Awardees听Geunyong Kim (left) and Yonatan Morocz (right)听
Geunyong Kim听is in the final year of his PhD in the Biological and Biomedical Engineering (BBME) Program and was awarded听the听Hakim Family Innovation Prize听for his and his team鈥檚 innovation, Ubiqui-Dx[1].听听
[1] From听the听CLIC Website:听Ubiqui-Dx:听Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is treated by surgical resection, guided by intraoperative PTH (io-PTH) monitoring. However, current lab-based assays require 20鈥�30 minutes per result, delaying decisions and limiting use in ambulatory settings. We propose a cartridge-based io-PTH test delivering quantitative whole-blood results in under five minutes. Built on Microfluidic Sieve and Detector (MFSD) technology, it enables rapid analyte capture and signal amplification without centralized labs.听
Geunyong Kim, PhD Candidate, Biomedical Engineering, 91黑料网 - Scientific cofounder;听
Antti Virtanen, Research Assistant, Biomedical Engineering, 91黑料网 - Ultra-Sensitive IA development;听
Paul Chapman, President,听BioHighway听Advisors Canada Inc. - Cofounder, CEO;听
David Juncker, Professor, Biomedical Engineering, 91黑料网 - Scientific cofounder, CSO听
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Yonatan Morocz听is also听in his final year of his PhD in the听Biological and Biomedical Engineering (BBME) Program听and听was awarded the听MI4 Innovation Prize, for his and听Prof.听Juncker鈥檚 innovation, AnemoSwab[2].听听
[2] From the听CLIC Website: Diagnosis of respiratory infections is time critical, as treatments like those for influenza are effective only within short windows, and rapid detection helps limit transmission through isolation. Samples are typically collected via nasopharyngeal or anterior nasal swabs, which are invasive, uncomfortable and discourage frequent testing.听AnemoSwab听proposes a new method that captures sample material from exhaled aerosols present in breath using a small 3D printed device, the听AnemoSwab.听
Yonatan Morocz, PhD Candidate, Biomedical Engineering, 91黑料网;听
David Juncker, Professor, Biomedical Engineering, 91黑料网 - Scientific cofounder, CSO听
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Geunyong Kim听
In this student spotlight,听Geunyong reflects on how the听Ubiqui-Dx innovation听emerged, as well as the collaborative team behind its development,听including Professor听David Juncker听(BME Chair), Antti Virtanen, and Paul Chapman.听
Q:听Congratulations on winning the Hakim Family Innovation Prize for听Ubiqui-Dx!听To start, could you tell us about your academic and research journey, and how听Ubiqui-Dx first came about?听
I completed my Bachelor鈥檚 and听Master鈥檚 degrees in Mechanical Engineering听in Korea,听before moving to Canada to pursue a PhD in Biomedical Engineering in 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because I was initially unable to come to Canada, due to travel restrictions, I听didn鈥檛听begin working on what would eventually become听Ubiqui-Dx until March 2021. Like many research projects, the听early stages听involved a great deal of trial and error, and progress was not always straightforward.听
Things began to come together in 2023 when we successfully听demonstrated听a proof of concept听for this project. At that point, the core design of the platform took shape, allowing me to focus on further characterization and optimization. Following these advances, we filed patent applications for听the technology.听
In 2025, we received a听Best Paper Award at听microTAS,听an听international conference, which was incredibly encouraging. Having听the technology听recognized and听validated听by others in the field gave us confidence in its potential for commercialization.听
Following that momentum, we assembled a team and incorporated听Ubiqui-Dx. As I prepare to graduate,听I鈥檓听now focused on advancing both the commercialization and Research & Development (R&D) efforts surrounding the assay platform.听
This project has been the central focus of my PhD and will form a major part of my dissertation. It also builds directly on my听previous听training in microfluidics from my Master鈥檚, where I focused more on mechanical fluidics. In this work,听I鈥檝e听expanded that foundation by integrating the assay听component.听
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Q: How did you form the听Ubiqui-Dx team?听听
After we filed the provisional patent, we started looking for someone to help take on the business side of things听within our team. David and I were primarily focused on听the science, and we wanted to bring in someone with strong business and commercialization experience.听That鈥檚听when we听connected with听Paul Chapman. He was previously CEO of a successful digital assay company, and we discussed the opportunity with him, which led to him joining the team.听We also brought in Antti Virtanen, who has over 18 years of experience in immunoassay development at Abbott. His听expertise听has been a huge addition to the team.听Overall, David and I provide the scientific foundation through our work in the lab, and we鈥檝e since built a team that complements that with strong听expertise听in commercialization, industry, and business development.听
