Note: We are excited to transition Conversations in Convergence from a virtual to an in-person event, providing more opportunity for networking and potential collaboration.
Join us for our Conversations in Convergence series, which features interactive discussions between Medicine by Design researchers who study similar questions using different approaches.
The theme of this conversation will be, Targeted approaches to improving cell function for therapy.
Speakers
Kristin Hope, PhD
Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, and Associate Professor, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto
Harnessing post-transcriptional circuitries to maximize the therapeutic potential of hematopoietic stem cells
Kristin Hope obtained her PhD from the University of Toronto studying leukemic stem cells in the department of Molecular and Medical Genetics and followed this with a Post-doctoral Fellowship in stem cell functional genetics at the Université de Montreal. Dr. Hope began her independent research program as an Assistant Professor at McMaster University in 2010 and was recruited in 2020 by the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network where she is a Senior Scientist and holds an Associate Professorship in the Department of Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto. Dr. Hope also holds an Ontario Institute for Cancer Research Investigator Award and is a Medicine by Design Investigator.
Roshane Frances, PhD Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Keith Pardee lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto
TCR-CAR T cells: Engineering immune cells to treat cancer
Roshane Frances is a recent SickKids PhD graduate currently working as a post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Pardee’s Lab at the University of Toronto. During her PhD, she explored how the embryonic stomach develops in mice and used these insights to study gastric cancer initiation. Wanting to explore more translation specific opportunities, her post-doctoral studies involved engineering drug-secreting bacteria for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases and CAR T-cells to target colon cancer cells!
About Conversations in Convergence
The goal is to foster cross-disciplinary discussions in support of convergence, which is the integration of approaches from engineering, science, medicine and other fields to expand knowledge and spark innovation. The researchers will discuss how their unique perspectives, knowledge and ideas inform their work, and how their diverse approaches intersect and complement one another to advance regenerative medicine.