CSPC

Unlocking the Promise of Cell and Gene Therapies in Canada Through Translational Research: Making Evidence Where It Matters
2026-04-28 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Toronto) | Zoom
Register HereCanada stands at a critical juncture in the development and adoption of cell and gene therapies (CGTs), transformative treatments that hold potential for curing or significantly improving the course of life-threatening and chronic diseases. Innovation is progressing rapidly; however, Canada’s life sciences and healthcare ecosystem is not in a state of readiness to bring these advanced therapies to our patients.
Recent reports and discussions have focused on accelerated patient access to CGTs through system integration efforts such as aligning regulatory and reimbursement processes and bolstering healthcare infrastructure and coordination. This panel positions translational research as the lynchpin for converting scientific promise into clinical, regulatory, and payer confidence—providing the high-quality, decision-ready evidence needed to reduce uncertainty and move therapies from discovery into clinical development and, ultimately, patient care.
Unlike most sectors, advancing a technology in the life sciences requires repeated engagement with regulators across the full development continuum, from preclinical programs, to first-in-human studies, to pivotal trials, post-market evidence generation, and back again as new questions emerge. For CGTs in particular, this iterative pathway demands a laser focus on clinical translation: generating robust, credible evidence that satisfies regulators, payers, clinicians, and patients. Importantly, this focus represents a shared metric of success for both academia and industry.
Anchoring this translational work in Canada points to important questions about where evidence should be generated, how domestic clinical development shapes learning, and what advantages may emerge when regulators, researchers, and developers evolve together through ongoing evidence generation. Drawing on international experts from Europe and the United States alongside Canadian leadership, panelists with diverse experiences in the research, healthcare, industry, and regulatory sectors will explore:

What evidence unlocks translation of CGTs, and how does that differ for regulators, health technology assessment (HTA) bodies, clinicians, patients and investors?
How do regulators act as partners in CGT translation, not just gatekeepers?
How do we anchor translational research domestically and why does it matter?
What can Canada learn from other countries seeking to enable safe, timely, and equitable access to CGTs through product and policy innovation grounded in high-quality evidence?