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Q:听What challenge were you hoping to solve听with this project, and what makes your technology innovative?听
A听long-standing听goal听in diagnostics is听to develop assays听that听provide听speed,听low听cost,听simplicity,听and听high听sensitivity. Existing technologies often require trade-offs: for example, lateral flow assays are fast and inexpensive but may lack sensitivity, while听polymerase chain reaction (PCR)听offers high sensitivity but is typically slower, more complex, and more costly.听听
With our platform, we wanted to address that gap. The most innovative aspect of the technology is an听isoporous听membrane听containing听approximately 500,000 microchannels, each measuring 8 碌m in diameter. While each pore carries only a small flow rate, together they create听a very high听overall flow rate. As a sample passes through the membrane, analytes repeatedly collide with the engineered capture surface, allowing them to be captured efficiently and rapidly.听
To me, this is the most exciting and powerful part of听the technology. By accelerating analyte capture in this way, we can significantly reduce assay time while听maintaining听strong performance. The total assay time is听roughly five听minutes, compared with around 15 minutes for many lateral flow assays. If successful, reducing diagnostic turnaround听times in this way听could have a meaningful impact听in听clinical settings, although further validation is still needed.听
Importantly, the platform is also听highly sensitive. In our studies, we听observed听sensitivity levels comparable to PCR, which is encouraging because it suggests we may be able to bring both speed and sensitivity to the point of care through a compact, cartridge-based testing system.听
At the moment, our work has focused on buffer-based samples in the laboratory.听However, we are actively working toward testing blood samples, particularly for intraoperative parathyroid hormone (io-PTH) monitoring. Our goal is to evaluate the technology using blood samples collected in the operating room, and we are currently taking the steps needed to reach that stage.听
For those interested in the technical details, you can read more about the platform in our preprint:听听听
The preprint is easy to听understand听and should provide a better听understanding听of how this platform works!听听
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Q:听What was your experience听participating听in the Clinical Innovation Competition, and how did you prepare for it?听听
I听wasn鈥檛听sure I felt completely ready for the competition. I wanted everything to be perfect and to feel fully prepared beforehand. But听I听don鈥檛听think anyone ever feels entirely ready, and听that鈥檚听a normal part of the experience.听
The competition was valuable because it involved not only the pitch competition itself, but also coaching beforehand, including one-on-one mentorship sessions. Through that process, we refined our pitch and learned how to communicate our innovation more effectively. During the competition, I also had the opportunity to see how other teams presented their ideas, which was inspiring and gave me new perspectives on how to听demonstrate听the value of an innovation to judges and stakeholders.听
Looking back, I felt there were aspects of my pitch that I could have improved.听It was the first time we had pitched this particular project, and my previous experience had been primarily with scientific presentations rather than business pitches.听As a result, it was a significant learning experience. I gained a much better understanding of how innovation and entrepreneurship pitches differ from academic presentations, and I now feel much more prepared for similar opportunities in the future.听
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Q:听What do you think helped听Ubiqui-Dx stand out to the judges?听
I think what听helped听Ubiqui-Dx stand out was the technology itself and the value it brings to the diagnostics field. One of the key innovations is its ability to address the traditional trade-off between speed and sensitivity.听Our approach challenges what has typically been considered possible and offers a new way of thinking about the diagnostic process.听
I believe the judges听recognized the significance of that advancement. In fact, one judge commented that the technology almost seemed too good to be true. However, we were able to support our claims with strong theoretical and analytical validation, as well as experimental evidence. Having that foundation helped听demonstrate听that听the innovation听is not just an interesting idea, but one that is backed by promising results.听
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Q:听How do you plan to use the Hakim Family Innovation Prize to further advance the development of听Ubiqui-Dx?听
