Biomanufacturing, healthcare and science industries

Northern Digital Inc. entrusts ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students to advance medical procedure technology

Jed Bick — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 19:01:51 +0000

Northern Digital Inc. entrusts ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students to advance medical procedure technology Jed Bick Wed, 04/16/2025 - 15:01

By: Jed Bick (he/him)

Students provide transferable skills from classroom learning to develop key technology that will shape the future of surgery.

Northern Digital Inc. (NDI) specializes in high-precision optical and electromagnetic tracking systems which are incorporated into its customer’s computer-aided surgical navigational systems. Founded in 1981 by a University of ��ݮ��Ƶ alumnus, NDI sells its tracking systems as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to customers who then integrate them into systems for hospitals or medical clinics.

Medical professionals utilize tracking systems for various procedures, including brain and spinal surgeries. These systems employ one of two technologies: optical tracking, which uses infrared light and retroreflective markers, or electromagnetic tracking, which utilizes field generators and sensors. The tracking systems provide precise navigational data, enabling clinicians to perform procedures more efficiently, quickly, and with less invasiveness—ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.

Making a difference and improving outcomes in the medical world is something that attracted Serena Wittenberg (she/her), a Biomedical Engineering co-op student at ��ݮ��Ƶ, to pursue a work term at NDI.

“One of the reasons I went into biomedical engineering was that I wanted to work at a medical company because I want to make a difference in people's health,” says Wittenberg.

Her experience at NDI has been successful, and Wittenberg is currently in her second co-op term with the company as a firmware developer. In her first term, Wittenberg utilized her biomedical engineering skills to complete multiple tasks and projects. She verified NDI’s product application programming interface (API) responsiveness and wrote Python code to test and maintain the product’s firmware.

Serena Wittenberg, Faculty of Engineering co-op student

Wittenberg’s supervisor, Greg Niestrawski (he/him) (BASc ’11), a firmware developer at NDI, praised her product testing skills for resolving specific bugs.

“I had her lead the investigation and she ended up making some firmware changes that resolved the problem,” says Niestrawski.

Greg Niestrawski (BASc ’11), firmware developer at NDI

In Niestrawski’s experience, developing firmware requires a steep learning curve, but Wittenberg and other ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students are equipped for the challenge. As a ��ݮ��Ƶ alum, Niestrawski is familiar with the skills and experience co-op students bring to the workplace and knows he can trust them from the get-go.

“I can take a student who's got a reasonable background in engineering and bring them up to speed relatively quickly,” says Niestrawski. “My ��ݮ��Ƶ co-ops are writing useful code on the second day they're here.”

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students can pivot and adapt on the fly

The trust NDI bestows in co-op students motivated Wittenberg to return to the company for another term, this time for eight months.

“They treat you like a full-time employee,” Wittenberg says. “No matter what the task is, if you want to do it and if it's part of your skill set and interests, they will let you do it. It's very nice to have that type of responsibility because you feel valued.”

As her time at NDI progressed, Wittenberg expressed an interest in cybersecurity. Niestrawski encouraged her to give it try, so Wittenberg performed some evaluation and prototyping of security improvements for system upgrades that protect devices from hackers and similar security threats. Her process involved writing code to implement certain product requirements. After passing peer reviews including manual and automated testing, the code was incorporated into the product.

Like many other ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students, Wittenberg showed confidence in her ability to adapt from project to project as she utilized the skills and knowledge she developed in her studies at the University.

��ݮ��Ƶ students are well-prepared for professional jobs due to co-op and because of the courses and the technical background the school provides. ��ݮ��Ƶ also has a good reputation with big tech companies, and they view co-ops as students with strong backgrounds.

Serena Wittenberg, Faculty of Engineering co-op student and firmware developer at NDI

“��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students provide companies in the tech and health sectors with innovative solutions to push product development forward,” says Marlene Griffith Wrubel (she/her), account manager for Co-operative and Experiential Education at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. “Their educational background and skillsets prepare them for the workplace experience from day one.”

The future looks bright for NDI as the company has the potential to improve patient outcomes while providing a positive workplace experience and valuable opportunity for ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students to contribute meaningfully.

“NDI is very supportive, and I think the company really values its employees overall, especially co-ops,” Wittenberg says. “Since NDI was started by ��ݮ��Ƶ alum, I find the company’s perspective makes it a great employer for utilizing and evaluating co-op students.”

Nfinite Nanotechnology is shaping the future of packaging with ��ݮ��Ƶ talent

Christie Zeb — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 15:06:00 +0000

Nfinite Nanotechnology is shaping the future of packaging with ��ݮ��Ƶ talent Christie Zeb Wed, 02/05/2025 - 10:06

By: Christie Zeb (she/her)

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students are at the heart of Nfinite Nanotechnology’s efforts to revolutionize the packaging industry and eliminate plastic waste.

In 2021, ��ݮ��Ƶ Engineering professor Kevin Musselman (he/him) teamed up with his graduate students, Chee Hau Teoh (he/him) (MASc ’20) and Jhi Yong Loke (he/him) (MASc ’21), to launch Nfinite Nanotechnology.