Speaker information coming soon!Stéphanie Michaud, PhDPresident and CEO, BioCanRx See Bio×Dr. Stéphanie Michaud
Stéphanie Michaud, PhD is the President and CEO of BioCanRx, a not-for-profit in Canada that seeks to accelerate the delivery of innovative immunotherapies from the bench to the bedside. In this position, Dr. Michaud is responsible for running all facets of the organization. She brings more than 20 years of public, government and private sector experience in research and Science & Technology innovation policy. She strives to create partnerships between government, not-for-profits, academia and industry to maximize the impact of research funded by the BioCanRx network on the lives of those affected by cancer.
Prior to joining BioCanRx, Dr. Michaud was Deputy Director of the flagship Government of Canada Networks Centres of Excellence (NCE) program. In addition to responsibility for its performance, management and delivery, she led the implementation of high profile bilateral international initiatives and provided strategic advice to government and stakeholders. She is a strong contributor to S&T policy, most notably in intellectual property. Dr. Michaud earned a PhD in Organic Chemistry from McGill University. She is involved with a number of not-for-profit organizations and is a member of the Board of Directors of Research Canada and CQDM and also, the Advisory Board of the Canadian Cancer Research Alliance.
Peter Marks, MD, PhDSenior Vice President, Molecule Discovery & Head of Infectious Disease, Eli Lilly See Bio×Peter Marks, MD, PhD
Peter Marks, MD, PhD received his graduate degree in cell and molecular biology and his medical degree at New York University and completed Internal Medicine residency and Hematology/Medical Oncology training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He has worked in academic settings teaching and caring for patients and in industry on drug development. In 2012, he joined the Food and Drug Administration and served as Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research from 2016 to 2025. He is currently Senior Vice President for Molecule Development and Head of Infectious Disease at Eli Lilly and Company, has published extensively, and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine.
Natasha Kekre, MD, MPH, FRCPCHematologist, Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program, The Ottawa Hospital See Bio×Dr. Natasha Kekre
Natasha Kekre, MD, MPH, FRCPC is a Transplant Physician/Hematologist within the Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH), Scientist and Program Director of the Cancer Research Program within the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI), and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Ottawa. She holds the Research Chair in Advanced Stem Cell Therapy at TOH. She obtained her medical degree from the University of Ottawa, where she also trained in Internal Medicine and Hematology. She went on to do a fellowship in stem cell transplantation at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston with a Masters in Public Health from Harvard University.
Dr. Kekre’s research focuses on translating home-grown therapeutic strategies into early phase clinical trials for patients with hematologic malignancies. She collaborated with scientists and physicians across Canada to build the internationally recognized Canadian-Led Immunotherapies Collaborative (CLIC) program and initiate the first clinical trial of a made-in-Canada CAR-T therapy. Building on these transformational achievements, she is now working to expand this platform to other made-in-Canada CAR-T products. Other research interests include clinical research focused on blood and marrow transplant and CAR-T therapy recipients, and projects with an epidemiologic focus.
Patrick Bedford, MBA, MBHL, BHScVice President, Regulatory & Strategic Operations, Morphocell Technologies See Bio×Patrick Bedford
Patrick Bedford, MBA, MBHL, BHSc is the Vice President of Regulatory & Strategic Operations at Morphocell Technologies, Inc and Founder of weCANreg Consulting Group, Inc. He brings deep expertise in translational, regulatory, and compliance strategies for emerging biotechnologies, having led policy development for biosimilars, transplant materials, and cell & gene therapies during his career at Health Canada, where he also represented Canada internationally on classification and harmonization committees. Since 2016, Patrick has been a prominent Canadian advocate in the global cell & gene therapy community, supporting dozens of early-stage programs and multiple commercial cell and gene therapy products. In addition to his industry leadership, he continues to shape regulatory policy in North America and actively contributes to Canada’s innovation ecosystem as a guest lecturer at universities and an advisor through accelerators such as Creative Destruction Labs and Lab2Market.

Carmen Sanges, PhDEU Initiatives Scientific & Strategic Project Lead, Cellular Immunotherapy Program, University Hospital Würzburg See Bio×Dr. Carmen Sanges
Carmen Sanges, PhD is a medical biotechnologist with a PhD in Molecular Biology and Medical Biotechnology and over seven years of industry experience in clinical operations and translational research. She is EU Initiatives Scientific & Strategic Project Lead at the Cellular Immunotherapy Program of the University Hospital Würzburg (UKW) and Executive Director of the T2EVOLVE Association. Carmen coordinates and contributes to multiple European initiatives in advanced therapies, with a strong focus on CAR-T and TCR cell therapies, regulatory science, manufacturing innovation, and patient access, and is committed to building sustainable, cross-stakeholder ecosystems across Europe.

Co-Developing the Future: Indigenous Partnerships and Culture Changes in Federal STEM
2026-05-14 13:30 - 15:00
Register HereThis panel builds on the multi-year arc of the federal Indigenous-Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (I-STEM) Cluster discussions at CSPC (2022-2024), which shifted conversations from “integrating” Indigenous Knowledge into existing systems toward engaging Indigenous and Western sciences as parallel, intact knowledge systems within ethical space. This reframing recognizes that meaningful partnership requires cultural, structural, and procedural transformations – including Indigenous governance of knowledge, distinctions-based partnership models, data sovereignty, and institutional conditions that uphold Indigenous rights and self-determination.
Extending the call made in Bridging Knowledge Systems in Regulatory Research – Creating the Conditions for Change – CSPC, this 2026 virtual panel highlights how federal departments are beginning to operationalize these shifts through co-developed approaches that share authority, re-design internal STEM practices, and reorient science towards relational accountability. Through examples from the Tri Council agencies’ co developed evaluation approaches, the Northern Contaminants Program’s community-led monitoring model, and the Wiiche’iwaymagon–Health Canada partnership advancing Indigenous food safety technologies, panelists will examine how concrete institutional changes—funding structures, timelines, governance processes, and ethics practices—enable ethical, trusted, and context responsive science.
By making visible the cultural and governance conditions required to support parallel knowledge systems, the panel will offer science-policy practitioners practical pathways for creating ethical space, strengthening co-governance, and advancing federal commitments to reconciliation and Indigenous rights. These lessons are intended to support federal organizations seeking to design science and regulatory practices that are more legitimate, transparent, and accountable to the communities they serve.
Expected Outcomes:

Participants will be able to identify new approaches and tools that can be adapted across sectors and disciplines to support inclusive and impactful change.
Science policy practitioners will demonstrate enhanced understanding about the innovative potential of Indigenous knowledges in addressing complex, real-world challenges, such as, including co-developed Indigenous research training, evaluation approaches, climate change impacts on human health, and food security.
Greater recognition of the importance of culture change within organizations, particularly in terms of fostering inclusivity and responsiveness to Indigenous needs and priorities and benefits for all Canadians.
Strengthened collaboration between Indigenous communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders in addressing shared challenges.

Key Areas of Focus:

Transforming the Research Ecosystem in Federal Research Funding (SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR)
In 2019, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council published Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training in Canada, a strategic plan co-developed with Indigenous partners in support of improving the research ecosystem for Indigenous researchers in Canada. On the eve of the sunsetting of this ambitious strategy, this presentation will share important examples of innovation in science policy, as well as exciting new approaches being co-developed with Indigenous partners to evaluate the impact of the Strategy that can help to support meaningful shifts in research policy and practice within Canada’s science policy space.
Northern Contaminants Program: Joint presentation from HC and CIRNAC. This presentation will highlight how the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) supports community-led, culturally grounded research and monitoring of contaminants in traditionally harvested foods. It will showcase the vital role of Indigenous and northern partners in shaping and sharing knowledge to protect health and ecosystems, aligning with the panel’s focus on collaborative, cross-cultural approaches to science and policy.
Indigenous Food Safety Tool (HPFB, HC & The Wiiche’iwaymagon Alliance): Joint presentation from HC and The Wiiche’iwaymagon Alliance. Health Canada (HC), the National Research Council (NRC), and the Wiiche’iwaymagon Alliance are partnering on the development of “lab-on-a-chip” technology to enable on-site wild game testing. These deployable devices aims to replace traditional large-scale laboratories, allowing harvesters to detect viral and bacterial contaminants linked to climate change and resource development. This presentation will highlight how the team is braiding knowledge systems to create a more comprehensive and understanding approach to western science.

Key Takeaways for Science Policy Practitioners:

Bridging Indigenous Knowledge: The value of respecting and incorporating Indigenous knowledge into policy-making and program design through meaningful collaboration with Indigenous rights holders and Knowledge Keepers.
Cultural Shifts in Organizations: How internal cultural changes in organizations (e.g., HC/HP) can lead to more inclusive, effective policies and practices.
Practical Tools for Change: How actionable tools like the Indigenous Food Security Tool can guide policy and drive positive outcomes in Indigenous communities.
Collaborative Approaches: The importance of building partnerships across sectors and involving Indigenous communities in the co-design of solutions to address challenges like food security and air quality.

