Medicine by Design is committed to attracting the finest emerging and established researchers in regenerative medicine from around the world to the University of Toronto and its affiliated hospitals. We have collaborated with departments and faculties in the recruitment of the following new Medicine by Design investigators:

MBD Investigator John Calarco

Matthew Buechler, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

After my undergraduate studies at Beloit College, I worked in HIV vaccine development at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. This experience convinced me to perform my postgraduate studies in Immunology. I pursued my PhD with Jessica Hamerman at the University of Washington, where we studied how inflammation influences the development of the innate immune system. I conducted my post-doctoral research on macrophage-stromal cell interactions and the transcriptional organization of the fibroblast lineage with Shannon Turley at Genentech.

Tell us about your research.

The Buechler Lab studies unknown aspects of the immune system with a particular interest in fibroblasts and macrophages and how targeting these cells may be important across disease indications.

Why did you decide to come to Toronto?

It sounds cliché, but after interviewing at UofT, meeting the amazing faculty members and stellar trainees, I just had the gut feeling that this was the right place to build a cutting-edge research program focused on the foundational science needed to create precision medicines for fibrosis and cancer.

What do you find most valuable about being part of Medicine by Design?

My time at Genentech taught me that truly transformative science requires a strong team of investigators with expertise across different fields of science. Medicine by Design will enable the cross-discipline expertise needed to make key discoveries and develop new therapeutics.

What is one thing people might not know about you from your CV?

I’m a huge sports fan and played soccer in college (I still think I can play!). Most importantly, I am the proud dad of two super rad boys.

Learn more at https://www.buechlerlab.com/.

MBD Investigator John Calarco

John Calarco, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

I completed my undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Toronto. I obtained my Ph.D. in the Department of Molecular Genetics, working under the guidance of Professors Ben Blencowe and Mei Zhen. I then became a group leader and Bauer Fellow at the Center for Systems Biology at Harvard University, before returning to my favourite city.

Tell us about your research.

Broadly speaking, I study how the information contained in our genes gets interpreted by cells of the nervous system to give these cells a more diverse array of functions. I’m particularly interested in a phenomenon known as alternative splicing, where information in a single gene can encode multiple molecules with distinct functions in different cells. I would like to better understand how this phenomenon contributes to building nervous systems and the production of brain cells.

Why did you decide to come back to Toronto?

Having trained here as a graduate student, I experienced first-hand how collaborative researchers are across the University of Toronto and surrounding hospitals. There are experts here in just about any discipline you can think of, and this extends from biology to chemistry, physics, and computer science. I’m very excited to be back in this environment as a principal investigator.

What do you find most valuable about being part of Medicine by Design?

I am very excited to interact with the strong stem cell community in Toronto and apply some of the concepts we are learning through our research to the differentiation of stem cells.

What is one thing people might not know about you from your CV?

I am an avid soccer fan. My childhood dream was to be a professional player, but now I just try to avoid getting injured when playing for fun.

Learn more at csb.utoronto.ca/john-calarco

MBD Investigator Leo Chou

Leo Chou, PhD

Assistant Professor, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

MBD Investigator Sarah Crome

Sarah Crome, PhD

Scientist, University Health Network
Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

After my undergraduate degree in biomedical science at the University of Waterloo, I did graduate work in the laboratory of Dr. Megan Levings at the University of British Columbia, in the experimental medicine program. I then joined the laboratory of Dr. Pamela Ohashi at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto for my post-doctoral work.

Tell us about your research?

My research is focused on identifying mechanisms that control immune responses, with the goal of using this knowledge to create novel therapies for transplantation, autoimmunity and cancer. I’m particularly interested in using cells of the immune system in cell-based therapies.

Why did you decide to stay in Toronto?

I came to Toronto originally because the cancer immunotherapy program being developed by Dr. Ohashi offered the opportunity to do exciting translational research. I’m staying because of the world-class scientists I get to interact with on a daily basis, the Multi-Organ Transplant Group at University Health Network (UHN) being a powerhouse in the field of solid organ transplantation, and the ability to access cutting-edge technologies within the University of Toronto and UHN.

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Medicine by Design community?

The interdisciplinary approach of the Medicine by Design community is what is needed to take both regenerative medicine and immunotherapies to the next level. Bringing together scientists in diverse fields will allow for cross-pollination of ideas and collaborative approaches that otherwise wouldn’t take place. Joining this forward-thinking, dynamic and engaging community both inspires and motivates me.

What is one thing people might not know about you from your CV?