The startup was founded on a breakthrough nanocoating technology developed by Teoh and Loke during their master’s studies. This ultrathin, high-performance material enables consumer-packaged goods, like granola bar wraps and potato chip bags, to stay fresh longer while replacing traditional metalized plastic packaging with 100% recyclable paper packaging.

Since its launch, Nfinite Nanotechnology has raised over $6.5 million USD in seed funding and worked with some of the world’s biggest brands, including household names like PepsiCo. By applying Nfinite’s coating material during packaging production, companies are empowered to embrace eco-friendly materials without sacrificing product freshness or shelf life.

As the startup continues its mission to redefine packaging, it relies on highly skilled tech student talent to fuel innovation and scale its impact. Nfinite hires nanotechnology and mechanical engineering students from ��ݮ��Ƶ to continuously improve its technology.

Nfinite Nanotech's founding team, Dr. Kevin Musselman, Chee Hau Teoh (MASc ’20) and Jhi Yong Loke (MASc ’21)

Students lead innovation in sustainable technology

The team at Nfinite entrust co-op students with impactful projects, treat students like full-time employees and give them opportunities to lead initiatives. Students work on projects like optimizing the coating processes, solving production challenges and designing critical subsystems.

Ethan Chan, Nanotechnology Engineering co-op student

During his co-op work term at Nfinite, Ethan Chan (he/him), a third-year Nanotechnology Engineering student, helped to improve coating processes for flexible materials using spatial atomic layer deposition (SALD), a specialized coating technique.

He studied how materials interact, applied a structured testing approach and improved the coating process, which significantly enhanced product quality.

Chan also collaborated with cross-functional teams at Nfinite to analyze experimental data and documented his findings in detailed technical reports.

“I had the opportunity to work with cutting-edge equipment, such as the SALD machine, which allowed me to develop optimized coating recipes and gain a deeper understanding of material science and thin-film technology,” says Chan.

Ana Matovic (she/her), a fourth-year Nanotechnology Engineering student, appreciated the opportunity to apply her classroom knowledge during her work term at Nfinite where she helped to improve the company’s sustainable barrier nanocoating. Matovic utilized her material science knowledge to help design and run experiments to improve coating adhesion, barrier properties and durability.

“My co-op experience at Nfinite Nanotechnology was amazing. While I previously had two other co-op positions before Nfinite, this was the first one where I had the opportunity to explore the impact of nanotechnology in industry,” says Matovic.

Ana Matovic, Nanotechnology Engineering co-op student

The team at Nfinite value the innovative minds of ��ݮ��Ƶ students. Students often come up with new ideas and fresh thinking that drive projects forward. During the company’s early stages, co-op students helped Nfinite to establish a chemical delivery system and supply chain that laid the groundwork for processes still in use today.

When our teams are heads down trying to figure solutions to problems, co-op students tend to think outside the box. They show up energetic and always open to learning.

Su Low, workplace experience manager at Nfinite Nanotech

A culture of innovation and mentorship

Nfinite is committed to empowering co-op students, offering the support and resources students need to grow. From their first day, students undergo a structured onboarding process that introduces them to the company’s values and operations.

Trupal Goti, engineering manager at Nfinite Nanotech

Managers clearly define goals and expectations early on and provide regular feedback and check-ins to ensure students feel valued. Students are also assigned buddies to guide them through their co-op terms.

The company’s approach provides students with meaningful opportunities to lead and make a real impact.

“We don’t treat co-op students as just co-op students. Over time, they take on projects equivalent to those of a full-time position," says Trupal Goti (he/him), engineering manager at Nfinite Nanotechnology.

"We provide them with that level of exposure and have similar expectations—they should be ready to handle projects independently.”

Nfinite has hired students for roles such as nanocoating intern, chemistry research intern and mechanical engineering intern.

“Students have had nothing but positive things to say about their co-op experience with Nfinite, praising the availability of employer support, opportunities to expand their skillset and seamless integration of classroom and workplace learning,” says Olivia Roth, the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Co-operative and Experiential Education’s account manager for Nfinite.

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students are at the forefront of pancreatic cancer research at UHN

Cassie Harrison — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 18:48:57 +0000

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students are at the forefront of pancreatic cancer research at UHN Cassie Harrison Tue, 10/01/2024 - 14:48

By: Jed Bick (he/him)

Pancreatic cancer will be the second leading cause of cancer death in Canada within the next 10 years. Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network is entrusting ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students to help find a cure.

The Notta lab at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network (UHN) strives to tackle a deadly disease with a low survival rate. Patients with pancreatic cancer rarely benefit from surgery and don’t respond well to chemotherapy.

While the prognosis of this disease can be quite grim, pancreatic cancer research is progressing with the help of ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students.

View "University Health Network - Impact in Research - 2023 Employer Impact Awards" on YouTube

A large responsibility for a critical issue

The students work as research laboratory assistants on the tissue culture team at UHN under the guidance of their supervisor, Dr. Eugenia Flores-Figueroa (she/her), a scientific associate at the Notta lab.

