Date

Topic

Ms. Elena Pizzamiglio
University of Toronto Career Centre

Dr. Zayna Khayat
Boston Consulting Group

Zayna Khayat joined The Boston Consulting Group's Toronto office as a management consultant in 2001. To date she has worked for clients in the telecommunications, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, airline and financial services industries on projects ranging from organizational effectiveness, to mergers to growth strategies. Prior to joining BCG, Ms. Khayat earned her Ph.D. in biochemistry from University of Toronto where she studied insulin action and glucose metabolism, and was a scholar of the Medical Research Council of Canada. During her graduate training, Zayna took an exceptional interest in empowering graduate students to take control of their careers, and provided tools and resources to help students align their interests and skills with the appropriate career path. When she's not working, or watching "Clean Sweep" on TLC, Zayna plays team sports including ultimate frisbee, basketball, and curling.

Dr. Don Qiu
Director of Asian Operations
MDS Capital Corp.

Dr. Qiu is an executive with extensive experience in many aspects of biotech industry, such as research & development, process/product development, business development, contract management and operations. Dr Qiu spent more than 10 years with three biotech companies, Biomira Inc, AltaRex Corp. and ARIUS Research Inc. in senior management positions. Dr. Qiu has a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from Peking University and a MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, the University of Western Ontario.

Mr. Damian Lamb
Managing Director
Genesys Capital Partners Inc.

Damian is a founder and Managing Director of Genesys Capital. Damian brings a unique experience base, lending skills in both the commercial and technical side of biotechnology. Since co-founding Genesys Capital Partners in 2000, Damian has been instrumental in raising over $100 million in venture capital funds, and has been involved in deploying over $60 million in 16 investments. He serves on the Board of Affinium Pharmaceuticals Inc., DELEX Therapeutics Inc., Millenium Biologix Inc., and Ionalytics Corporation. Damian works closely with these and other Genesys investee companies to strategically position the companies to best build value for all hareholders.

Damian graduated from McMaster University, Faculty of Health Sciences, with a MSc in molecular neurobiology. Damian also holds an MBA from Queen's University.

Andrew Pellizzari
Manager, Technology Commercialization
The Hospital for Sick Children

Andrew Pellizzari is currently the Manager of Technology Commercialization at the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto. Andrew’s responsibilities include the assessment, development and commercialization of Sick Kid’s intellectual property assets that result from its in-house research programs. Andrew is involved in the promotion of technology transfer activities involving Sick Kid’s and its industrial partners, including strategies to successfully patent, market and commercialize inventions, and the negotiation of material transfer agreements, license agreements, sponsored research or collaboration agreements as required.

Andrew’s degrees include a Master of Science and a Master of Business Administration. Prior to his current position at Sick Kids, Andrew spent six years working in the Canadian biotechnology industry. Andrew is also a member of the Association of University Technology Managers.

Dr. Bridge-Cook has served as Vice President of Business Development and, more recently, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Tm Bioscience since January, 2001. He joined Tm in July, 2000 as Director of Business Development. Prior to coming to Tm, Dr. Bridge-Cook worked for three years as an Investment Analyst at MDS Capital Corp. and University Medical Discoveries
Inc. While at MDS Capital Corp., he provided business development expertise to several Canadian biotechnology companies, as well as serving on the boards of two biotechnology start-ups. He has a Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Toronto.

Dr. Homonko
Milestone Medica Corporation

Dr. Alex Lang
Biovail Pharmaceuticals

Alex Lang was born and raised in Kingston, Ontario. In addition to academic pursuits, he was a top-ranked long-distance runner among Ontario high schools. After an initial attempt to fully understand thermodynamics and the Carnot cycle in Engineering Chemistry at Queen’s University, Alex made the sensible switch into Life Science. After graduating with a BScH Life Science, he continued his undergraduate thesis work with Dr. Susan Cole, at the Queen’s University Cancer Research Laboratories, as a PhD student with the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology. His research focused on the molecular mechanisms of multi-drug resistance in human lung cancer. Specifically, the molecular mechanisms of resistance to drugs targeting topoisomerase II. This research also including genomic sequencing of the human TOP2 isoforms, resulting in a 0.001% contribution to the Human Genome Project, for which Alex is strangely proud.

After completing his Doctoral Thesis in 2001, Alex joined the pharmaceutical industry as a Medical Information Associate, and was involved in the launch of a major asthma drug. Alex joined Biovail Pharmaceuticals Canada in May 2002, in the role of Scientific Affairs Advisor. Currently in that position, he manages the Medical Information Department, and provides medical and scientific support for Sales, Marketing, Training, and Regulatory Affairs. He frequently crisscrosses the country presenting to healthcare professionals and government.

Alex and his lovely wife Jessica, a practicing Family Physician and his university sweetheart of 10 years, are excitedly awaiting the birth of their first child in May.