This will听primarily support the optimization of PTH measurements within our platform. To date, our work has focused on model targets in the lab, and this funding will allow us to expand the assay development toward clinically relevant PTH detection.听
We are also interested in exploring the feasibility of cartridge-based听test听development. The longer-term goal is to translate this assay platform into a cartridge format that could make the technology more accessible, enabling broader use beyond laboratory settings.听
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Q:听How has this experience influenced your future research听or career goals?听
I鈥檓听very excited听about continuing to work on听Ubiqui-Dx moving forward. Receiving recognition from both the scientific and business communities has been particularly meaningful, and it reinforces the potential of what we are building.听With strong validation already in place, there are many opportunities ahead to further develop and translate the technology.听
I鈥檓听working toward completing my PhD this year and am currently in the thesis-writing stage. Balancing this alongside company-related work has been quite demanding, so听I鈥檓听looking forward to having more capacity听for this company听once my PhD is completed.听
This experience has helped me see a clearer path toward integrating scientific research with translational and听innovation-focused work.听I鈥檓听excited by the opportunity to shift from primarily academic research into a space that combines both scientific and entrepreneurial development.听
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Q:听What advice would you give to students and trainees who are interested in translating their research into real-world innovation and听participating听in competitions like this?听
I just did it. It听wasn鈥檛听easy, but when I start something, I听don鈥檛听usually do heavy investigation into exactly what it will entail.听I find that if I over-analyze听it upfront, I can become a bit detached from what I actually want to do.听For me,听it鈥檚听more about diving in and learning along the way.听
At the beginning, I honestly听didn鈥檛听know where it would all go. But I learned as I went, and I was fortunate to have听strong team听members with experience who helped a lot, both in terms of teaching me and bringing me up to speed on the business and broader innovation side.听
I听didn鈥檛听have听business听experience beforehand. In our team, others were the main drivers of that side of things, and听I鈥檝e听mainly served听as a scientific co-founder focused on the technology and the R&D.听Working alongside colleagues with diverse expertise gave me valuable exposure to areas beyond my scientific training and helped me develop a much broader perspective on innovation and听entrepreneurship.听
For students who are mostly science-focused and听don鈥檛听have much exposure to the business side of innovation, I would say this is still a very听feasible听path.听You听don鈥檛听need to have it all figured out in advance... you learn it by听doing.听
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Q:听Do you have any听general advice听for听your fellow听students?听
At the start, it may feel like nothing in your project is working, but I would say听don鈥檛听give up. Keep working to find solutions and stay self-critical in a constructive way.听Keep trying different approaches, because when you look back, you鈥檒l realize you鈥檝e actually accomplished a lot over the course of your project and program.听
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Congratulations听Geunyong, and best of luck to you and your team with the future of听Ubiqui-Dx!听
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Yonatan Morocz听听
In this student spotlight, Yonatan discusses the pathway that led to the听AnemoSawb听innovation, as well as the ongoing process of testing and听validating听the technology in collaboration with his supervisor,听Prof. Juncker.听
Q: First听and foremost,听congratulations on winning the MI4 Innovation Prize for听AnemoSwab!听Could you tell us about your academic and research journey听prior to听the creation of听AnemoSwab?听
I鈥檝e听had quite听a long experience听with research... it听actually started听in high school, which I did in Boston. At the time, I was volunteering at Brigham and Women鈥檚 Hospital, where we were working on intraoperative mass spectrometry. In cases involving cancer patients, we would analyze swabbed tissue samples from the brain during surgery to help inform real-time clinical decision-making.听
After that, I moved to Montreal for my Undergraduate degree at 91黑料网 in Bioorganic Chemistry. That gave me a solid foundation, but I was always drawn to building things and exploring how ideas could be translated into something tangible. Following my听undergrad, I did a six-month internship in computational chemistry at a contract research organization (CRO), where I worked on designing drug compounds for pancreatic cancer.听After this, because I really enjoyed both designing and building things, and I wanted to integrate life sciences听in my work, I decided to pursue a听Master鈥檚 in Biomedical Engineering.听听
