Archived News
2020
December 2020
MD/PhD students Vinyas Harish and Felipe Morgado are announced as learner co-leads in the Temerty Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education in Medicine.
Mohammad Asadi-Lari has been given the Posthumous Singular Award of Merit by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) in recognition of his “exemplary leadership, initiative and commitment to making a difference at the local, provincial/territorial or national level.”
The MD/PhD Class Holiday Party made the best possible use of zoom to bring us all together. Best class photo goes to the 2T4's.
October 2020
MD/PhD student Ayesh Seneviratne has been awarded the Institute of Medical Science (IMS) 2020 Siminovitch-Salter Award. Congratulations!
September 2020
Welcome to our new MD/PhD first year students!
August 2020
MD/PhD student Ethan Malkin was awarded the 2020-21 Queen Elizabeth II / Dr. Dina Gordon Malkin Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology, named after his pioneering grandmother, and 1948 medicine graduate.
MD/PhD student Kramay Patel was awarded the UHN Geoff Fernie Impact Award.
July 2020
MD/PhD Director Dr. Nicola Jones is recognized for 25 years of service at SickKids.
MD/PhD student Felipe Morgado's research wins the 2020 Autism Scholars Award.
MD/PhD student Josh Abraham's research breakthrough is featured by the Faculty of Medicine news and published in Nature.
"Abraham is an MD/PhD student who began work on the project in 2014. “I pursued this work having observed enrichment of Pol II at ribosomal DNA genes in the nucleolus, which was compelling,” said Abraham, who will finish his medical training next year. “It’s incumbent upon every scientist to challenge existing models should the evidence support an alternate one.”
June 2020
Our alumni and Mid-Point Students were celebrated at convocation and in our private zoom party.
MD/PhD alumnus and current supervisor, Dr. Valiante, shows that eye movements modulate activity in memory-processing brain regions, shedding light on the role of eye movements in memory functions.
A new report by Glenn Walpole describes how BurkholderiaMicrobe(a respiratory pathogen) avoids macrophage digestion by diverting intracellular traffic. Phagosomes w/ bacteria delay lysosome fusion dependent on WASH, Arp2/3, and F-actin.
Hannah Kozlowski is the winner of the 2020 Robert and Francine Ruggles Innovation Award! To an MD/PhD student for exceptional innovation and funds $50,000 over 2 years. Her project: "Developing a sensitive, point of care platform for diagnosing COVID-19"
Alainna Jamal showed NP swabs are more sensitive than saliva for #COVID19 testing.
Andrew Mazzanti is a founding member of the Canadian Queer Medical Students Association (CQMSA)- a new national association made by and for queer medical students across Canada
May 2020
Vinyas Harish joins a team of Ontario doctors and researchers have created a platform to monitor the province's public and economic health through COVID-19 as the analytics lead, as featured in the Toronto Star.
Dr. Amanda Khan's journey to her MD/PhD is featured in UofT News.
Dr. Warren Chan, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, wins the 2020 Norman Rosenblum Award for Excellence in Mentorship in the MD/PhD Program. The award recognizes faculty members, residents, or members of staff who exhibit an exemplary level of leadership and commitment to mentorship and role modeling for MD/PhD students in the Faculty of Medicine.
Sachin Kumar article "Metabolic Regulation of the Epigenome Drives Lethal Infantile Ependymoma" is published in Cell.
Kramay Patel is honoured as a divisional student ambassador during the first ever virtual convocations at UofT.
April 2020
Kramay Patel helps provide masks for Toronto's most vulnerable with Stitch 4 Covid
MD/PhD Seminars changed format to Friday Coffee and Zooms due to COVID-19.
March 2020
Congrats to our 2020 MD/PhD Matches!
Ayan Dey – UofT Psychiatry
Kyle Eastwood – Dalhousie Emergency Medicine
Amanda (Amy) Khan – University of Calgary Radiation Oncology
Jieun Kim – University of Alberta Orthopedic Surgery
Natasha Lane – UBC Internal Medicine
Curtis Woodfield – UCSF Vascular Surgery
You (Richard) Wu – UofT Internal Medicine
January 2020
The MD/PhD community mourns the loss of our beloved colleague Mohammad Asadi-Lari on Flight 752, with his sister Zeynab. He created a legacy as a brilliant scientist, compassionate clinician and engaged citizen. He will be dearly missed by the entire MD/PhD community. To understand his passion, take the time to watch Moh's TedTalk.