Their main area of focus is managing the Patient Direct Organoids (PDO) repository, a repository of tumour cells in a 3D format.

In this critical process, students receive the tumour cell, study and analyze it and send it out for further genomics analysis.

Eric Jung (he/him) is a fourth-year Biochemistry student entering his second work term at UHN. He’s lost family members to cancer, so contributing to this research is personal and meaningful.

“The lab has chosen to target one of the most difficult obstacles in healthcare today, and I really admire that,” says Jung. “It is meaningful for me to work on this research.”

Eric Jung, fourth-year Biochemistry student

Jung and other co-op students work together as a team and independently from their leaders. In the lab managers’ experiences, ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students have the knowledge and capabilities to tackle this complex and profound research.

Dr. Eugenia Flores-Figueroa (left) and Karen Ng (right)

“I find the ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students very curious and dependable, and I think these are very important attributes in the research field,” says Karen Ng (she/her), a lab manager at the Notta lab.

“Since we entrust them with the responsibility of managing the PDO repository, I think it's important that they possess these qualities, which I have found in all ��ݮ��Ƶ students that have come through our lab.”

Innovative research toward potential cures for diseases

Dr. Faiyaz Notta (he/him), a senior scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, created the Notta lab to help understand why this cancer is so aggressive. He believes it is critical to collaborate with others in the industry to answer pressing questions.

Partnerships between healthcare and universities, such as UHN and the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, form a natural, beneficial and lasting relationship. The institutions recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to lay the groundwork for collaborative opportunities in cancer research.

“Research is not done in isolation and these partnerships allow us to do a lot more than if we were alone,” says Dr. Notta. “��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students are part of the bigger team and with them, we are trying to foster big discoveries. Without research, there are no new treatments, and no innovation, which drives discovery.”

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students bring the scientific research skills they learn in the classroom to their work in the lab. They are motivated and want to gain a better understanding of the diseases they're researching.

“The research the ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students are conducting leads to knowledge which leads to improvements in healthcare,” says Dr. Flores Figueroa. “Without research, we can’t understand the diseases and how to better treat the patient.”

UHN is the recipient of the 2023 Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) Employer Impact Award for Impact in Research.

The Notta lab and UHN’s involvement of ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students in their pursuit of pancreatic cancer research led to the award.

UHN is providing our co-op students with a tremendous opportunity to make a significant contribution to pancreatic cancer research. By seeing how their research meaningfully impacts the lives of others, students are at the forefront of improving the future of healthcare.

Anne-Marie Fannon, director of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Work-Learn Institute

Striving towards a healthier future

Cancer research at the Notta lab, and similar positions in the field of healthcare, provide an opportunity for Generation Z employees to enter the workforce and help lead the way for a healthier tomorrow.

“It is very meaningful and fruitful to know that I might be helping somebody get a better future,” says Avneet Kaur (she/her), a fourth-year Biology student who just completed her second work term as a research laboratory assistant at UHN.

Genevie Tran (she/her), who is entering her final year of Biology, spent a work term at UHN as a research laboratory assistant. She applied the knowledge she gained from the Analytical Methods in Molecular Biology course at ��ݮ��Ƶ within the PDO repository at the lab. Tran and her generational peers are ready to make a difference in the world of healthcare.

"I think we will be very innovative," says Tran. “There's a lot of aspects in the world that feel like there can’t be a cure nor a solution, but I think this generation will really bring in new solutions.”

The research and results the co-op students continue to produce at UHN give Dr. Flores Figueroa the confidence that the next generation of researchers could change the outcome of pancreatic cancer and other diseases for the better.

“I think their attitude and boldness is going to improve healthcare,” says Dr. Flores Figueroa. “When something is wrong, they feel they must act. And I see a lot of commitment from them.”

It’s amazing to win this award. Without these students, the lab and our research don’t exist. Training and working with students are important parts of the overall lab experience and winning the award tells us we are doing our job right.

Dr. Faiyaz Notta, senior scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

��ݮ��Ƶ talent accelerates life sciences innovation and healthcare advancements

Carlos Saavedra — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 12:45:00 +0000

��ݮ��Ƶ talent accelerates life sciences innovation and healthcare advancements Carlos Saavedra Thu, 09/26/2024 - 08:45

By: Christie Zeb (she/her)

From groundbreaking research to deployed healthcare technologies, the life sciences sector is experiencing remarkable growth.

The University of ��ݮ��Ƶ is deeply engaged in transforming the life sciences sector in ��ݮ��Ƶ Region. Innovation hubs, researchers and skilled students are advancing biotechnology, medical research and healthcare solutions.

During the recent Life Science Ontario’s 2024 Road Trip Around the Province stop at ��ݮ��Ƶ, industry leaders explored the sector’s exciting potential. ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Co-operative and Experiential Education unit co-hosted the event with Velocity, the University-founded incubator for startups.

