 Dr. Peter Roy, Dept Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto
The Roy Lab at the University of Toronto has spent over a decade exploring the utility of C. elegans in drug development. In this seminar, Prof. Roy will introduce the nematode C. elegans as a tool for medium-throughput small-molecule screens. He will then describe three vignettes that illustrate the power and peril of using C. elegans to develop small molecules that have utility beyond the bench.  Dr. Dawn Hall, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Government of Canada
When I obtained a PhD in Biology in 2007, I never would have predicted what the next 10+ years of my career would bring. This talk will begin with a retrospective look at my time as a PhD student and post-doc, followed by a description of the career experiences that have followed: from science communication and exhibit content development at the Ontario Science Centre, to exhibit interpretation for the renewal of the Canada Science and Technology Museum, to my current role as an analyst/advisor with the Government of Canada. Throughout, I will discuss the decisions that I made, and how the skills that were developed during my PhD and post-doc were applied in the jobs that have followed. I will also share lessons learned and perspectives from the career journey.  Dr. Louise Winn, Dept of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University
Drugs and environmental chemicals can harm the developing fetus by causing not only the commonly appreciated structural defects such as cleft lip, but also biochemical and functional abnormalities related to alterations in membranes as well as enzymes and other proteins. These compounds can also disrupt normal metabolic and endocrine signalling via epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and/or RNA-mediated silencing of genes through miRNA, resulting in negative health outcomes later-in-life.My research program aims to investigate mechanisms of in utero initiated developmental toxicity employing a combination of expertise in biochemical and morphological assessment of chemical toxicity, and molecular toxicological approaches. Our goal is to answer fundamental mechanistic questions about the biological effects of in utero exposures to drugs and environmental chemicals to inform exposure monitoring practices, policy and human health assessments. |