I joined David Juncker鈥檚 lab largely because of my interest in their work on 3D printing. Even before starting graduate听school, I had already bought my own 3D printer and was experimenting with it during the COVID-19 pandemic,听designing听and fabricating projects at home. That hands-on experience ended up being听really useful听during my Master鈥檚, and it also set the stage for how听AnemoSwab听eventually came about.听
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Q:听Can you tell us more about听AnemoSwab听and how听this听came about?听听
When I first joined the lab, this project听didn鈥檛听exist. I was initially planning to work on bioprinting organs, specifically 3D printing structures out of extracellular matrix to create organ-like systems, and I worked on that for about four months. However, since I started my PhD at听the tail听end of the pandemic, aerosol-based transmission was a major area of interest. There were still many unanswered questions around how infectious individuals were, how superspreading events occurred, and听overall听how to better measure transmission risk. At the time, we听didn鈥檛听have strong systems in place to study this properly.听
Around then, research was听emerging听from Europe on portable aerosol sampling devices that could help estimate viral load and infectiousness. David showed me some of these papers, and we both became听very interested听in the area. At that point, I was already a few months into听my work in听a lab that focused on 3D printing and diagnostic devices, so it felt like a natural direction to explore how we could build on these developments.听That鈥檚听really when the project started to take shape, around January 2022.听
Initially, we were interested in aerosol sampling as a more direct measurement compared to nasopharyngeal swabs, which were the standard for COVID testing at the time. Aerosol sampling has the advantage of capturing the actual transmission vector, which can听provide听more direct insight into how infectious someone is. That kind of information is useful not only for diagnostics, but also for public health decisions, like assessing transmission risk or听determining听whether healthcare workers should isolate.听
At the same time, there was also a very practical issue:听people disliked swabbing. Because of that, testing compliance听wasn鈥檛听always ideal.听So,听we were also motivated to develop something non-invasive, something that would be as simple as breathing into a tube,听similar to听a breathalyzer, where the sample could then be used for testing.听
Within a couple of months, we had our first prototypes, although they were听very far听from the听final version. The progress was听definitely not听linear... we would make advances, then hit setbacks, then move forward again. It was a long iterative process to get to where the technology is today.听
We鈥檝e听been working on this for almost five years now, so there has been a lot of science and engineering involved in bringing it to this stage. At the same time, people now tend to understand the general concept much more easily, largely because of the shared experiences听we鈥檝e听had as a society through COVID.听
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Q: When you were developing this innovation, did you have the idea that you would one day bring it into a competition like the Clinical Innovation Competition?听Was听this a goal for you?听听
Pretty early on, we听identified听that the technology was something we wanted to patent because it was novel, so it was implicit from the beginning that we believed it had value and could potentially be brought into settings like innovation competitions.听That said, there were a lot of听ups and downs听along the way, so at times that goal felt more tangible than at others. But overall, it was always at least partially in mind as we developed the work.听
We filed a provisional patent in 2024, and we are now听in the process of entering听the national phase, with the technology currently patent pending.听
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Q:听What was your experience听participating听in the Clinical Innovation Competition, and听what do you think helped听AnemoSwab听stand out to the judges?听
The competition involved a lot of work to familiarize myself with the听different aspects, particularly the business side, which was a learning experience for me. It听wasn鈥檛听my first pitch competition, so I had already gained some experience over time. Initially, we lacked knowledge around the market and commercialization aspects, but through experience, and with support from the 91黑料网 Innovations + Partnerships Office and the Technology Transfer Office, we gradually started to gain听a better understanding. That knowledge also became transferable across different competitions we听participated听in.听
