THE PRIME TEAM
Molly Shoichet
Scientific Director
Molly Shoichet is a Michael E Charles University Professor in Chemical Engineering at U of T. She is known internationally for her innovative research in drug delivery, drug discovery and hydrogels, and has invented materials to both promote tissue repair in the brain and spinal cord, and help discover new drugs to treat cancer.
Carolyn Cummins
Associate Scientific Director
Carolyn Cummins is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy. Her team studies nuclear receptors and their role in the development of diabetes, obesity and other metabolic diseases, with the goal of identifying potential therapeutic targets in disease pathways and developing drugs to prevent or treat these conditions. Her work has led to the development and preclinical testing of several drugs for the treatment of metabolic diseases.
Akshita Vincent
Director, Strategy & Partnerships
Akshita Vincent is a highly accomplished business development and research commercialization professional with over a decade of experience in academia, specializing in research translation, commercialization, and strategic partnerships with national and multinational corporations. As a dynamic and creative strategist, she excels at applying innovative approaches to bridge the gap between academic and corporate innovation. In her prior role as a Business Development Officer-Industry Partnerships at UofT, Akshita played a pivotal role in expanding the university's research partnerships with world-renowned pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
Luella Chow
Administrative & Events Coordinator
Luella Chow graduated with a Master of International and Public Affairs from the University of Hong Kong in 2022. With over 7 years of experience in political journalism and 3 years in large-scale philanthropic organizations, she possesses expertise in non-profit communications, project coordination, and event planning. Before joining PRiME, Luella excelled in supporting initiatives that fostered community engagement and promoted impactful change.
PRiME Associates
Yin Chen Wan
Business Associate
Yin Chen is a PhD candidate in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto. By using roundworms as a model organism, she is running a high throughput selection assay aiming to identify genetic variants that influence infection susceptibility. Her work will be helpful for prioritizing genes to investigate for their role in human infections.
Santiago Plata Salazar
Business Associate
Santiago Plata Salazar is a fourth-year undergraduate student specializing in Applied Genetics and Molecular Biology at the University of Toronto. Passionate about identifying opportunities at the intersection of science and entrepreneurship, he is driven by a desire to advance precision medicine through innovative business solutions. With extensive experience in working with early-stage startups, Santiago aims to commercialize research to bring cutting-edge medical advancements to a global scale.
Lama Maher Alomrani
Science Communications Associate
Lama Alomrani is a third-year Doctor of Pharmacy Student at the University of Toronto, with extensive knowledge in the process of drug development and discovery. With her passion in pursuing a career in pharmaceutical industry, she is driven to explore challenges in drug discovery and disease diagnostics and contribute to innovative solutions that improve the quality of patient care.
Raymond Zhang
Science Communications Associate
Raymond Zhang is a first-year graduate student pursuing an MSc in Biomedical Communications at the University of Toronto. With an interdisciplinary background in both biomedical sciences and visual design, he is passionate about advancing knowledge translation and showcasing innovation within the biopharma industry.
PRiME Associates Alumni
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