Here are three of the ways ��ݮ��Ƶ talent helps launch growth in the life science sector:

1. Building innovation communities

Students from ��ݮ��Ƶ have influenced the launch of innovation communities, such as Velocity, an incubator that’s helping founders build companies that scale, transform industries, and create greater wellbeing and prosperity.

“The wave of health technology companies in Velocity started about 10 years ago when a group of students asked for lab space to work on biotech they were working to develop into diagnostics products. From that time, more than dozens of health technology startups have grown from Velocity. Now we are launching the Innovation Arena, a purpose-built facility helping founders turn prototypes into products—now supporting over 100 life sciences companies,” says Adrien Côté (he/him), executive director of Velocity.

Adrien Côté, executive director of Velocity

During their co-op work terms, students gain real-world experience. They also bring fresh insights from their experiences back to the University, sparking further innovation. “So much of the growth happening in this space comes from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ and co-op experiences. Students are getting that accelerated experience in their careers but also getting key industry insights, and then coming back to work with groups like Velocity and saying, ‘I see a problem here, let's act on it,’” says Côté.

2. Driving product innovation

��ݮ��Ƶ students and alumni are leading the charge in life sciences innovation. The sector has seen the launch of medtech and health tech products that advance healthcare and improve patient outcomes.

Rachel Bartholomew (she/her) (MBET ’14) is the CEO & founder of Hyivy Health, a medtech business she launched in 2019 after identifying outdated technologies in pelvic health treatment. Hyivy Health is creating a pelvic floor rehabilitation device designed for women to use in the comfort of their homes.

Similarly, Armen Bakirtzian (he/him) (BASc ’08), CEO and co-founder of Intellijoint Surgical, developed his company from an engineering project he worked on during his undergraduate studies at ��ݮ��Ƶ. Intellijoint Surgical now offers a suite of products to assist orthopaedic surgeons and was named the #1 fastest-growing company by Deloitte’s 2020 Technology Fast 50 list.

Catharine Gerhard (she/her), market manager at ��ݮ��Ƶ Region Economic Development Corporation (��ݮ��ƵEDC), sees the strength that tech talent in ��ݮ��Ƶ has when it comes to turning ideas into businesses. “What's exciting is this community's ability to turn new ideas and innovations into businesses. CBRE (Commericial Real Estate Services) Tech Talent Scorecard recently ranked us as the number one small tech talent hub in North America,” says Gerhard.

3. Supporting the growth of businesses

With the future-ready skills and fresh perspectives of co-op students, startups strapped for funds can launch and take their products to market. Bartholomew credits her co-op students for being integral to the development of Hyivy. Students worked on competitor analyses, user experience and design of the therapist portal and mobile app.

“Co-op students have been essential to the development of the product and all the way through,” says Bartholomew. Her team has consistently relied on these students, who often transition into full-time roles with the company after their co-op terms.

ATS Life Sciences Systems also hires engineering, math, statistics and computer science students to support its work in building solutions for life sciences companies.

We hire about 40 to 50 co-op students each term and have them across the organization including innovation, engineering and software.

Nick Anghel (he/him) (BASc ’06), general manager at ATS Life Science Systems

Opportunities for emerging talent

As the sector grows, it’s becoming more attractive to emerging talent and opening opportunities for them to learn and innovate. For example, ATS has a six-month mechanical design training program for new hires and co-op students. The program helps students to deepen their knowledge and makes them more valuable in the industry. “Even though they are graduates and have experience in mechanical design, we train them specifically in life sciences and automation design,” says Anghel.

For young talent trying to find their feet in the industry, “don't be afraid to get into health tech and medtech. It’s a rewarding field, but it requires thoughtfulness and time to reach the point of impacting patients and people,” says Bartholomew.

��ݮ��Ƶ tech talent is powering Skinopathy’s AI revolution in skin cancer screening

Cassie Harrison — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 12:45:00 +0000

��ݮ��Ƶ tech talent is powering Skinopathy’s AI revolution in skin cancer screening Cassie Harrison Thu, 09/12/2024 - 08:45

By: Christie Zeb (she/her)

Co-op students help build AI technology that’s revolutionizing the future of dermatology.

Skinopathy is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for early skin cancer detection and other skin conditions. The company has created AI solutions that help physicians, nurses and patients globally to pre-screen for skin cancers.

As a medtech startup, Skinopathy depends on skilled tech talent to power this innovation. The company has found these talents in ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Engineering, Computer Science, Geomatics and Health Sciences programs.

Co-op students contribute significantly to the codebase that powers Skinopathy. They write codes for the mobile and web app, build billing modules and SMS notification systems and work on other projects to keep Skinopathy’s technology running.

Every term, Skinopathy hires students to work on software development and AI engineering. Health Sciences students spend their co-op work terms carrying out clinical and medical science research to inform the creation of relevant AI solutions. These students bring innovative skills that help put Skinopathy at the forefront of dermatology innovation.

Burak Yildiz, engineering lead at Skinopathy

One of the most impressive things I’ve seen a student do is write error handling code. He was frustrated with how the errors were being handled and decided to do something about it. That code is now being used in the company.