By showcasing these successful practices, we aim to foster greater understanding and collaboration, while also sharing promising practices that can be applied across government programs and beyond.
Speaker information coming soon!Moderators:
Christina MulvenaDeputy Director, I-STEM, Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaSee Bio×Christina Mulvena
Christina Mulvena is the Deputy Director of the interdepartmental Indigenous STEM (ISTEM) Cluster hosted by Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, where she works to advance Indigenous led approaches to federal STEM systems. She is Red River Michif and holds a Master’s degree in Society, Culture, and Politics in Education from the University of British Columbia, specializing in Ts^kel (Indigenous research methodology).
Christina brings over 16 years of experience in federal impact assessment and treaty negotiations. Across her academic and professional career, she has focused on advancing Indigenous self-determination through policy, governance, and cross disciplinary collaboration.
She was born and raised on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, where she continues to reside with her family.
Dr. Tammy Stuart ChesterA/Director, Departmental Science and Ethics Policy Bureau, HECSB, Health CanadaSee Bio×Dr. Tammy Stuart Chester
Tammy Stuart Chester is the Acting Director of Health Canada’s Departmental Science and Ethics Policy Bureau (DSEPB) within the Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch. In this role, she helps provide leadership on key files including departmental inclusive science initiatives, contributions to the I‑STEM Cluster partnership, the annual Health Canada Science Forum, Science Integrity Policy, and the HC–PHAC Research Ethics Board Secretariat.
On secondment from the Public Health Agency of Canada, she brings 16+ years of applied public health experience in surveillance and epidemiology, including work in Northern Manitoba and with Indigenous Services Canada. She holds a PhD in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and is a graduate of the Canadian Field Epidemiology Program (CFEP). An experienced facilitator of training and collaborative discussions, she is happy to be co-moderating this workshop on Indigenous Partnerships and Culture Changes in Federal STEM.
Presenters:
Cheryl KhouryHealth Canada See Bio×Cheryl Khoury
Cheryl Khoury has worked at Health Canada for over 20 years. She has experience in the risk assessment of chemicals and air pollutants, as well as human biomonitoring. Currently, she manages a team of scientists within the Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, who are interested in the exposure and health effects of environmental chemicals in people living in Canada who may be disproportionately exposed to these chemicals.
She is also a member of the Northern Contaminants Committee’s Management Team and provides support and leadership to the program’s Human Health Review Team.
Dr. Karine DuhamelDirector, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)See Bio×Dr. Karine Duhamel
Dr. Karine Duhamel (she/her) is Anishinaabe of mixed settler descent, and a member of Opwaaganasiniing (Red Rock Indian Band) in northwestern Ontario. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education, as well as a master’s degree and PhD in history. She served as Director of Research for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (NIMMIWG) from 2018 to the end of its mandate in 2019.
In 2021, she chaired the data working group for the MMIWG2S+ National Action Plan. In 2022, she joined the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada as Director of Indigenous Strategy, working to implement the Tri-Agency strategic plan to better support Indigenous research and research training in Canada.
In addition to her role as a public servant, she is an official Speaker for the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, an Indigenous fellow at Simon Fraser University, and a Research Affiliate of the Centre for Human Rights Research at the University of Manitoba.
Simon SmithActing Manager, Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada’s (CIRNAC) Northern Contaminants ProgramSee Bio×Simon Smith
Simon lives in Chelsea, Quebec, and is currently the Acting Manager of Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada’s (CIRNAC) Northern Contaminants Program. The program works to reduce and, wherever possible, eliminate contaminants in traditionally harvested foods, while providing information that assists informed decision making by individuals and communities in their food use.
Over his career, Simon has worked at the several summer camps in Ontario, the Kativik Schoolboard, Makivik
Corporation, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Indigenous Services Canada, and CIRNAC. When he isn’t at his desk, he’s likely planning a family canoe trip, or heading out on the trails with the family goldendoodle, Penny.
Nathalie CorneauMolecular Biologist,
Bureau of Microbial Hazards,
Health Canada See Bio×Nathalie Corneau
Nathalie Corneau is a molecular biologist with Health Canada’s Bureau of Microbial Hazards. Nathalie leads the Emerging Technologies Laboratory in developing novel, rapid methods to detect foodborne pathogens using “lab-on-a-chip” systems and other molecular tools in as little as 8–30 hours. Her research involves multi-departmental collaboration, notably with the National Research Council of Canada, to integrate microbial science and micro/nano-fabrication technologies for automated sample preparation, detection, isolation and identification of pathogens. These deployable, cost-effective systems allow decentralized food safety testing, making them especially valuable for remote communities.
Ms. Corneau is a leader in both scientific innovation and community engagement, and entered into a working partnership with the Wiiche’iwaymagon Alliance, a growing network of First Nations communities across Canada, who have acknowledged her for respectfully involving Indigenous Elders and communities in the development of diagnostic tools for country food safety.
Her work supports not only Indigenous communities and their traditional foods in food safety testing, an underserved area, but also empowers community-led, whole-of-society testing and decision making that strengthens local self-determination, public-health responsiveness, and adaptive capacity.
Randy JenkinsPresident, Wiiche’iwaymagon Buying AllianceSee Bio×Randy Jenkins
Randy Jenkins has over 25 years experience in the Federal Government, working largely on Indigenous rights files and Indigenous programming as well as transfer of powers to Territorial Governments. Having joined the Nutrition North Program in 2019, Randy has been responsible for program transformation, introducing a number of measures beyond the traditional subsidy offering while moving the entire program toward a food security and reconciliation focus, recognizing and leveraging Treaty and inherent Indigenous rights.
In 2023, Randy brought the major food banks together with First Nation Tribal Councils and First Nation organizations to form the Wiiche’iwaymagon Alliance and to sign a Treaty to end hunger for babies and elders.
In 2024, Randy retired from Northern Affairs to take up a position as President of the Wiiche’iwaymagon Buying Alliance, a not-for-profit supplying food and equipment to remote communities in partnership with the national food bank network and the private sector.

