3x Structured Networking Sessions (25 minutes/session)
Trainees are assigned to a Zoom breakout room and a professional will rotate into the room for each session, such that trainees will have an opportunity to network with 3 different professionals.
3) Closing Remarks and Open Networking Session (25 minutes)
Trainees are given the opportunity to interact with any of the professional guests they please.
This event was brought to you by the Master of Management and Professional Accounting (MMPA).
Guest Bio
Co-founder, CEO, SyntheX Inc.
Dr. Maria Soloveychik is the co-founder and CEO of SyntheX, a therapeutics company working on accelerating drug discovery using synthetic biology with an internal oncology pipeline. SyntheX was founded in 2016 and is based in San Francisco. Maria has obtained her PhD from the department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto, where she discovered novel pathways linking metabolism and epigenetic signaling. Maria was previously a research scientist at a structural genomics consortium, where her work led to the determination of numerous structures and identification of several drug candidates.
Associate, Sixty Degree Capital
Robin is a Principal at Sixty Degree Capital, investing mainly in Biotech and also general Healthcare innovations. Before joining, Robin worked for biotech and medical device startup operating roles. Previously, he worked for Apotex's research division as well as also performed HIV vaccines and MRI contrast agents research at the University of Toronto.
Science Lead, Noetic Fund
With a goal of improving the mental health treatment landscape, Teja is a Principal with Noetic and has helped raise and deploy $60M+ in venture capital in the mental health sector across therapeutics, devices, digital modalities and currently serves in board roles for early-stage companies. Previously, he co-founded & led business development for a stealth neuropsychiatry-focused biotech; and is experienced in early stage investment opportunity analyses across therapeutic areas from TIAP (MaRS Innovation). Teja has a Ph.D. (summa) in biology from the Max Planck Society, and is trained as a Biotechnology engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India.
Dr. Ali Tehrani
Partner, Amplitude VC
Dr. Ali Tehrani has a Ph.D in Microbiology from UBC (2003) and a Masters in Biochemistry form UMass Amherst (1996). He has served as a member of Amplitude’s Board of Advisors since 2020 and is also on the Boards of Nanology Labs and Creatus Biosciences. As a staunch advocate for the development of Canada’s biotech sector he volunteers on the Boards of BIOTECanada and CQDM and mentors at Toronto’s Creative Destruction Lab. He co-founded Zymeworks in 2003 and led the company as President and CEO from inception to clinical validation, through an IPO, and to a peak $1.9B valuation. He stepped down as President and CEO at Zymeworks in January 2022 and joined Amplitude Ventures as Partner in February 2022.
ITCS Information Night
The Industry Team Case Study (ITCS) is a program designed for trainees to develop professional connections and gain practical, marketable experience relevant to roles within the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors . Over the course of 5 months, invited trainees will work in teams to conceptualize, develop, and deliver an industry-related project under the direct mentorship of an industry advisor.
Who its for:
University of Toronto graduate students
What to get out of it:
Develop industry-relevant and marketable skills, improve soft skills including team work and leadership, network with industry advisors, explore career paths in life sciences, create a portfolio-worthy project deliverable
Program Logistics:
Information Night: Wednesday November 30th, 2022 (Zoom)
Launch Event: Monday January 23rd, 2023 (In-person tentatively)
Industry Sector Seminars: Thursday February 9th, 2023 & Wednesday February 15th, 2023 (Zoom)
Engagement Meetings:
Wednesday March 1st, 2023 (Zoom)
Wednesday March 29th, 2023 (Zoom)
Wednesday April 26th, 2023 (Zoom)
Showcase: Monday May 15th, 2023 (In-person tentatively)
Interested in learning more about ITCS for this year? Register below for our Information Night!
Mentorship Information Night
The mentorship program is a six-month engagement, where graduate students and post-docs are paired one-on-one with industry professionals to learn more about their career of interest, and how they transitioned from graduate school to industry.
Format: Virtual (via Zoom). The event link will be emailed to registered attendees on the day of the event.
To participate: Register to attend the Information Night to learn more about the mentorship program, key dates, and application process. The session will also include perspectives from previous mentors/mentees, and how this program aided their transition into the industry.
Please note:
This program is available to UofT Trainees only.