Burak Yildiz (he/him) (MASc ’15, PhD ’18), engineering lead at Skinopathy.

Luke Wu (he/him), an Honours Geomatics student, is spending his co-op work term as an AI engineering intern at Skinopathy. He works with Python-based models like PyTorch and YOLOv8. Skinopathy is using these models to help to assess burns and determine the size of the affected area on a patient's skin.

“My work primarily involves using YOLOv8 to identify the burn area and then leveraging the built-in parameters of the smartphone camera to measure the concavity and convexity of the skin in the affected area. Through this role, I have gained good knowledge about AI and its practical applications," says Wu.

Helping students excel: Skinopathy’s supportive environment

Wu receives mentoring and support at Skinopathy which helps him to be more efficient at his job. The company’s vibrant culture and regular team bonding events are highlights for him. They contribute to his positive co-op experience.

“While the job is challenging and there is still a lot for me to learn about AI modelling, the experience has been invaluable in shaping my future career path and development,” says Wu.

Skinopathy has an onboarding process to help students seamlessly settle into their jobs as AI and software engineers. Students receive documentation and videos that take them through the crucial parts of the company’s codebase.

For their initial tasks, students work on "first contribution" features designed to help them get acquainted with the codebase. The team also allows pair programming, provides in-depth code reviews and offers comprehensive feedback. These resources help students get up to speed quickly and contribute effectively in their roles.

“��ݮ��Ƶ students bring a lot of experience. They usually need little on-the-job training, and we save time getting them up to speed and used to our code base,” says Yildiz.

Students have weekly check-ins and one-on-one meetings with their supervisors to receive guidance.

When hiring, Skinopathy looks for students who are fast learners, take initiative and are problem solvers. “Their knowledge of programming and the ability to learn whatever new language we might want them to learn is important to us,” says Yildiz.

As Skinopathy continues to revolutionize dermatology care, its solutions not only transform patient outcomes, but also shape the careers of the next generation of tech innovators.

With the invaluable contributions of ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students, Skinopathy is set to lead the way in AI-driven healthcare solutions.

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students invent revolutionary paediatric orthopaedic devices at SickKids

Samdisha Chowdry — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 12:45:00 +0000

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students invent revolutionary paediatric orthopaedic devices at SickKids Samdisha Chowdry Mon, 08/05/2024 - 08:45

By: Christie Zeb (she/her)

Students contribute to research that enhances the treatment of paediatric foot and ankle conditions.

At The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students are driving groundbreaking research and innovation in paediatric orthopaedic care. Their contributions have not only enhanced treatment methods but also led to the creation of two novel medical devices, transforming patient care and setting new standards in the field.

As Canada's leading research hospital focused on children's health, SickKids' Division of Orthopaedic Surgery treats patients with various orthopaedic conditions and runs a research program with registries for children with clubfoot and other foot conditions. These registries inform new treatment methods.

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students are at the heart of managing these crucial databases.

Students handle everything from identifying and recruiting patients for studies to writing codes and designing patient information materials.

"Without co-op students, this work wouldn't be possible," says Dr. Maryse Bouchard, paediatric orthopaedic surgeon at SickKids.

Dr. Maryse Bouchard, paediatric orthopaedic surgeon at SickKids

Empowering co-op students: From research assistants to inventors and leaders

At the research program, co-op students are given the freedom to take on other projects beyond their roles as research assistants. This has helped to ensure students experience autonomy in their work and resulted in students taking on large roles, from improving registry processes to performing complex statistics.

It has also led to the invention of two novel medical devices. One of the devices is a clubfoot brace that is being patented and licensed to a manufacturer. “This student has now been hired at our organization. She's working on another novel concept for a computational foot model for surgical planning,” says Bouchard.

The second device, a sensor for clubfoot bracing, has led to the creation of an independent company called OrthoFlexion.

Former ��ݮ��Ƶ engineering co-op students, Hannah Seatle (she/her) (BASc ’22) and Ella Walsh (she/her) (BASc ’24) are behind these inventions. They are now cofounders of OrthoFlexion, partnering with Bouchard to run the company.

When co-op students join our research program, I take time to learn of their personal goals and create opportunities for them. I also invite them to take on research projects that they get to present at conferences and publish in international journals.

Dr. Maryse Bouchard

��ݮ��Ƶ student Zhina Bevrani (she/her) has completed two co-op work terms at SickKids. During her co-op terms, she took on a leadership role and worked on research projects. “I was able to learn the technical side of research. I also got to understand the challenges that come with maintaining a research study,” says Bevrani.

Zhina Bevrani (she/her), ��ݮ��Ƶ Honours Health Science co-op

Bevrani’s co-op experience at SickKids has led her to take anatomy courses. This experience has inspired her interest in pursuing more learning in the field of research and the orthopaedics.

Maryam Rezakarimi (she/her) describes her experience at SickKids as “insightful, enriching and rewarding”. Rezakarimi worked on data analysis and performed statistical modelling for studies the orthopaedic team was working on.

“Part of research is gaining the data ethically; the other part focuses on gaining insights from the data collected to produce impactful literature. At SickKids, I was graciously able to work on both aspects,” says Rezakarimi.