Security, Sovereignty, and Prosperity: Industry Perspectives on Canada’s New Defence Industrial Strategy
2026-05-20 12:00 - 13:30
Register HereCanada’s recently released Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) represents a paradigm shift in the intersection of national security and industrial policy. Central to this strategy is the “Joint Innovation” model – a call for deep, sustained collaboration between the federal government and the private sector to build sovereign capabilities. This high-level panel brings together leaders from Canada’s mining, advanced manufacturing, and technology sectors to discuss the strategic and practical implications of the DIS.
Panellists will explore how the strategy’s goals align with the unique challenges of their respective industries, from critical mineral supply chains to dual-use technology development in AI and Quantum. The discussion will focus on how the DIS can serve as a catalyst for industrial growth, the hurdles to achieving seamless “Joint Innovation,” and the long-term impact of this strategy on Canada’s broader innovation ecosystem and global competitiveness.
Speaker information coming soon!Moderators:
Jayson MyersChief Executive Officer of Next Generation Manufacturing CanadaSee Bio×Jason Myers
Jayson Myers is the Chief Executive Officer of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada, the industry-led organization that is spearheading Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing. NGen raises funds from public and private sources to invest in building world-leading advanced manufacturing solutions and ecosystem capabilities in Canada.
Jay is an award-winning business economist who specializes in industrial and technological change. Between 2007 and 2016, he served as President & CEO of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Canada’s largest industry and trade association. In 2017 he was the Chief Policy Advisor to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Jay has been widely recognized as one of the most influential economic policy advocates in Canada. He is an advisor to both private and public sector leaders, and has counselled Canadian prime ministers and premiers, as well as senior corporate executives and policymakers around the world.
A former research fellow at Nuffield College Oxford, Jay has held lectureships at both Oxford and the University of Warwick. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the World Manufacturing Forum and a leading advocate on the world stage on behalf of advanced manufacturing in Canada.
Photinie KoutsavlisVice President, Economic Affairs and Climate Change
Mining Association of Canada See Bio×Photinie Koutsavlis
Ms. Koutsavlis is dedicated to advancing the mining industry’s comprehension of critical economic matters, encompassing taxation, international trade, investment, infrastructure, and innovation. Additionally, she guides the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) and its members in supporting an orderly transition towards a more sustainable, low-carbon future. Her leadership positions MAC as a constructive partner in the fight against climate change.
Previously, Ms. Koutsavlis held the role of Director General, Policy and Economic Branch for the Lands and Minerals Sector at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) within the Government of Canada. In this capacity, she led the integration of strategic policy, scientific insights, regulatory expertise, economics, and market analysis. Her work informed policy development and decisions related to domestic and international priorities concerning lands, minerals, and metals.
Ms. Koutsavlis played a key role in developing the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan, which served as the foundation for Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy and broader policy direction.
Daniel PerryDirector of Federal Affairs at the Council of Canadian InnovatorsSee Bio×Daniel Perry
Daniel Perry is the Director of Federal Affairs at the Council of Canadian Innovators, where he leads national advocacy and government engagement.
Previously, he worked in consulting, advising clients on public policy across sectors including fintech, agriculture, and higher education. He has also held roles with the Senate of Canada, Queen’s Park, and the Canadian Criminal Justice Association. An experienced campaigner, Daniel has contributed to leadership races and elections at all levels of government. He has been recognized as one of Ottawa’s Top Consultants by Faces Magazine and was recently named a Top Lobbyist by The Hill Times.
Daniel is a frequent media contributor and columnist for publications in Hamilton and Niagara. He holds a Master of Political Management from Carleton University, a Joint Honours Bachelor in Communication and Political Science from the University of Ottawa, and a Diploma in Business from Loyalist College.
Mike Mueller President and CEO, Aerospace Industries Association of Canada See Bio×Mike Mueller
Mike Mueller was appointed President and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association in May of 2021, building on his six-year history with the association as Senior Vice- President where he was responsible for the operation of the organization and strategic direction on major aerospace projects and initiatives.
Mike is a forward-thinking team builder who brings a wealth of government experience to the position, having advised Ministers in the Federal Government on a wide variety of policies and programs. Prior to joining AIAC, Mike held senior positions within the Canadian government including at Employment and Social Development Canada, Public Safety Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and Canada’s Treasury Board.
Mike also serves as Vice-Chair & Financial Controller for the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations.

