From left to right, top to bottom: Biomedical Sciences student Emily Nguyen, Computer Science student Kesha Shah, Biomedical Engineering student Ayaan Mohamed and Biomedical Sciences student Fiza Butt.
Four female-identifying Toronto Metropolitan University students from the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science will spend their summers working in iBEST-based research labs to advance biomedical innovation thanks to a donation by the Leacross Foundation. The generous $100,000 donation from the Leacross Foundation covers a stipend for each intern and will cover the purchase of supplies and lab equipment.
“The Leacross Foundation prides itself on supporting women as they engage in underrepresented fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Trades,” said Roslyn Bern, president of the Leacross Foundation.
Emily Nguyen is a third-year undergraduate Biomedical Sciences student who will be joining the Maternal Fetal Imaging (MFI) Lab with Dr. Dafna Sussman (Toronto Metropolitan University) and Dr. Michelle Sholzberg (Unity Health). Their work is finding non-invasive ways to measure menstrual iron loss for the early diagnosis and monitoring of iron deficiency.
Kesha Shah is a third-year Computer Science undergraduate student who will be joining Dr. Elodie Lugez (Toronto Metropolitan University) and Dr. Darren Yuen (Unity Health) in the Laboratory for Translational Medicine using ultrasound imaging and AI to better understand kidney fibrosis with the aim of diagnosing patients earlier in their journey.
Elodie Lugez (Toronto Metropolitan University) and Dr. Darren Yuen (Unity Health) in the Laboratory for Translational Medicine using ultrasound imaging and AI to better understand kidney fibrosis with the aim of diagnosing patients earlier in their journey.
Ayaan Mohamed is a third-year Biomedical Engineering student who will be joining Dr. Virgilio Valente (Toronto Metropolitan University) and Dr. Steven Lin (Unity Health) in the Wireless Sensing Lab (WiS) to advance the treatment of myocardial ischemia. The team is developing a microneedle patch used to continuously monitor the patient for biomarkers of myocardial ischemia.
Fiza Butt is a third-year Biomedical Science student who will be joining the collaborative nanomedicine research labs of Dr. David Cramb (Toronto Metropolitan University) and Dr. Hagar Labouta (Unity Health) to explore innovative drug delivery systems for the treatment of preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy complication.
“When we engage with institutions or businesses, we are setting up opportunities that have been vetted to provide an enriching experience that also sets the tone for inclusive and diverse work environments,” added Bern. “We tackle unconscious bias and maintain clear parameters to allow the interns to enrich their lives, and subsequently their futures. We are pleased to continue a partnership with iBEST and Toronto Metropolitan University, providing funding and navigating the expectations in these ever-expanding fields of research in the 21st century.”
With this gift from the Leacross Foundation, iBEST is creating opportunities for women in STEM to dive into groundbreaking health innovation, according to the iBEST co-directors, Dr. Michael Kolios, Dr. Stephen Waldman (both of Toronto Metropolitan University) and Dr. Tom Schweizer (Unity Health). These internships provide students with hands-on research experience while building their professional networks, learning from experts in their field and using state-of-the-art technology. With mentorship from top academic and clinical leaders, students will gain real-world skills and contribute to research shaping the future of healthcare.
Read about other opportunities at the Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology.