When I’m not in the lab, I’m usually found on the water. Windsurfing is a particular obsession of mine. Which tends to make me an amateur storm chaser, as you are always looking for high winds and big waves that come with storms.

Learn more at www.immunology.utoronto.ca/faculty/sarah-crome

MBD Investigator Michael Garton

Michael Garton, PhD

Assistant Professor, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

I did my PhD in the laboratory of Prof. Charles Laughton at the University of Nottingham, UK. After that, I worked briefly with Prof. Shoshana Wodak at SickKids here in Toronto, and then completed the bulk of my post-doctoral work with Prof. Philip Kim in the Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research at the University of Toronto.

Tell us about your research

I’ve spent the last several years designing proteins that can be used as drugs. In my own lab I’ll continue doing protein design, but in the context of designing new components for cells, such as receptors that enable cells to sense new environments. Designed cells can then be implanted as therapeutic devices that constantly monitor and treat disease.

Why did you decide to stay in Toronto?

During my post-doc in Toronto I discovered that the geographically concentrated network of the university and six hospitals really lends itself to collaboration with clinicians. I can think of few places in the world that offer such a great environment for translational research. And as a bonus, Toronto is a wonderful place to live!

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Medicine by Design community?

The community has a diverse array of incredibly exciting and fascinating research areas. I’m looking forward hugely to working with the people involved, and even just observing these efforts as they develop and evolve alongside my own program.

What is one thing that people might not know about you from your CV?

Up until the age of 24, I wanted to be a professional explorer. Then I broke my neck and became paralyzed whilst attempting the first solo ascent of Europe’s tallest vertical rock face, the Troll wall in Norway. Since then I’ve channelled my love of exploration into science, which I’ve discovered in many ways can be even more rewarding.

Learn more at ibbme.utoronto.ca/faculty-research/core-faculty/michael-garton

MBD Investigator Jesse Gillis

Jesse Gillis, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Physiology and Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

I obtained my undergraduate degree in biophysics and my PhD in Computational Neuroscience with Frances Skinner at the University of Toronto. My postdoctoral position with Paul Pavlidis at UBC was my entry into my current field of computational biology and high-throughput genomic data analysis.

Tell us about your research

My research focuses on three topics: gene networks, cell identity, and organismal variability. This roughly charts my academic progression with my oldest work focused on the use of expression data to understand how genes work together. More recently, like many, I have been exploiting the breadth and depth of single cell data to understand cell types. Organismal variability is the most recent topic within my lab, but one I am particularly excited to pursue in Toronto. Broadly, one might think of these three topics as being different levels of organization with gene networks largely defined within cells to help understand organismal variability.

Why did you decide to come back to Toronto?

On the personal side, I have always wanted to return home (as I still think of Toronto) and COVID-19 only sharpened that desire. On the professional side, as the First Bassingthwaighte Chair in Integrative Physiology, the position really did seem tailor made to my interests with its specific focus within integrative physiology.

What do you find most valuable about being part of Medicine by Design?

In even my first month, Medicine by Design colleagues have been proactive in discussing collaboration. I am confident it will be a major resource to drawn on for interdisciplinary collegial interactions.

What is one thing people might not know about you from your CV?

I probably spend too much of my day thinking about why Jane Austen is my favorite author.

Learn more at https://www.cshl.edu/research/faculty-staff/jesse-gillis/

Kristin Hope

Kristin Hope, PhD

Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

I carried out my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at the University of Waterloo and then completed my PhD in Molecular and Medical Genetics in 2000 with Dr. John Dick at the University of Toronto. I followed this with a post-doctoral fellowship at the Institute for Immunology and Cancer at the Université de Montreal training with Dr. Guy Sauvageau. In 2010 I started my independent research program as an Assistant Professor and Ontario Institute for Cancer Research Investigator at McMaster University. In 2014 I received an Ontario Government Early Researcher Award and in 2019 received a Tier II, Canada Research Chair position in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Research.

Tell us about your research

Our research centers around identifying the underlying processes that control the behaviours of stem cells in the blood system as well as those that lead to the generation of defective stem cells that drive blood disorders and cancers. In particular we are focusing on understanding how stemness in these different contexts is regulated at the level of RNA processing and regulation. With this work, our team hopes to identify novel stem cell regulators that could provide effective therapeutic targets and aid the advancement of stem cell-focused regenerative therapies and cancer treatments.

Why did you decide to stay in Toronto?