The team at the research program organizes regular one-on-one meetings and social events for students. Through these meetings, students share ideas, get support on projects and connect with other team members. “I try to have the students overlap for some time, so they can help train each other,” says Bouchard.

After their work terms, co-op students continue to get support from the SickKids team. Bouchard organizes an alumni event once a year, where former co-op students come together to catch up. “They help support each other in future endeavours like applying to medical school or master’s programs,” says Bouchard.

For Bouchard, the versatility of ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students has been invaluable. Students are hired from various programs, including engineering, health sciences, math and business. They take the initiative to lead projects, teams and research meetings.

These students have so many opportunities that are not only enriching to us but are exceptionally enriching for them. It’s a real privilege to work with them and potentially become their mentor, lifelong colleague or friend.

Dr. Maryse Bouchard

Bouchard hopes to hire more ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students to advance research in orthopaedic care.

The future of health care: How ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students are leading innovation

Cassie Harrison — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 12:45:00 +0000

The future of health care: How ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students are leading innovation Cassie Harrison Fri, 07/26/2024 - 08:45

By: Christie Zeb

Future-ready talent at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ is at the forefront of innovation, revolutionizing patient care and research.

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students are driving innovation in healthcare, one hospital at a time. With the new ��ݮ��Ƶ Region hospital set to be built on campus, both students and employers will benefit from health-care experiential learning opportunities close to campus.

From working on medical research to developing solutions that enhance patient management, students are helping to transform the future of health care.

Read how ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students apply their future-ready skills to contribute to medical advancements in hospitals and other health-care institutions:

1. Turning co-op dreams into reality through genetic counselling

Co-op Student of the Year for the Faculty of Health, Danielle Lebowitz (she/her) (BSc ’24) created solutions to aid genetic testing at Sunnybrook Hospital. During her co-op term, Lebowitz’s passion for genetic counselling led her to research molecular tumour boards.

Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre is now using this research to help physicians who do genetic sequencing determine targeted treatment options. “I was really involved in patient-centered care and it was amazing to interact with them. The gratitude that I heard from patients every day made me feel incredible," says Lebowitz.

2. Research towards remission

Rahul Desai (he/him), a third-year Health student, is currently on a co-op term at Sunnybrook’s Odette Cancer Centre. Desai is working with a team to write a meta-analysis on the best treatment lines for biliary tract cancer. “We're looking at all the research available and working with partners to find the best ways to treat this cancer,” says Desai.

Before Odette Cancer Centre, Desai had his first co-op term at Toronto General Hospital where he worked on implementing software for electronic health records. He also provided technical support to the clinical staff, training them on how to use the tool.

3. Beyond the counter: a glimpse into pharmacy

Jaskaran Singh Attwal (he/him) (BSc ’20) (PharmD ’24) worked at Cambridge Memorial for his first two work terms. His roles covered medication reconciliation and distribution. Attwal worked with various departments to accurately document patients' medications and maintain optimal inventory to overcome the challenges of medication shortages.

Attwal also spent a work term at Shoppers Drug Mart, where he led the development of the company's first natural disaster standard operating procedure. The procedure equips more than 1,300 pharmacies across Canada to navigate natural disasters such as wildfires and provides uninterrupted pharmacy services to millions of individuals.

“Creating the first natural disaster standard operating procedure for Shoppers Drug Mart was a unique experience. Wildfires were occurring in Canada during the co-op, so it was a time-sensitive project,” says Attwal.

Attwal also assisted with the design and implementation of Ontario's new Pharmacy Care Clinics in Mississauga and Burlington, which provides access to pharmacy healthcare services.

4. A humanitarian outlook on Health Science

Mariam Toluwalashe Omilabu (she/her) (BSc ’23) had three co-op terms at Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care (TLCPC), under Mount Sinai Hospital.

She worked as a research assistant, supporting the research team on quality improvement initiatives and researching various terminal illnesses.

She also led the development of a tool that screens the social determinants of health. TLCPC is now implementing this tool to screen patients.

Omilabu also built a process for collecting patient feedback on palliative care services.

“During that experience, I got to speak to bereaved caregivers and loved ones and I learned how palliative care can provide comfort to people during a difficult time,” says Omilabu.

This process has helped TLCPC streamline their services and better meet the needs of patients.

5. Making impacts to quality of life through scientific research

Co-op Student of the Year for the Faculty of Science, Milena Gojsevic (she/her) (BSc ’24) was involved in patient interviews, information analysis and communicating study information during her co-op terms at Sunnybrook Hospital.

Over her two terms, Gojsevic did a literature review of almost 200 studies about the quality of life for malignant spinal cord compression patients. She completed three additional literature reviews on topics focused on radiation dermatitis.

“I felt incredibly honoured to be working on that project and making some kind of contribution to such a big project that would impact countless numbers of lives,” says Gojsevic.

Gojsevic’s research has helped to enhance cancer treatment at Sunnybrook.

Looking to hire the next generation of talent in health and sciences?

