Training

Training program objectives

The long-term objective of TOeP is to provide a skilled entrepreneurial workforce for Ontario and Canada, one that will fuel the creation of a hi-tech economy to replace the shrinking classical manufacturing sector, e.g. automotive and resource based industries. Our hypothesis is that by emphasizing alternative career paths focused on entrepreneurship and by equipping trainees with the necessary skills to succeed in these careers, we will be able to more efficiently transfer laboratory discoveries into commercial products and services. The specific aims of TOeP are:

  1. Provide world-leading training of the highest scientific standard in microfabrication, microfluidics, polymer chemistry, organ-on-a-chip engineering and technology translation.
  2. Provide training in hard (intellectual property (IP) law, business, finance) and soft (networking, etiquette, public speaking, pitching, critical thinking & analysis, team work) skills essential to entrepreneurial success.
  3. Develop a network of partners committed to TOeP (e.g. business advisors, patent lawyers, venture capital (VC) firms and incubators) to assist trainees in their entrepreneurial activities.

Courses offered for TOeP Trainees 2021-2022

It is mandatory that trainees take CHE1334H: Organ-on- a-Chip Engineering, offered Winter 2022, if they haven’t previously taken this course.

Introduction Seminar / Pitching and Public Speaking

Date: Tuesday September 14th 2021
Time: 12:00PM-1:30PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for All Trainees
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Speaker: Professor Milica Radisic, Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto and CREATE Leader (LinkedIn)

Introduction to the Health Innovation Hub (H2i)

Date: Wednesday September 29th 2021
Time: 12:00PM-1:00PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for All Trainees
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Speaker: Professor Paul Santerre, Co-founder and Director of the Health Innovation Hub (H2i) (LinkedIn)

IP Law (Internal to UofT)

Date: Tuesday October 12th 2021
Time: 12:00PM-1:00PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for Trainees Missing Requirement
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Speaker: Jae-Ho Yoo, Innovations and Entrepreneurship Manager at the University of Toronto (LinkedIn); and Dr. Stephane Levesque, Patent Agent and Patent Portfolio Manager in the Innovations & Partnerships Office at the University of Toronto (LinkedIn)

Entrepreneurship Seminar #1

Date: Tuesday October 26th 2021
Time: 12:00PM-1:00PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for All Trainees
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Speaker: Seray Çiçek, Co-Founder & CEO at LSK Technologies Inc. (LinkedIn)

IP Law (External to UofT)

Date: Tuesday November 23rd 2021
Time: 12:00PM-1:00PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for Trainees Missing Requirement
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Speaker: Ian P. Goodman, Intellectual Property Lawyer (LinkedIn)

Organ-on-a-Chip Engineering #1

Date: Tuesday January 18th 2022
Time: 12:00PM-1:00PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for All Trainees
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Speaker: Dr. Annie Moisan, Human Organs, Physiology & Engineering (HOPE) Program Director at Wellcome Leap (LinkedIn); and Professor David Mooney, Core Faculty Member, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University

Entrepreneurship Seminar #2

Date: Tuesday February 8th 2022 (Updated 2021-11-03)
Time: 12:00PM-1:00PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for All Trainees
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Speaker: Professor Molly Shoichet, CSO and Co-Founder of AmacaThera Inc. (LinkedIn)

Business & Finance #1

Date: Tuesday February 15th 2022
Time: 12:00PM-1:00PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for Trainees Missing Requirement
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Speaker: Susan Bruggemann, COO and CFO at Quthero, Inc. (LinkedIn)

Business & Finance #2

Date: Tuesday February 22nd 2022
Time: 12:00PM-1:00PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for Trainees Missing Requirement
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Speaker: Susan Bruggemann, COO and CFO at Quthero, Inc. (LinkedIn)

Organ-on-a-Chip Engineering #2

Date: Tuesday March 22nd 2022 (Updated 2021-10-14)
Time: 12:00PM-1:00PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for All Trainees
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Speaker: Dr. Kimberly Homan, Director of the Complex in Vitro Systems Group at Genentech (LinkedIn)

Leadership, Critical Thinking, and Project Management

Date: To Be Announced
Time: To Be Announced
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for Trainees Missing Requirement
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Speaker: Albert Huynh, Leadership Learning and Curriculum Coordinator at the Troost Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering, University of Toronto (LinkedIn)

Pitching and Public Speaking: Session #1

Date: Monday April 25th 2022
Time: 12:00PM-2:00PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for Trainees Missing Requirement
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Judges: Professor Milica Radisic (LinkedIn), Professor Paul Santerre (LinkedIn), and Professor Craig Simmons (LinkedIn)

Pitching and Public Speaking: Session #2 (If Necessary)

Date: Tuesday April 26th 2022
Time: 12:00PM-2:00PM
Attendance Requirement: Mandatory for Trainees Missing Requirement
Location: Zoom (links to be sent via email)
Judges:Professor Milica Radisic (LinkedIn), Professor Paul Santerre (LinkedIn), and Professor Craig Simmons (LinkedIn)

Electives

There may be additional courses that you wish to take, or have taken, in lieu of some of the above mandatory courses, please confirm with the program coordinator to ascertain whether you will be allowed a credit for such substitution.

Please investigate the following sources for other courses of interest:

ILEAD – http://ilead.engineering.utoronto.ca/

Medventions at Sunnybrookhttp://sunnybrook.ca/calendar/?s=14

JLabshttps://jlabs.jnjinnovation.com/

H2I http://h2i.utoronto.ca/

Creative destruction labhttps://www.creativedestructionlab.com/

Banting and Best Innovationhttp://entrepreneurs.utoronto.ca/

MaRS Innovationhttp://marsinnovation.com/

SGS Options programhttp://gradstudies.engineering.utoronto.ca/research-degrees/phd-career-workshops/

Launchpadhttp://libcal.library.utoronto.ca/event/2842055

IMpact Centerhttp://www.impactcentre.ca/

MITACShttps://step.mitacs.ca/en

Previous Years Schedules

2020-2021

2019-2020

2018-2019

2017-2018