In terms of what made our pitch stand out,听I think one key factor听was that it was quite different from many of the other projects. A lot of the other teams were focused on AI-assisted clinical planning or management tools,听whereas听we were one of the few teams with a physical diagnostic听component.听听
The innovation is also very听timely听and relevant in the context of disease transmission, especially with increased attention on emerging infectious diseases,听like hantavirus,听in the media. Understanding aerosol-based transmission is crucial for informing public health policy, particularly in how we think about the spread of new diseases.听
In addition, we have intellectual property in place (patent pending), and a clinical study听coming听soon.听I think the judges were able to see that this was a serious, well-developed project, and all of these elements came together into a strong overall package.听
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Q:听How has this experience influenced your future research or career goals?听
The project and competition have听shifted my perspective a bit. When I finished my work at the CRO听prior to my Master鈥檚, I was听very impressed听by the resources and infrastructure they had, and I initially envisioned myself working in a company setting focused on R&D with that level of support. Now, I see things a bit differently. In the start-up space, even though there are听sometimes听fewer resources, there is a lot of room for innovation, and things move and evolve very quickly. That environment allows for a lot of flexibility to adapt to听new information, learn continuously, and iterate in real听time,听which is something I find very appealing.听
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Q:听What advice would you give to students and trainees who are interested in translating their research into real-world innovation and听participating听in competitions like this?听
I鈥檝e done a number of innovation competitions, and I really think there is no downside to participating and pitching your idea.听The only听real cost听is time, but what you gain in return, especially听feedback, is incredibly valuable. It forces you to think about aspects of your project you might not have considered before. For example, you might have a great technical solution, but if it is too costly or not scalable, it may not be听viable听in practice. That kind of feedback has really helped guide our own development process.听
At the same time,听you have to keep听trying.听We have submitted a lot of applications, and the success rate听in these competitions is typically听quite low.听There are many talented people with strong ideas, so you are competing against a lot of them. Because of that, you听can鈥檛听give up.听You just have to keep trying and keep improving along the way.听
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Q: Can you think of any modifications听you听made听after competing in other听innovation听competitions?听
We've听changed how we phrase what we provide and learned how to better communicate and market our innovation so that it resonates with different audiences. We now focus more on what will matter most to the people listening to the pitch. As a scientist, it did not come naturally to 鈥渟ell鈥� the work, since I tended to present things very critically. Over time, I realized I could adjust the way I present the product so that it is better received and more clearly understood by listeners.听
I have also presented this work at conferences, student symposiums, and other venues beyond pitch competitions, and each of these experiences has provided different feedback that has helped us develop the innovation further. Through this,听I have come to appreciate how important it is to synthesize information effectively and to communicate it in a way that is accessible to non-expert audiences.听
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Q:听Is there anything else you would like to share听with our readers听or any advice for fellow students?听听
I feel听very fortunate听to have a supervisor who actively encourages this kind of work and leads a lab with many听previous听start-up projects. From the beginning, he saw the potential for patenting this and developing it into something beyond just a research project.听Because of that,听I think finding a supervisor who supports the direction you want to take and whose vision is aligned with yours is really important.听
If you are at the start of your program and think you might one听day听be interested in entrepreneurship or innovation, I would encourage you to keep in mind the potential commercial value of your work. Do not be shy about bringing those ideas up with your supervisor early on.听
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Thank you, Yonatan, for sharing your insights, and congratulations on your CLIC听success. We wish you all the best on the road ahead!