Event details
Friday, February 7
8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. EST
MaRS Discovery District
Auditorium, 101 College St. Toronto, ON M5G 1L7
We’re thrilled to announce that PRiME will be proudly co-sponsoring the afternoon session of Moving the Needle: Women & Women’s Health at the Forefront of Science 2025. This inspiring event celebrates the groundbreaking contributions of women in science and puts the spotlight on advancing women’s health. Join us for an engaging discussions, innovative ideas, and meaningful connections. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation shaping the future of women’s health.
Agenda
8:30 – 9:00 am
Registration and breakfast to be served.
Pathways to Discovery
| 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Plenary Session: Memory: The Eras Tour | Dr. Sheena Josselyn, Senior Scientist, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) |
| 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM | Living Library | Networking groups |
| 10:45 AM - 11:15 AM | Coffee Break | Light refreshments to be served. |
| 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM | Rapid Fire & Panel Discussions | Engage in Q&A, rapid fire style, then a panel discussion will take place. |
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM
Lunch will be served.
Trajectory to Translation
Features a discussion with leading women’s health innovators and provides opportunities to connect with experts in areas including raising capital, IP, business strategy, and more. Hosted by Women’s College Hospital Research and Innovation Institute, PRiME at University of Toronto and MaRS.
| 1:30 PM - 2:00 PM | Plenary Lecture I | Targeting estrogen receptor beta for menopausal symptom relief: A scientist’s journey from bench to boardroom (Karyn Frick, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) |
| 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Rapid Fire Presentations | Panelists: Megan Dover, Cross Border Impact Ventures | Suman Rao, Lumira Ventures | Michelle McBane, StandUp Ventures |
| 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Networking Break | |
| 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM | Plenary Lecture II | Let's meet MOLLI®: Lessons learned through collaborative surgical innovation (Nicole Look Hong, Sunnybrook Hospital) |
| 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Rapid Fire Presentations | |
| 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Networking Cocktail Reception |
Plenary Speakers
Karyn Frick, Estrigenix
Co-founder and Chief Science Officer, Estrigenix
Distinguished Professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Psychology
About Estrigenix: Estrigenix Therapeutics, Inc. was formed in 2018 to improve women’s health by developing safe, clinically proven treatments for alleviating the mental and physical effects of menopause. Leveraging deep expertise in estrogen biology, focused chemical libraries, and associated intellectual property to address women’s health issues, Estrigenix technology concentrates on alleviating the symptoms of menopause without the risks of breast cancer and stroke associated with traditional hormone replacement therapy.
About Professor Frick: Dr. Karyn Frick is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a co-founder and the Chief Scientific Officer of Estrigenix Therapeutics, Inc. She has over 30 years of experience studying the neurobiological mechanisms underlying memory formation, with a particular focus on the cellular and molecular mechanisms through which estrogens regulate memory, hot flashes, and mood. She has published over 120 articles and book chapters, and edited the 2020 book "Estrogens and Memory: Basic Research and Clinical Implications” (Oxford University Press).
Dr. Frick is currently the Associate Department Chair and Head of the Neuroscience Area in her department, is the founding Co-Director of UWM’s Neuroscience B.S. Program, and is the Director and PI of the National Institute on Aging-funded program entitled, “UWM Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Academic Success Through Aging Research (UWM STAR)”, which provides mentored research opportunities in aging and health disparities research for underrepresented undergraduates. Dr. Frick is also a fellow of the American Psychological Association and Association for Psychological Science, and has been awarded the Society for Women’s Health Research/Medtronic Prize for Scientific Contributions to Women’s Health.
Nicole J Look Hong, MD MSc FRCSC
Surgical Oncologist, Division of Surgical Oncology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Associate Professor, University of Toronto Co-Program Director, Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship Provincial Skin Cancers Lead, Ontario Health
About Dr. Look Hong: Dr. Look Hong completed her undergraduate degree from Queen's University with a major in life sciences and a minor in music. She obtained her MD at the University of Toronto where she also completed her general surgery residency. During her residency, she completed a Masters degree in clinical epidemiology as part of the surgeon scientist training program. After completion of her surgical residency, Dr. Look Hong completed a fellowship in surgical oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham & Women's Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. During this time, she was also able to expand her interest in health economics at the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Look Hong's clinical practice focuses on breast cancer and melanoma. Her research interests focus on economic evaluations, surgical innovation, and the application of qualitative methodology in surgical studies. She is appointed as an associate professor in the Department of Surgery, and cross appointed to Sunnybrook Research Institute, and the Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation.
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