Having completed my PhD training in Toronto I experienced firsthand the richness of the research that is being carried out in the city as well as the collaborative spirit that underlies all of these efforts. Basic and translational science are done here hand in hand and as the birthplace of stem cell research in Canada Toronto has a fantastic community of stem cell scientists. Toronto has so much to offer as a city but is also a great central location with easy access to parks and nature trails, moving back has been like coming home.

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Medicine by Design community?

Medicine by Design has assembled a truly multidisciplinary team of scientists who are all engaged with solving some of the most difficult questions that need answering in order to fully realize the potential of stem cell-based medicines. I think this bringing together of researchers each with a deep knowledge in their own discipline but working together towards this common goal is quite unique not only in Canada but in the world. It’s very exciting to be a part of this group – we’re looking forward to contributing our insights and forging new and fruitful collaborations with the team.

What is one thing that people might not know about you from your CV?

I have always loved the arts. I play the piano, draw and paint in my spare time and after many years of ballet training in my youth even considered a career in dance before deciding science was my ultimate calling.

Learn more at medbio.utoronto.ca/faculty/hope

MBD Investigator Thomas Hurd

Thomas Hurd, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto, my PhD at the University of Cambridge (UK) and my post-doctoral training at New York University School of Medicine (USA).

Tell us about your research.

The central focus of my research is understanding how mitochondria influence stem cell function, fate and differentiation. My research also focuses on how mitochondria are inherited from mother to offspring.

Why did you decide to come back to Toronto?

I was attracted to Toronto by the world-class research community here, and also by how collaborative that community is.

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Medicine by Design community?

I am most looking forward to taking advantage of the the vast stem cell expertise of the Medicine by Design community.

What is one thing that people might not know about you from your CV?

I am very into gardening and have a particular fondness for plants from the Hoya genus.

Learn more at www.hurdlab.com

MBD Investigator Thomas Hurd

Omar F. Khan, PhD

Assistant Professor, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Immunology, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

My training and experience is diverse and incorporates academia, industry and entrepreneurship.  I earned my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto.  My academic supervisor was Michael V. Sefton.  After my Ph.D., I moved to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Postdoctoral Associate in the labs of Daniel G. Anderson and Robert Langer.  After a few great years, I spun my research out into a startup company called Tiba Biotech, where I was Scientific Founder and Chief Scientist.  Then I moved on to a second startup based on a technology I co-developed in the Anderson and Langer labs.

Tell us about your research.

There are many kinds of useful nucleic acids that can silence, regulate, express or help edit genes of interest.  Rather than using those different nucleic acids separately, the OFK Lab combines their distinctive effects to control and cure complex diseases.  We do this through the design of nanomaterials that coordinate the nucleic acids’ delivery and how they are used by cells.  This unique approach is useful for difficult diseases caused by multiple aberrant genes that cannot be controlled with small molecule drugs.

Why did you decide to come back to Toronto?

After being away from Canada for nearly a decade, I was excited to return and help build a tech hub for applied nucleic acid research.  Medicine by Design, the Institute of Biomedical Engineering and the University Health Network were primary factors in my decision.  This remarkable confluence of engineers, scientists, clinicians, policy makers and end users makes Toronto an ideal environment to create new and great things.

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Medicine by Design community?

The network of people is the most valuable.  In the short time since starting, I have been amazed with all of the insightful conversations and my early collaborations.  This is what makes applied science and engineering so much fun – working with inquisitive people to build new tech that helps others.

What is one thing that people might not know about you from your CV?

I used to deliver our nanoparticles from MIT to Harvard by motorcycle.  I really admire Riders for Health International, so those trips always felt like an homage to their important work in Africa.

Learn more at www.ofklab.com

MBD Investigator Hyun Kate-Lee

Hyun Kate Lee, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, my PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and my post-doctoral training at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, Germany.

Tell us about your research.

My research focuses on understanding the causes of cellular anomalies observed during neuronal degeneration. Several of these defects stem from aberrant transformation of cellular reaction centers, called membrane-less organelles or biomolecular condensates. My goal is to find out what regulates these centers in health and what causes them to transform in disease.

Why did you decide to come to Toronto?

I was impressed with the amount of exciting research happening in Toronto, covering a hugely diverse array of questions with an equally diverse number of approaches. I was particularly drawn to the collaborative atmosphere across the departments and institutes and the opportunity to belong to a community like Medicine by Design.

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Medicine by Design community?