What is research excellence? Measuring impact in a changing world
2026-05-28 11:00 - 12:30
Register HerePeer review underpins nearly all major academic assessments, from publications and funding to promotions and awards. Despite its centrality in the research ecosystem, peer review has a well-documented number of flaws that can lead to unfair assessment and disadvantage applicants, including: a lack of concordance between reviewers; over-reliance on quantitative scores with small numerical margins defining top candidates; variation in the weight given to different application components; recurrent patterns of cognitive biases such as familiarity; and biases that undervalue applications from new researchers, researchers at smaller institutions, women, and some groups of racialized people, regardless of the objective merits of the application, proposal, or nomination.
This panel will examine both the challenges and potential solutions to inequities in peer review, drawing on the National Killam Selection Committee’s 2021–2024 experience adjudicating some of Canada’s most prestigious national scholarly honours. The discussion will highlight data-informed strategies, including anonymization, categorical ranking, structured rubrics, and equalization processes that aim to mitigate bias while maintaining fairness and excellence.
Panelists are a diverse representation of the Canadian research landscape and hold significant experience in research assessment and a uniformed interest in incorporating evidence-informed principles of excellence and equity into adjudication. The panelists will explore how bias manifests, what evidence reveals about its effects, and what actions can be taken to uphold fair assessment.
Speaker information coming soon!Amélie Quesnel-ValléeInaugural Chair and Professor, Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) Professor, Department of Sociology (Faculty of Arts)See Bio×Amélie Quesnel-Vallée
Amélie Quesnel-Vallée is Inaugural Chair and Professor in the Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy (Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) and a Professor in the Department of Sociology (Faculty of Arts) at McGill University. From 2015 to 2025 she held the Canada Research Chair in Policies and Health Inequalities. Quesnel-Vallée’s research examines the contribution of policies to social inequalities in health over the life course and has been recognized through awards from professional associations including the American Sociological Association, the Population Association of America, and the American Public Health Association.
She is a two-time Fulbright Foundation awardee, most recently of a Distinguished Chair (2020), and she held the Canada Research Chair in Policies and Health inequalities at McGill University (2015-2025). She is a Past-President of the Canadian Population Society and of the International Sociological Association’s Research Committee on the Sociology of Health, and Chair-Elect of the American Sociological Association Medical Sociology Section.
She has demonstrated experience in providing strategic advice to several complex organizations, notably the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, where she served as a board member for six years, and held leadership roles such as the inaugural Chair of the Standing Committee on Science (2022-2024) and as a Member of the Executive Committee (2021-2024).
Maydianne AndradeDean & Professor, Faculty of Science, York UniversitySee Bio×Maydianne Andrade
Maydianne Andrade is former Canada Research Chair in Integrative Evolutionary Ecology who was a faculty member at the University of Toronto for 25 years and held the rank of University Professor. Now Dean of the Faculty of Science at York University, Professor Andrade is internationally recognized for her research on how ecology and evolution interact to shape behaviour, species diversity and invasiveness, using black widow spiders.
Dedicated to fostering more inclusive academic cultures, Professor Andrade is founder of the Toronto Initiative for Diversity and Excellence, and she is a co-founder and was inaugural President of the Canadian Black Scientists Network. She is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the Animal Behavior Society and of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, and has been awarded the Burpee medal for Science Leadership, Exemplar awards for career-long contributions to research, and a Trailblazer award from the Canadian Science Policy Centre.
