Faculty & Instructors
Dr. Joseph Ferenbok
Driven to improve patient care, Prof. Ferenbok catapults projects forward with passion, wisdom, and a contagious chuckle. He is an Associate Director of the Health Innovation Hub, a Faculty of Medicine initiative intended to connect, align, serve, and facilitate the translation, innovation, and commercialization of 'Health Matters'. Here at the TRP, Prof Ferenbok is our inspirational Founder and Program Director. He is also a Course Director for Foundations in TR and for Methods in Practices and Contexts, and the Instructor for the Translational Thinking module.
Dr. Edyta Marcon
Edyta loves to encounter new questions, apply new knowledge, and meet new people. As a Senior Research Associate at the U of T Donnelly Centre, she currently studies how RNA modifications regulate gene expression and how they relate to human health and disease. Her interests extend beyond the laboratory into the application of scientific research using human centric design thinking. Edyta is in constant pursuit of new discoveries that will address the most urgent patient needs. At the TRP, Edyta is an instructor for the Capstone Course. Scientific research has taught her to expect the unexpected and be open to new ideas. She challenges students to do the same. She is a tough and fair educator who helps students set ambitious, feasible goals.
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Learn more:
Paul Chipperton
A 25-year veteran of life science start-ups, currently as CEO & President of Insight Medbotics Inc. Formerly as co-founder & CEO of an award-winning Prostate Cancer MedDev. company established in Toronto, Profound Medical Inc. (NASDAQ:PROF). Paul has recently migrated into a blend of running companies in the day, and in the evenings and weekends lecturing on the topics of strategic innovation, venture capital finance, and marketing consulting to Federal and Provincial bodies; whilst continuing his advisory and investment activities on multiple boards.
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Jean Chow
Jean is a Super Connector and connects the seemingly unconnected! She teaches “Hacking the Networking Code” at TRP. Since 2017 her experiential workshops and keynotes on networking, mentorship, and leadership have engaged several diverse audiences around the world. Her case study on “The Dream Network,” a highly diversified network of young professionals founded in 2018 by Jean, was published by CENGAGE Canada March 2021 in “Organizational Theory and Design” 4th Ed. by Professor Ann Armstrong, University of Toronto Rotman School of Management and Richard Daft. Jean is the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contribution as a volunteer mentor for young entrepreneurs.
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Dr. Lorne Hartman
Lorne Hartman has been a researcher, practitioner, and educator in the arena of human performance and organizational effectiveness for over 45 years. He has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from McGill University (1977) and has held academic appointments at the University of Toronto and York University. Dr. Hartman has partnered with leaders at all levels of business, government and education to help them implement strategies successfully.
Dr. Christopher A. Klinger
Christopher is a Research Scientist with Pallium Canada and chairs the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly’s End-of-Life Issues Theme Team, a knowledge transfer network dedicated to enhancing the care of older adults in Canada and abroad. He also chairs the Quality End-of-Life Care Coalition of Canada’s Research and Knowledge Translation Committee, a group of national stakeholder organizations concerned about quality end-of-life care.
Sandy Marshall
Sandy is a medical writer with an enthusiasm for clear and compelling communication. She has conducted research in cardiology, burn injury, and hematology research labs. She transitioned from benchwork to communications and founded Marshall Medical Communications, a biomedical writing and editing firm with clients in Canada, China, and the United States. Sandy is a dedicated educator. She teaches effective scientific writing to trainees and researchers at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and at U of T.
Dr. Raza Mirza
Raza is an enthusiastic researcher with expertise that spans medical decision-making, ethics, research methods, socio-behavioral determinants of health in persons aging with a chronic illness, and factors influencing late-life social, mental, and physical well-being. He is currently a Senior Research Associate at U of T’s Institute for Life Course and Aging, the Network Manager for the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly, and the Chair of the Central Ontario Age-Friendly Network. An expert in his field, he has been invited to speak at national and international gerontology and geriatrics conferences and has been asked to consult with various levels of government on diverse issues related to an aging population.