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students vital to medical device innovations at MOLLI Surgical

Samdisha Chowdry — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:45:00 +0000

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students vital to medical device innovations at MOLLI Surgical   Samdisha Chowdry Thu, 07/18/2024 - 08:45

By: Krista Henry (she/her) 

��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students bring excitement, high-tech skills and passion for the field to the MOLLI Surgical team. 

MOLLI Surgical is an award-winning medical device company that produces wire-free localization technologies for surgery. These technologies provide better precision during procedures when marking lesions for surgery.

According to the white paper Bridging Skills Gap in the Medical Devices Industry: Strategies to future-proof your talent, digital transformation is driving growth in the medical devices industry. There is a high global demand for both tech and non-tech talent in the industry.

MOLLI Surgical recruits co-op students to get ahead of the talent crunch. The company hires students from programs like Biomedical, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering each term.

“We’re looking for talent that is passionate about the industry and wants to gain experience in medical devices,” says Michael Giannini (BASc ’16) (he/him) senior electromechanical engineer at MOLLI Surgical.

“I’m impressed with how enthusiastic and excited ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students we’ve hired are. Many of them may ultimately have a career in the industry.” Giannini is a former ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op student. He got his start with medical devices during a co-op work term.

I know from experience that when I post a job at ��ݮ��Ƶ, we’re going to interview students with multiple work terms. They are passionate about the work they do and usually have related experience. 

Michael Giannini

Michael Giannini (BASc ’16) (he/him), senior electromechanical engineer at MOLLI Surgical

Students assist medical device development from end-to-end

Co-op students work as research and development engineering interns at MOLLI Surgical. Students often work on all phases of the development projects. The project work can start with prototyping new designs and 3D printing different concepts to bring to surgeons for input. Once they have a viable prototype, students also work on developing test protocols and executing extensive testing.

Next, they might assist with design for manufacturing of the devices, documentation and regulatory requirements to create the product. 

“We’re a small company so students get to work outside of their comfort zone and learn new skills,” says Giannini. “We look for students who aren’t afraid to tackle work they might not have prior experience with. They must be okay with making mistakes and learning. Ontario is the largest area for medical device development and students are excited for the opportunity. They want to make an impact on the team.” 

Giannini sees students as an integral part of the team at MOLLI Surgical. The experiences that ��ݮ��Ƶ students gain through the University’s co-op program sets them apart from other students.

I find that ��ݮ��Ƶ students have the equivalent of one year's experience when we hire them. After going through our training, they are ready to hit the ground running and know what it’s like to work in a professional setting. We find them to be very beneficial for our company.

Michael Giannini

For Giannini, a bonus of working with co-op students is that they are very familiar with the latest technologies and know how to use them well. “If a student is open to taking on challenges and developing innovation in the medical device industry, it’s a great place to work,” he says. In the future, the company hopes to start hiring seasoned co-op students into full-time positions after they graduate.

Engineering sustainable food solutions: ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students use AI technology to improve mushroom production

Takudzwa Chipo Valerie Mudzongo — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 12:45:00 +0000

Engineering sustainable food solutions: ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students use AI technology to improve mushroom production Takudzwa Chipo… Tue, 06/18/2024 - 08:45

By: Krista Henry (she/her)

Future-ready engineers at startup Mycro Harvest use artificial intelligence (AI) to increase food production and help meet future demand.

The startup hires ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students to help assist their smart farms. Smart farming adopts advanced technologies to optimize and improve sustainability in agricultural production.

Mycro Harvest uses low-cost automations, powered by an AI growing system. The technology helps farmers to produce enough mushrooms to meet demand. Mycro Harvest's system provides constant monitoring, automatically adjusts environmental conditions based on crop needs, protects crops and increases production while reducing labour costs.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, by 2050, food production will need to increase by 60 per cent to feed a world population of 9.3 billion people.

The use of technology in agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture may provide viable solutions to help meet this need.

“At Mycro Harvest, we see the agriculture space as an important industry to inspire engineers to work in,” says Justin Cheng (he/him), chief technology officer and co-founder of Mycro Harvest.

“Agriculture is the most important supply chain in the world. We have demanding needs to meet to feed the future. We really don’t have enough talent in the agri-tech industry to support that.”

The startup uses ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students to fill that talent gap. Students work as product engineering assistants (smart farming systems) and as machine learning research and development assistants.

As a former ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op student himself, Cheng (BASc '22) understands the value students bring to the workplace.

Justin Cheng, chief technology officer and co-founder of Mycro Harvest

Students are a big part of our team and culture. They work on the hands-on building of our shipping container farms, on building prototype code for our machine learning algorithms and on validating sensor choices for our monitoring systems. We look for those scrappy, passionate students who want to make an impact on a product.

Justin Cheng, chief technology officer and co-founder, Mycro Harvest

When hiring, Mycro Harvest appreciates students who are involved in extracurricular design teams, who have personal projects or work with various clubs. “We look for a learning mentality and give them a lot of responsibility. But we give students the freedom to learn and make mistakes,” adds Cheng.