I am very much looking forward to interacting with like-minded researchers who use stem cells to understand human diseases and to identify ways to promote regeneration of damaged or weakened tissues. I am most excited about finding research synergy and pushing new ideas together.

What is one thing people might not know about you from your CV?

I’m a fan of swing dance and pottery (both as a spectator and a participant), and all opportunities to be lost in nature. The great Canadian outdoors is quite famous and I can’t wait to experience it!

Learn more at biochemistry.utoronto.ca/person/hyun-kate-lee

MBD Investigator Yun Li

Yun Li, PhD

Scientist, Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children
Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

After completing my undergraduate study at Wuhan University in China, I pursued PhD training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where I was in its neuroscience graduate program and conducted research in the laboratory of Dr. Luis Parada. I then joined the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, Mass., to conduct post-doctoral research, under the tutelage of Dr. Rudolf Jaenisch.

Tell us about your research.

I have always been fascinated by the brain, how it is formed and how it works. For my PhD research, I used animal models to probe normal development and study neural disorders such as Huntington’s disease, neurofibromatosis and major depression. I started my post-doctoral research at a time when new technologies such as human pluripotent stem cells, genome editing, and three-dimensional organoid cultures put me in an exciting position to directly study human brain development and diseases in a dish. My research has been on developing and utilizing these new technologies to understand how the human brain is formed, what makes the human brain different from that of the other species, and how disorders such as autism impact its normal development and function.

Why did you decide to come to Toronto?

SickKids is a natural fit for me right away because of my interest in studying autism and other childhood disorders. From my first visit on, I have been extremely impressed by the outstanding research environment, the quality of science and most importantly the amazing colleagues around SickKids and the greater Toronto research community. I also love that Toronto is one the most multicultural cities in the world, and I look forward to exploring this vibrant and dynamic place in the years to come.

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Medicine by Design community?

The strong support from Medicine by Design for both basic and translational research in regenerative medicine was a big factor in my decision to come to Toronto. I look forward to working with colleagues from diverse disciplines toward the shared long-term goal of benefiting patients.

What is one thing that people might not know about you from your CV?

I am a big movie buff. I like all genres and my favorite is SciFi.

Learn more at www.sickkids.ca/AboutSickKids/Directory/People/L/yun-li-staff-profile

MBD Investigator Julien Muffat

Julien Muffat, PhD

Scientist, Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children
Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

I completed my undergraduate degrees at the Biochemistry and Bioengineering department of the École normale supérieure Paris-Saclay (ENS) in France. The school is entirely dedicated to training future educators and researchers. The ENS gives students the opportunity to spend a year or two abroad, and I was lucky to have my first research experience in the laboratory of Rudolph Tanzi at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. This is where I cemented my interest in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. I then went to the California Institute of Technology, in Pasadena, California, to pursue my doctorate in neurobiology with a scientific hero of mine, the late Seymour Benzer. Following the advent of induced pluripotent stem cell technology, I headed to the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, Mass., for my post-doctoral work in the laboratory of Rudolf Jaenisch.

Tell us about your research.

My primary interest is the etiology of neural and glial degeneration, particularly when there is an age-related aspect to it. Eventually, all central nervous system diseases manifest themselves outwardly in neuronal dysfunction, and motor, sensory or cognitive deficits for the patient. But we now appreciate how the problem often starts in glia, the non-electrical cells of the brain. Those constitute more than half of the cells of an adult human brain, and they are not merely a structural scaffold, or a set of insulating elements. One subpopulation of glia are cousins of some white blood cells, macrophages: they are known as microglia. We managed to generate these immune cells from patient skin, via pluripotent stem cells, in the dish. Microglia owe their identity to their residence in the brain, and their biology is linked to the surrounding presence of all the other cells of the brain. For that reason, we devised 3D cultures trying to replicate the tissue-like environment, allowing the study of patient microglia as they interact with neurons and other glial cells. These cells are still very mysterious, but circumstancial evidence is mounting about their involvement in a plethora of disorders. We have a functional platform to test how modulation of their activity (be it by mutations, protein aggregates or viruses) intersects with development, maturation, and degeneration of neural networks.

Why did you decide to come to Toronto?

Living in a new city and a new country is an exciting prospect. The University of Toronto is extremely well respected in the stem cell community, with pioneers ever since James Till and Ernest McCulloch. The Hospital for Sick Children is a powerhouse of research and clinical development in pediatric medicine. I have a particular interest, since my early days working with iPS cells, in a disease called adrenoleukodystrophy, which is a devastating disorder often presenting in childhood. It is also one of the few diseases that is already benefiting from fringe therapies using autologous stem cell transplants and gene therapy combinations. And yet, more needs to be done and understood. Toronto is a perfect place to continue this work, with direct clinical input, and hopefully therapeutic outputs down the line. I felt wonderfully welcomed from the first visit on. As a French citizen, I also liked the idea of coming to country with an old mix of cultures, and bilingual signs in the airport!

