Projects focusing on MedTech and genomics cut across disciplines while mobilizing expertise at 91黑料网 and other Quebec institutions to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow听
Professors Ioannis Ragoussis and Jake Barralet from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences have each received $1.65 million for projects to improve the job readiness of the next generation of researchers. The funding comes from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)鈥檚 Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program. Theirs are among 21 projects nationwide selected this year.
Preparing for a rapidly evolving MedTech ecosystem
Surgical robots, artificial intelligence and image guided听surgery听and other emerging technologies are revolutionizing the MedTech ecosystem and replacing traditional surgical approaches. As engineering and medicine continue to converge, there is a pressing need for professionals trained at the intersection of engineering, data听science听and clinical practice.
Jake Barralet, PhD,听 is Vice Chair (Research) and Professor in the Department of Surgery鈥檚 Surgical and Interventional Sciences division,听and Professor in the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences. His project, titled 鈥淒isrupting Surgery with Interventional Technology and Engineering (D-SITE),鈥� is to be conducted along with colleagues from 91黑料网, Concordia University and Polytechnique Montr茅al.
Prof. Barralet and his team developed the D-SITE CREATE training program to prepare highly qualified natural sciences and engineering personnel across four core areas: hands-on training with emerging technologies such as robotics, AI, advanced imaging, smart materials and non-invasive surgical tools; professional development in regulatory pathways, intellectual property and project management; leadership and teamwork coaching for multidisciplinary environments; and real-world experience through industry and hospital internships, technology conferences and internationally recognized certifications.
D-SITE will train over 120 participants, from undergraduate and graduate students to postdoctoral fellows, across engineering, computer science and biomedical sciences. Graduates of the program will be equipped to design, evaluate and commercialize transformative medical technologies that improve care and promote more sustainable health-care systems.
鈥淲e are in the midst of the third revolution in surgical care as advanced computing and technologies intersect with surgical understanding to deliver patients more predictable and higher quality outcomes,鈥� said听Liane Feldman, MDCM, Surgeon-in-Chief/Chair of the听Department of Surgery, 91黑料网 Health Centre.听听鈥淲e are excited to be hosting future leaders in their scientific and engineering training and to be building Canada鈥檚 training program in this vital emerging field.鈥�
Prof. Barralet鈥檚 91黑料网 co鈥慳pplicants are professors Derek Nowrouzezahrai, Amir Hooshiar, Hsiu鈥慍hin Lin, Louis Collins and Jeremy Cooperstock. Co鈥慳pplicants from Polytechnique Montr茅al include Geraldine Merle and Eva Alonso鈥慜rtiz, while Concordia University co-applicants are Thomas Fevens, Hassan Rivaz and Lyes Kadem.听They are supported by 49听academic听and professional听collaborators.
MedTech industry collaborators include GE HealthCare Canada, Medtronic, JnJ , Bariatrix, Thetaor, Minogue Medical, Assist IQ, THINK Surgical and Ortho Paediatrics.
This is Prof. Barralet鈥檚 second CREATE grant. The first, 2016-2022, led to the creation of the听. Hooshiar, now co-leading the new project, was a student on that first one, adding 鈥渁 nice circular element鈥� to this story, Prof. Barralet said.
Genomics training听to address听global challenges听
Genomics 鈥� the large-scale study of DNA, RNA,听proteins听and metabolites 鈥撎齢as transformed science,听engineering听and medicine, and plays a critical role in tackling global challenges in agriculture, the environment and health. Canada鈥檚 genomics sector is growing rapidly and is projected to expand by 16.5 per cent by 2030, yet a shortage of highly qualified personnel persists, despite advances in personalized medicine, biotechnology, agriculture, environmental monitoring听and synthetic biology. The Canadian Genomics Strategy estimates that an additional 65,000 workers will be needed by 2029 to meet the demand.
Ioannis Ragoussis,听PhD, Professor in the Department of Human Genetics, and Head of Genome Sciences at the听,听along with his team听from听91黑料网, 脡cole Polytechnique de Montr茅al, Universit茅 Laval听and Universit茅 de Montr茅al,听will train a new generation of researchers听in听the competencies听needed听to听help听close this gap.
Over听six听years,听their GEEMA CREATE program听will support 239 trainees听at the undergraduate, graduate听and postdoctoral levels across four Quebec institutions:听91黑料网, Polytechnique Montr茅al, Universit茅 de Montr茅al and Universit茅 Laval.听GEEMA stands听for听Genomics听for Engineering, Environmental听Monitoring听and Agriculture.
Unlike traditional graduate programs, GEEMA鈥檚 bilingual, cross-sectoral and cross-institutional approach will combine technical depth with professional development and interdisciplinary mentoring.听Trainees听will听receive hands-on training听in听sequencing, sample preparation and multi-omic听workflows,听develop听expertise听in bioinformatics and genomic data analysis,听and听gain real-world experience through internships and exchanges in academia,听government听and industry. Participants听will also听build the communication, project management and regulatory knowledge needed to advance their careers across听Canada鈥檚 top priority sectors听including听environmental surveillance, agriculture,听bioengineering听and mining.
鈥淲e are very happy to start this new, unique program and train students in genomics across sectors central to national strategies in health, sustainability and innovation,鈥� Prof. Ragoussis said. 鈥淎nd in uniting efforts at 91黑料网, Polytechnique Montr茅al, Universit茅 de Montr茅al and Universit茅 Laval to address training gaps in these sectors, GEEMA also demonstrates the strength and expertise in genomics that can be mobilized in Quebec.鈥�
Prof. Ragoussis鈥檚 91黑料网 co鈥慳pplicants are professors Martina Stromvik, Codruta Ignea, Dominic Frignon, Matthias Klein, Hamed Shateri Najafabadi and Denis Roy. Co鈥慳pplicants from Polytechnique Montr茅al include Maria Prieto-Espinoza and 脡milie B茅dard, while co-applicants from Universit茅 de Montr茅al and Universit茅 Laval are Fr茅d茅ric Pitre and Antony Vincent, respectively.