The University of Toronto has launched a new endowed fund, the Iranian Student Memorial Scholarship Fund, to honour the memory of those who died in the tragic crash of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 in Tehran, Iran.
2019
December 2019
Our students Mitch De Snoo and Erik Friesen recently discovered that a chaperone protein BAG5 regulates a Parkinson's disease related pathway. BAG5 impairs recycling of damaged mitochondria and promotes cell death.
Ayesh K. Seneviratne won 2019 Paper of the Year Award from the Canadian Hematology Society.
Tim Rappon says artificial intelligence's influence on medicine will be a 'quiet revolution'. His research has shed light on how AI can be used to improve decision-making across healthcare.
November 2019
Natasha Lane's piblished an opinion piece in the Toronto Star: Nobody wins when hospitals become long-term care homes
Patrick Steadman's article on new form of neuroplasticity where new myelin is made when we make memories to help synchronize neural circuits is featured in Scientific American.
May 2019
Congratulations to our graduates:
Robyn Elphinstone - Paediatrics, University of Toronto
Jonathan Fuller - Academia
Florence Wu - Internal Medicine, University of British Columbia
Kirill Zaslavsky - Ophthalmology, University of Toronto
2019 MP Students
These are current MD/PhD students receiving special recognition for having completed the first four years of the MD/PhD Program--they are part way through their MD studies, and part way through their PhD, hence "MP" students!
SACHIN KUMAR, SARA MIRALI, TINA BINESH MARVASTI, SYDNEY MCQUEEN, PAYMON AZIZI, ROBERT CIVITARESE, GAVIN ELIAS, IRENE HARMSEN, BRIAN TSANG, GLENN WALPOLE
Congratulations to Brian Tsang, our 2020 Ruggles Innovation Award winner for his project “Using phase separation as an approach for targeting disease-associated protein regions that lack any defined protein structures.” This award has a value of $50,000 over 2 years, and is in addition to regular funding.
MD/PhD students in the news
April 2019
Swapna Mylabathula and her sister were invited to Ottawa to present their research and recommendations on concussions for a National Concussions Strategy. See their presentation to Parliament; and here they are on CTV News
Kirill Zaslavsky published a paper in the April issue of Nature Neuroscience titled, "SHANK2 mutations associated with autism spectrum disorder cause hyperconnectivity of human neurons". Download it here.
Ayesh Seneviratne published a paper in the April issue of Cell Stem Cell titled, "The Mitochondrial Transacylase, Tafazzin, Regulates AML Stemness by Modulating Intracellular Levels of Phospholipids". Download it here.
Congratulations to students who recently defended their PhD!
April 2019
Amanda Khan; Graduate Unit: IBBME; Supervisor: James Drake
Ayan Dey; Graduate Unit: IMS; Supervisor: Brian Levine
March 2019
Nicholas Howell; Graduate Unit: IHPME; Supervisor: Gillian Booth
Congratulations to winners of national awards!
April 2019
Prajay Shah received the Canadian Open Neuroscience Platform Research Scholar Award.
Several MD/PhD students received various CIHR funded national awards! Their names will be announced shortly.
Congratulations to our latest CIHR Award winners!
2018
Congratulations to our latest CIHR Award winners!
July 2018
Tina Binesh Marvasti received a CIHR Vanier award.
Irene Harmsen received a CIHR Vanier award.
Hannah Kozlowski received a CIHR Vanier award.
Brian Tsang received a CIHR Vanier award.
Sara Mirali received a CIHR CGS-D award.
Siraj Zahr received a CIHR CGS-D award.
Andy Zheng received a 2018 CGS-M award.
Alex Dhaliwal received a 2018 CGS-M award.
Congratulations to this year's Ruggles Innovation Award winner!
July 2018
Nicholas Light, MD/PhD Year 4 Student, is named the Mr.Robert and Ms. Francine Ruggles Innovation Award recipient for 2018. This is awarded to an MD/PhD student currently in a graduate program, whose research demonstrates innovation related to the use of devices, patient care, sustainability of the health system, or research. The value of the award is $50,000 awarded over 2 years, and is in addition to a student's existing funding. Nicholas' work relates to Cancer Presdisposition Syndromes and their association with various cancers.