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Medicine by Design community?

The existence of Medicine by Design was a strong factor in choosing Toronto. I was lucky to train at institutions where interdisciplinarity has been the modus operandi for a long time, with very strong basic biological science emerging from cross-talks with so-called harder sciences. All those places also had in common a remarkable engineering tradition: I love to understand how things work, and then replicate what nature does to eventually go beyond. Medicine by Design is a community that understands that interdisciplinarity is key to leveraging the expertise of everyone on campus, to maximize benefits to humanity, patients in particular. A lot of fundamental science goes into laying out the groundwork for the greatest biomedical discoveries, and having a climate that promotes transitions is invaluable. My work on “human-in-a-dish” approaches will be very much at home here.

What is one thing that people might not know about you from your CV?

I love to play the piano and sing too loudly. My future colleagues might hear random renditions of Elton John’s Tiny Dancer, or Jean-Jacques Goldman on the French side, late at night in the corridors of SickKids, once I figure out where the best acoustics are. Born and raised in the Alps, I am a winter sports enthusiast: if and when I find the time, I will be visiting the legendary ski resorts Canada has to offer.

Learn more at www.sickkids.ca/AboutSickKids/Directory/People/M/julien-muffat

MBD Investigator Keith Pardee

Keith Pardee, PhD

Assistant Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

I did my undergraduate studies at the University of Alberta, master’s degree in botany at the University of British Columbia, PhD in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto and my post-doctoral work at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University.

Tell us about your research.

My lab builds tools that aim to improve access to health care. In our work with Medicine by Design, we have two regenerative medicine projects. One is focused on engineering the gut microbiome to treat inflammatory bowl disease and the other is building a new technology to help reduce the cost of growing the cells needed to bring regenerative medicine to scale.

Why did you decide to come back to Toronto?

I love Toronto, and the opportunity to work in such an amazing research environment made the decision easy.

What do you find most valuable about being part of Medicine by Design?

As a junior faculty member it can take time to build relationships that lead to collaboration. Medicine by Design’s team-based model and community-building efforts introduced me to the regenerative medicine community in Toronto, which has led to strong projects and great mentorship.

What is one thing people might not know about you from your CV?

Before I was a scientist, I went to carpentry school and spent a number of years building houses.

Learn more at www.pardeelab.org

MBD Investigator Stephanie Protze

Stephanie Protze, PhD

Scientist, McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

I did my undergraduate studies in Dresden, Germany, and stayed there to join the Max Planck Graduate School for my PhD. After that it was time to explore the scientific world outside of Germany and I moved to Canada for my post-doctoral training in the lab of Gordon Keller at University Health Network in Toronto.

Tell us about your research.

During my PhD I became hooked on regenerative therapies to treat heart disease and was fascinated with the electrical wiring (conduction system) that controls the heartbeat. I followed that interest during my post-doc and worked on developing protocols for differentiating pluripotent stem cells into sinoatrial node pacemaker cells, the primary pacemaker cells that initiate the heartbeat. In cases of sinoatrial node failure, current treatment involves implantation of electronic pacemaker devices, but they have disadvantages, including the recurring need to replace batteries, lack of communication with the autonomous nervous system and lack of adaptation to growth in paediatric patients, which necessitates recurrent surgeries to refit pacemaker wires. Stem cell-derived biological pacemakers could overcome these disadvantages and represent an attractive future therapy.

My lab will be working on refining strategies for the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into pacemaker cells and developing new strategies for generating additional cell types that are part of the heart’s electrical wiring, such as atrioventricular nodal cells. By using pluripotent stem cells as a developmental model system, we will obtain new insights into human heart development in these projects. We will employ small and large pre-clinical animal models to test the ability of stem cell-derived pacemaker populations to work as biological pacemakers and regenerate the conduction system of the heart. I also plan on establishing new in vitro models for pacemaker diseases, such as congenital heart block, to study disease mechanisms and find novel drug treatment targets.

Why did you decide to stay in Toronto?