Janine Noorloos
Janine (she/her) is a registered social worker pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Population Medicine through the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph. With interests in social epidemiology, upstream intervention, population health, and implementation science, Janine’s research focuses on building the field of veterinary social work in Canada. Using a One Health approach, Janine examines the occupational health and wellness of human and animal health professionals. Before this, Janine worked in mental health promotion at the Knowledge Development and Exchange Hub affiliated with the University of Waterloo. Janine first attended Wilfrid Laurier University as a violinist and then completed a Master of Health Science in Translational Research at the University of Toronto. She has since furthered her social work education at Dalhousie University and McMaster University. Most recently, Janine has been involved with federally funded research projects related to animal-inclusive disaster-preparedness planning in Canada, system responses to violence against women and gender-diverse persons in Canadian provinces, and health inequities and stigma associated with people who have lymphatic filariasis in Ghana. Outside of academia, Janine continues to enjoy supporting community-based organizations with program evaluation and implementation projects.
Courses taught:
- LMP 2300Y: Foundations in Translational Research: Case-Studies
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Mentors
J Brendan Mullen, MD, FRCPC
Dr. Mullen recently retired from his position of an Associate Professor with University of Toronto, that he held for 40 years. At the same time he held many positions related to his pathology training, including Staff Pathologist at the St. Michael’s Hospital, staff pathologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, Head of Autopsy Services at Mount Sinai Hospital, Director of Patient Services, and most recently, Deputy Director of Laboratories, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital. He also served as a consultant pathologist at many clinical laboratories. During this time, Dr. Mullen received many prestigious honors and awards, was heavily involved in research and has published extensively. Dr Mullen is the Laboratory Director for FlowLabs, a leading resource for the laboratory investigation of male infertility in Ontario.
Gilbert Sharpe
With over 40 years of legal practice and advisory roles, Gilbert Sharpe brings a wealth of experience in healthcare public policy and regulation. As the former Director of the Legal Branch for the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the legal and policy landscape of healthcare in Canada. His work has influenced numerous key legislative and policy reforms aimed at improving both the Ontario and Canadian healthcare systems. Gilbert's impact extends beyond Canada through his advisory roles with international organizations such as the World Bank, the Inter-American Bank, and the World Health Organization. His expertise in global healthcare regulation also led him to contribute to U.S. healthcare reforms during his time as a professor at Loyola University in Chicago. Gilbert earned his LLB and LLM from Osgoode Hall Law School, and his contributions to healthcare policy and strategy continue to shape both academic and public health discussions. For many years, Gilbert Sharpe was a Professor at Mental Health Law, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. Currently, Gilbert Sharpe, is an Adjunct Professor with the Faculty of Medicine and a member of the teaching team at the Translational Research Program at the University of Toronto. Gilbert is the Editor-in-Chief of Health Law in Canada Journal. A prolific author and speaker, he has published numerous books and hundreds of articles on healthcare law and continues to be a key opinion leader in the field.
Admin staff
Julie Wei
Julie Wei (currently on maternity leave) is the Program Administrator for TRP. She holds a Bachelors of Commerce with a specialization in Marketing. Always thinking outside the box, she feels well suited to support what TRP has to offer students. She recently comes to us from the University Health Network and the University of Toronto’s Division of Cardiac Surgery, overseeing the division’s OR list, Fellowship and Residency programs. Outside of work, she enjoys being an explorer, curious and always learning about what the world has to offer. Some of her favourite outside interest includes history, performing arts and personal finance.
Jenni Bozec
Jenni is the Communications and Outreach Officer for LMP. With a strategic focus, Jenni develops communications plans and campaigns across multiple channels and ensure they're carried out and measured accordingly.
Kate McDonald
Kate is the Digital Communications Assistant for LMP, and helps to run the communication channels (social media, news, web updates and email marketing) for the TRP. She is also often doing event coverage at LMP and TRP events. TRP students are encouraged to reach out to her to feature their work, stories, initiatives, events and more.