May 2018
Nicholas Howell's recent awards: Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium Student Travel Award; Claire Bombardier Award for the Most Promising Student in the Clinical Epidemiology & Health Care Research Program; Robert Dugg Barron Award for the Best oral Presentation or Poster related to Public Health Policy at IHPME Research Day; IHPME Resaerch Day Award Winner for Best Oral Presentation in Patient Literacy & Provide Education
2017
June 2017
Read MD/PhD Director, Dr. Rosenblum's article "Will Clinician-Scientists Define Canada's Future?"
Learn more about MD/PhD student, Jonathan Fuller, and his work in the Philosophy of Medicine.
May 2017
Read interviews with two of our 2017 MD/PhD graduates, Susan Armstrong and Robert Vanner.
April 2017
MD/PhD student Robin Oh interviewed in MedEmail.
March 2017
Read the feature on Glenn Walpole in Faces of U of T Medicine.
MD/PhD Student, Josh Abraham, wins the Adel S. Sedra Distinguished Graduate Award
For Karan (Joshua) Abraham (BSc 2011 TRIN), a student in the MD/PhD program at the Faculty of Medicine who is pursuing his doctorate in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, science is not just all these things, but also about sharing the wonder of discovery with the scientists of the future. read more in this featured story.
MD/PhD Program featured in MAA Matters
January 2017
Current MD/PhD student, Ashish Deshwar, is featured on the cover of the Fall MAA Matters Magazine. Take a moment to learn about 2 of our current students, a recent alumni, and life after CIHR funding.
Faces of U of T Medicine: Amanda Khan, one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women
January 2017
Learn more about our MD/PhD student, Amy Khan in this feature article.
2016
U of T Hosts Young Investigators Forum
November 2016
MD/PhD students join Canada's future clinician scientists at this annual meeting featured here.
HIV, Crocodile Blood and Ebola: Meet MD/PhD Student Hannah Kozlowski
November 2016
Read more about Hannah and her first year in the MD/PhD Program.
Faces of U of T Medicine: MD/PhD student Natasha Lane
November 2016
Read this great feature on MD/PhD Student, Natasha Lane: As our population ages, ensuring our health care system is structured in a way that supports older adults sustainably is a key priority. MD/PhD student Natasha Lane explored this topic through her four-year PhD program with a focus in Heath Services Research at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. Lane is currently in her second year of the MD Program and she shares with writer Tabitha Chan what a few key moments have been so far, as well as discussing her growing interest in gerontology.
Faces of U of T Medicine: Enoch Ng
October 2016
MD/PhD student Enoch Ng completed his five-year PhD in behavioural neuroscience. Currently in his third year of the MD Program, Ng shares what fascinates him about the human mind, and what his experience in the MD Program has been like so far with writer Tabitha Chan.
MD/PhD Research Focus: Shrey Sindhwani
June 2016
Tracking nanoparticles with transparent organs to help fight cancer and other diseases
Alumni Update: Andrew Perrin
May 2016
Dr. Andrew Perrin, a 2013 graduate, has received support from the Child and Family Research Institute for an OCD pilot study during his residency at BC Childeren's Hospital.
Featured person
Xin (Kevin) Wang
Xin (Kevin) Wang entered the MD/PhD program in 2010 after completing a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree at McMaster University.
Currently in his third year of the PhD, Kevin is pursuing a functional genomics project under the supervision of Dr. Michael Taylor at the Hospital for Sick Children. Kevin’s work aims to apply novel genetic animal models to explore the mechanisms of tumor initiation and maintenance.
Having access to the largest pediatric medulloblastoma database in the world, Kevin is able to take a cross-species genetics approach to identify true drivers of cancer combining data from human, mouse, and zebrafish.
To date, Kevin’s work has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as Nature, Oncogene, and Neurosurgery. He is also the author of several book chapters and most recently was featured in AANS Neurosurgeon discussing how the molecular era of medicine will transform pediatric oncology. Kevin is the recipient of several awards for his research including the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship and Ruggles MD/PhD Innovation Award, and has been invited to speak at both national and international meetings.