I decided to stay in Toronto because during my interviewing process for a principal investigator position, I realized that Toronto has a unique research environment that many other places I interviewed at were not able to offer. Toronto is both stem cell- and regenerative medicine-focused, but also has plenty of great basic research labs. And I started to really like Canadians – eh!

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Medicine by Design community?

I can’t wait to join forces with the other Medicine by Design labs to develop new regenerative therapies. I especially appreciate the interdisciplinary and translational approach of the Medicine by Design program. Since my future plans involve developing a biological pacemaker, I am looking forward to collaborating with the excellent engineering labs in the Medicine by Design community to design 3D pacemaker tissues.

What is one thing people might not know about you from your CV?

I love to balance the brain work we do in the lab with physical workouts like running or by channelling my inner yogi. In fact, I can get quite unhappy if I don’t get my running endorphins.

MBD Investigator Miguel Ramalho-Santos

Miguel Ramalho-Santos, PhD

Canada 150 Research Chair in Developmental Epigenetics
Senior Investigator, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System
Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

I earned my undergraduate degree in biology and master’s degree in cell biology at the University of Coimbra in Portugal, under the supervision of Carlos Faro. I then moved to the U.S. in 1997 to complete a PhD in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University, where I was co-advised by Doug Melton and Andy McMahon. After earning my PhD in 2002, I  moved to San Francisco in 2003 to become a UCSF Fellow, an independent research position at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) that is designed as an alternative to a traditional post-doctoral fellowship. In 2007, I became an assistant professor at UCSF, and was promoted to associate professor in 2013. I received a 2008 NIH New Innovator Award and a 2016 Royan International Research Award in Reproductive Genetics.

Tell us about your research.

Our lab is interested in understanding the genome-environment interactions that shape mammalian development and reproduction. Of particular interest are pluripotent cells that exist in the mammalian embryo and give rise to all cell types of the body. Recent work from our lab highlights that such foundational aspects as genome organization, transcription and environmental input are regulated in unique and novel ways in pluripotent cells of the early embryo and the germline.

Why did you decide to come to Toronto?

Toronto is a stellar and very interactive research community in many areas, notably in developmental and stem cell biology. Also, having lived in Portugal for 25 years and in the U.S. for another 21 years, I was ready for a new challenge, and Toronto is an exciting new place to explore.

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Medicine by Design community?

I am looking forward to new interactions that explore the applications of our fundamental insights in stem cell biology towards new approaches in regenerative medicine.

What is one thing people might not know about you from your CV?

I have been a rock drummer since I was a teenager. I also wrote a book about travelling alone to the North Cape (northernmost point of Europe) and did volunteer work in HIV/AIDS and malaria in western Kenya.

Learn more at www.mrsantoslab.org

MBD Investigator Miguel Ramalho-Santos

Chao Wang, PhD

Scientist, Sunnybrook Research Institute
Assistant Professor, Immunology, University of Toronto
Medicine by Design Investigator

Where did you complete your training?

I earned my PhD at the University of Toronto, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School. I was also an instructor and then an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School

Tell us about your research.

The immune system plays a dynamic role in the progression of neurological disorders such as cognitive impairment and major depressive disorder. My lab focuses on understanding the regulation of immune cells in the central nervous system at steady state and during neuroinflammation in such context. Can we manipulate immune cells to help neuro-regeneration?

Metabolism provides a critical link between environment and host genetics. My lab takes a systems and cell biology approach to investigate metabolic circuitry and its connection with epigenome and transcriptome regulation of immune cells with consequences in their function.

The Wang lab is interested in clinically relevant research and strives to create a highly collaborative environment for training multidisciplinary scientists at all levels.

Why did you decide to come to Toronto?

Toronto is one of the leading hubs for scientific discovery and I consider it one of the best places to translate my research clinically. It is also a great city to raise family: A combination that does not come by easily. I am also thrilled to return to Toronto as it is a place that nurtured me as a scientist and to be able contribute to the scientific community locally gives me a great sense of fulfillment.

What are you most looking forward to about joining the Medicine by Design community?

It’s a great gathering place for people with like-mindedness. I think it provides an excellent platform for scientist to connect. I look forward to be part of the community.

What is one thing people might not know about you from your CV?

I am a big fan of the symphony orchestra and used to camp out at TSO (Toronto Symphony Orchestra) monthly as a graduate student.

Learn more at about Chao Wang’s research.

Photos of Michael Garton, Kristin Hope, Courtney Jones, Omar F. Khan, Miguel Ramalho-Santos and Chao Wang provided by investigators. All other photos by Neil Ta.