Dr. Amira Klip

Dr. Richard Wells

Bonnie Kuehl, PhD
Scientific Insights Consulting Group

Bonnie is the principal consultant and owner of Scientific Insights Consulting Group (SICG). Bonnie is an entrepreneur and started the company in 2002. SICG’s clients include Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies. Her experience encompasses communications and business development. Bonnie likes to say that she helps translate science into English. SICG now employs two full time scientists and a part-time research assistant.

Bonnie received her PhD from the University of Toronto where she studied drug resistance at the Ontario Cancer Institute. She then traveled to Scotland and worked in the laboratory of David Lane on the tumour suppressor p53. Upon her return to Canada Bonnie worked in the biotechnology industry as a research group leader and later a scientific liaison.

Rami Batal, Ph.D., M.B.A.

Dr. Batal is a Director at SHI Consulting and a member of the firm’s management team. Rami specializes in strategic planning and organizational design for the life sciences industry, governments, and major academic institutions. He is currently overseeing the development of biotechnology cluster strategies and implementation plans in several regions of Ontario, and is working with industry leaders in the field.

Rami had previously advised decision makers in leading pharmaceutical companies on a global scale, and had been based out of New York City for several years. He conceptualized, managed, and worked through high impact assignments, ranging from opportunity evaluation to strategic planning and organizational design. His client portfolio included, among other industry giants, the Johnson & Johnson group of companies, Aventis, and Pfizer.

Prior to his work in Management Consulting, Dr. Batal conducted basic and clinical research in the Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, a Canadian Center of Excellence, in affiliation with McGill University. He has published in several peer-reviewed articles. Rami is a Pharmacist by training, and holds dual graduate degrees in life sciences and business administration.

Sally Hemming PhD, JD
Smart & Biggar Fetherstonhaugh & Co.

Sally Hemming is an associate in the Toronto offices of Smart & Biggar / Fetherstonhaugh. Her work involves pharmaceutical and chemical patent litigation, as well as the preparation and prosecution of biotechnological and biomedical patent applications.

Dr. Hemming received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Victoria in 1992, her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from McMaster University in 1998 and her J.D. from the University of Toronto in 2001. Dr. Hemming's doctoral thesis explored the Functional Analysis of the Ninth Subunit of Yeast RNA Polymerase II, RPB9.

Prior to joining the Firms, Dr. Hemming worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the Banting & Best Institute at the University of Toronto.

Melanie Szweras
Bereskin & Parr

Melanie is an articling student and is a member of the firm’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical practice group. Melanie has been both a first year and second year summer student with Bereskin & Parr.

Melanie obtained a B.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics and Molecular Biology from the University of Toronto. She then graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School with a law degree, receiving the Bronze Medal for tying for third highest standing over all three years of law school. Melanie received a number of awards during her education including, a Canada Scholarship, a Medical Research Council of Canada scholarship and awards for academic excellence in patent law, administrative law, contracts, conflicts of law, real estate, and constitutional law.

Alissa Swota

Alissa Swota is a post-doctoral fellow in clinical ethics at the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics. Alissa has a PhD in philosophy (with a specialization in Bioethics) from the University at Albany (State University of New York). Her doctoral work focused on autonomy in end-of-life decision- making.
While working on her dissertation, Alissa taught introductory courses in bioethics and ethical theory at the University at Albany . In addition, she completed a fellowship in clinical ethics at the Albany Medical College Center for Ethics. Her research at Albany Medical College focused on end-of-life issues in the medical intensive care unit.
In her post-doctoral research, Alissa focuses on end-of-life issues, clinical ethics, advance directives, philosophy of law, and conflict resolution.

Jonathan Breslin

Jonathan Breslin got a BA from York University in 1997, and then attended McMaster University to do a MA in philosophy. Jonathan decided to say at McMaster to pursue a PhD in philosophy, specializing in bioethics. In his third year of a PhD, he started an Associated Medical Services Bioethics Internship at St. Joseph's Healthcare in Hamilton. It was during that internship that Jonathan discovered an interest in clinical ethics. After completing a PhD this past August, he was accepted into the Clinical Ethics Fellowship at the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics.

Dr. Kerry Bowman

Dr. Kerry Bowman has a Ph.D. in Bioethics, a fellowship in Cultural Psychiatry and a Masters degree in Social Work. He is an Assistant Professor in Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto and the Coordinator of the Improving End of Life Care Project at the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics. Dr. Bowman is also the Clinical Ethicist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.
Dr. Bowman lectures and publishes widely on ethics in health care, mediation, end of life care and cultural diversity. He has consulted extensively on these topics in Germany, South Africa and The People's Republic of China. Dr. Bowman is also a conservationist working with the Great Apes of Africa and is a consultant to Conservation International and The Gorilla Foundation.