Outside of the lab, Kevin is the president-elect of the Clinician Investigator Trainee Association of Canada, working towards improving clinician scientist training. Kevin is also a member of the varsity fencing team and enjoys running, traveling and long walks on the beach.
2015
Dean Trevor Young, Faculty of Medicine, recommitting to MD/PHD Program
September 28, 2015
In the face of CIHR cuts, Dean Trevor Young explains the Faculty’s continued support of this important program. Please visit our FAQ page for questions about the CIHR funding cuts.
Funding FAQ for MD/PhD Program
September 14, 2015
On June 18, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) announced it was ceasing funding to MD/PhD programs in Canada after the current (2015-16) academic year. This decision has led to an understandable variety of questions from current and prospective students about the future of this program. Below we respond to some of the most frequent and pressing questions.
1. Will the University of Toronto continue to admit students to the MD/PhD program after the current academic year?
Absolutely. The University of Toronto remains committed to this important program, which has trained generations of leaders in the field of medical research.
2. Will you continue to admit the same number of students?
The number of students admitted to the MD/PhD program has always varied depending on the quality of applicants. However, we don’t foresee the withdrawal of financial support by CIHR as an impediment to admitting qualified students into this program.
3. How might the MD/PhD program change as a result of CIHR’s decision?
Not at all. The University of Toronto has always determined the design and delivery of this program. While the funding provided by CIHR supported students financially, the CIHR has had no role in curriculum.
4. How will the University of Toronto make up for the loss of funding?
We are exploring a number of options to continue to finance this program.
5. How do I learn more?
Please see our FAQ page for prospective students.
Do you still have questions?
Contact the MD/PhD program via e-mail.
You can support continued funding for the MD/PhD programs by CIHR by signing the Clinician Investigator Trainee Association of Canada (CITAC) petition.
Pair O Docs: Spring 2015
September 14, 2015
View our Spring 2015 MD/PhD newsletter.
2014
Not Applicable
2013
MD/PhD Longitudinal Mentorship Program launch
September 03, 2013
We are pleased to announce the launch of the MD/PhD Longitudinal Mentorship Program this Spring 2013. This is an annual program designed to connect students with alumni and established physician scientists. Mentors can provide advice on career choices, professional development and opportunities. Students are encouraged to set goals and meet regularly with their mentors to establish a lasting connection.
On June 13, 2013, we held a kick-off event to introduce the program to the enrollees. Dr. Norm Rosenblum, MD/PhD Program Director, and Dr. Robert Jankov, Senior Scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children, spoke about the benefits of mentorship and how to form an effective mentor-mentee relationship. Morgan Tilley, Office of Advancement and Program Development/Administration, outlined the structure of the program. Feedback and inquiries about the program can be directed to Morgan.
2012
Task Force on Physician Scientist Education approved by Faculty Council
October 22, 2012
On June 7, 2012, a Task Force on Physician Scientist Education, chaired by Norman Rosenblum, Associate Dean, Physician Scientist Training, and constituted by education leaders and physician scientists at the University of Toronto, submitted its report to Dr. Catharine Whiteside, Dean of Medicine.
The Task Force was convened in the fall of 2012. The overall goal of the Task Force was to examine the approach to educating and supporting the physician scientist at the University of Toronto. I am excited to share the report (PDF) with the University of Toronto community. The SWOT analysis, contained within, highlights co-existing realities that shaped the Task Force recommendations. On the one hand, physician scientists are critical to the health system. Yet, in the face of dynamic changes in the health system and in medical education, the model for physician scientist training has been essentially static for decades. Based on the SWOT analysis, the Task Force makes seven major recommendations with far-reaching consequences for the identity of physician scientists in the health system and the nature of physician scientist education.
The final report was widely circulated across the Faculty and amongst all stakeholder groups, and has now received approval at the level of Faculty Council. Over the next few months, working groups will be convened whose terms of reference will focus on the steps and timelines required to pursue the newly articulated vision for Physician Scientist Training Programs at the University of Toronto.
MD/PhD Newsletters
Pair O Docs 2015 (PDF)
Pair O Docs 2014 (PDF)
Pair O Docs 2013 (PDF)
Pair O Docs 2012 (PDF)
Pair O Docs 2011 (PDF)
Pair O Docs 2010 (PDF)
Pair O Docs 2009 (PDF)