Inspiring next gen talent

Although Canada ranks as number two globally for agri-tech investors (according to Invest Canada), students often lack exposure to the agri-tech or food production industries. As industry works to accelerate automation and digitization, tech-savvy students can be an asset. ��ݮ��Ƶ students use their expertise with robotics, sensor data and AI deep learning to help organizations accelerate their goals.

“We see students who are roboticists and software engineers get the experience of working with organic systems,” says Cheng. “We get to witness them as they experience the value and reward from growing things themselves. Which then inspires their passion for agri-tech. I hope in the future we can continue to inspire more students.”

As an entrepreneur and ��ݮ��Ƶ graduate, Cheng sees how ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op students stand out for their entrepreneurial spirit. ��ݮ��Ƶ students, and the employers who hire them, are set up for success because students have access to a startup culture through programs like Velocity and campus events like hack-a-thons.

The exposure students at ��ݮ��Ƶ get with early-stage startups isn’t very common in other universities. Plus, the experience students get through co-op is unmatched. Not many other schools give students the opportunity that ��ݮ��Ƶ does to apply the skills they learn in classes to real engineering teams.

Justin Cheng

Mycro Harvest plans to hire more co-op students and help the industry continue to grow.

Ripple Therapeutics has an eye on future-ready talent from ��ݮ��Ƶ

Cassie Harrison — Tue, 21 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Ripple Therapeutics has an eye on future-ready talent from ��ݮ��Ƶ Cassie Harrison Tue, 05/21/2024 - 09:00

By: Krista Henry (she/her)

The company hires multiple students to work on ground-breaking pharmaceuticals.

Ripple Therapeutics has its sights set on co-op talent from ��ݮ��Ƶ. The growing company incorporates students’ expertise into their unique Epidel™ technology.

The company aims to improve the treatment of diseases or conditions of the eye through ophthalmic therapeutics. Using controllable, sustained drug delivery for treatment, Ripple Therapeutics products help to provide better outcomes for patients. In its clinical stage of development, the company currently hires up to five co-op students each term to support its small team of 25 people.

Greg Whitton, PhD (he/him), senior manager of chemistry and analytical at Ripple Therapeutics

We’ve been building over the last three years in our co-op hiring, adding students to different teams in our company. We’ve found having students to be a great and rewarding experience.

Greg Whitton

The company hires ��ݮ��Ƶ students from Medicinal Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Nanotechnology Engineering and Life Physics programs. Students mainly work in research and development scientist roles in areas such as synthetic and analytical chemistry, materials science and manufacturing, drug product development and preclinical studies.

At Ripple Therapeutics, students have made meaningful contributions such as synthesizing novel drug conjugates and designing experiments to optimize in vitro drug release or other testing processes. They also work on optimizing the manufacturing process and contribute to preparing and testing drug implants.

“It’s not a straightforward task preparing small ocular implant samples. The process involves an extrusion of the drug material, followed by cutting implants to the desired size, loading them into needles and sterilization,” says Whitton.

"Each drug material behaves differently through each stage and the sample preparation, characterization and testing of these implants requires attention to detail, good documentation and organizational skills.

We have been very pleased with students’ abilities to successfully carry out these types of tasks.”

The ripple effect of hiring co-op students

Whitton (BSc ’06, PhD ’13) is a former ��ݮ��Ƶ co-op student who has experienced first-hand the benefits students can bring to an organization. These include:

Bringing energy and enthusiasm

“Students bring that youth and excitement of a technology they have not seen before. Sometimes we take for granted how unique our technology can be and students come in and see the opportunities. They make those contributions to the team and it gets everyone excited.”

Providing fresh perspectives from their co-op experience

“We often work with intermediate or senior students. They bring ideas from their previous work terms into Ripple that we apply to our technology and development process. Sometimes that comes from a simple experiment or idea to help us improve a process.”

Impacting company productivity

“There is a training phase involved with students that I think some companies shy away from. But an experienced co-op student can learn and adapt to new roles quickly. This allows them to make a net positive contribution over their work term.”

Whitton describes Ripple Therapeutics as a fast-paced and collaborative small company driven by the responsibility to develop new technologies to improve the lives of patients. The company allows co-op students to participate as full members of the team and strives to integrate them into the company culture.

The company provides students with an informative onboarding process so they can perform to the best of their ability. They also ensure each student feels psychologically safe while at work and are focused on their well-being.

Looking for the right talent

When hiring co-op students, the company relies on ��ݮ��Ƶ’s rank/match process to help narrow down its top selections. The team looks at not only a student’s experience but also considers a student’s enthusiasm and passion.

“In most cases, you can train a student on the technical side of what you do. What we look for is self-motivation. A student that will reach out and let their supervisor know when they have time to help in other areas beyond their core responsibilities,” says Whitton.

In the future, Whitton believes the industry needs to find more people who are creative and thrive at problem solving. As technology evolves, the company looks for analytical and driven students with an eye for detail.

The company has had success with hiring co-op students and plans to continue recruiting from ��ݮ��Ƶ for years to come.