Carl JamesJean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora, Faculty of Education, York UniversitySee Bio×Carl James
Carl E. James holds the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora in the Faculty of Education; and also Distinguished Researcher Professor at York University, Toronto. For 16 years, he was Visiting Lecturer in education at Uppsala University, Sweden. His research interests include examination of the ways in which accessible and equitable opportunities in education – as informed by the regulations, policies, programs and practices of governments and institutions – structure the lived experiences, educational trajectories, health conditions, employment possibilities, and social outcomes of marginalized and racialized Canadians.
A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (FRSC) – Academy of Social Sciences, he has received Honorary Doctorates (Education) from McGill University, and Uppsala University, the 2022 Killam Prize for Social Sciences, and many other scholarly, teaching and community awards. Among the dozens of books, book chapters, and journal articles he has authored and coauthored are : “Colour Matters”: Essays on the Experiences, Education and Pursuits of Black Youth (UoT, 2021) and First-Generation Student Experiences in Higher Education: Counterstories. (Routledge, 2023).
Bilkis VissandjéeProfessor and Researcher, School of Nursing, Centre de recherche en santé publique (CReSP), Université de Montréal
Researcher, SHERPA University Institute and
Fellow, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS)
Chair, Quebec Provincial Committee on Access to Health and Social Services for Ethnocultural Communities See Bio×Bilkis Vissandjée
Dr. Vissandjee has played a key role in developing community-based research infrastructures, notably contributing to the establishment of the SHERPA University Institute, which advances equity-oriented practices in multi-ethnic and multilingual contexts. Her research and leadership focus on health equity, migration, gender-based violence, and culturally responsive health systems.
Her work addresses the challenges of delivering high-quality care in diverse contexts, integrating intersectional and trauma-informed perspectives. A central component of her research advances human rights-based and trauma-informed approaches to health and policy.
Through collaborations with community-based organizations and NGOs, she develops and implements programs tailored to the realities of newly arrived populations, addressing linguistic, cultural, and structural barriers to care in Quebec, Canada, and internationally. Her work underscores the importance of inclusive, culturally responsive approaches to advancing health equity.
Bilkis serves on the Advisory Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion of the Canada Research Chairs Program and, since 2022, has been Chair of the Quebec Provincial Committee at the Ministry of Health and Social Services, where she provides leadership on improving equitable access to care for ethnocultural communities.

William WhelanProfessor, Department of Physics, University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) and Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary CollegeSee Bio×William Whelan
Bill Whelan is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) and in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the Atlantic Veterinary College. He was a Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Optics at UPEI and chair of the Department of Physics. His research has focused on the development of optical sensors, photoacoustic imaging and laser therapies for the detection and treatment of cancers.
Bill is co-chair of the PEI Education Minister’s Advisory Council on Lifelong Learning, and he is a former president of the Canadian Association of Physicists. He has served as president of the PEI Division of the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and as a director on the national CCS board. He was co-chair of the PEI Education Governance Commission established to review and recommend improvements to the province’s education system.
Bill is also actively involved in science promotion, including as co-chair of the PEI Science Fair since 2008 and co-chair of the Canada-Wide Science Fair in 2012. He is a founding director of STEAM PEI, a non-profit organization delivering school-based and community programs for youth to explore STEM fields with the Arts.
