On August 14th, the CBR community celebrated the end of the Summer Studentship program with the annual CBR-LSI Research Day. The event started with opening remarks from our Director, followed by oral presentations from the summer students. Students were given just 3 minutes each to present their summer research projects—a challenging task even for the most experienced researchers!
Oral Presentations
The audience enjoyed exciting presentations on a wide span of topics: aging and viral responses, innovations in transfusion medicine and flow cytometry, advancements in biosensors and clotting factors, maternal health and microbiome research, as well as cutting-edge approaches in gene editing, organoid models, and platelet biology. It was inspiring to witness the high-caliber research performed by our summer students in just four months.
Dr. Kerryn Matthews
Neil Mackenzie Mentorship Award
This year’s Neil Mackenzie Mentorship Award was presented to Dr. Kerryn Matthews from the Ma lab. Although she couldn’t be there in person to accept the award, she spoke on the importance of mentorship as a collaborative, empathetic endeavor rather than a hierarchical one. She emphasized the value of friendship, community, and honesty in science and life. She views mentorship as a two-way process involving support, encouragement, and sometimes practical help like snacks or wine. She ended her speech thanking the friends who nominated her and the community that made this recognition possible.
Dr. Mohit Bhandari
Keynote speaker: Dr. Mohit Bhandari
This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Mohit Bhandari from McMaster University. Dr. Bhandari delivered an insightful address on quantum creativity, which he defines as small, intentional steps that foster creativity. He began by describing the differences between creativity and productivity, noting how publishing more does not necessarily equate with impact. His advice is therefore to focus on quality over quantity.
Next, Dr. Bhandari talked about the importance of creativity in research and medicine. Creativity is crucial but often undervalued in academic and medical training. Innovation requires balancing big questions with smaller, answerable steps. He reflected on his 1,200 publications and reveals that only about 15 to 20 were truly impactful.
Dr. Bhandari’s practical lessons for creativity include creating time, networking, and observing. Protect unstructured or non-negotiable time for reflection/activities, surround yourself with high-value, challenging peers, and learn to see familiar things with a fresh set of eyes. Good ideas often come during downtime; “incubation periods” are essential for breakthroughs.
Dr. Bhandari recommends being present, enjoying the process, and not to conflate mere activity with actual, meaningful impact. He notes that most scientists peak about 20 years into their careers, so nurturing creativity early is crucial. Stay open to more than one opportunity and don’t settle for what’s in front of you. Dr. Bhandari lives by the “THINK” acronym: Try new things, Harness your creativity, Invest in what matters most, Never fear failure, and Know that it’s okay to start again.
Dr. Bhandari concluded his address with a key recommendation: to make a “creativity contract”. Above all, enjoy the process and let creativity become your daily habit, not just a distant hope.
Poster session
Following the keynote address, the event transitioned to the poster session in the LSC West Atrium. Summer students presented their posters to guests and poster judges and engaged in productive scientific discussions. The atmosphere provided a wonderful forum for insightful questions and valuable feedback.
Awards
The evening ended with a BBQ dinner and awards. Congratulations to the 2025 Research Day award recipients:
- Best Oral Presentation (voted by the students) – Rachel Smid, Hedtrich Lab
- People’s Choice Award (voted by the audience) – Zarbaab Feroze, Jefferies lab
- Best Poster Presentation (voted by the poster judges) – Naomi Madokoro, McNagny Lab
Find all the photos from Research Day on our Facebook page: HERE
Recordings from the event can be found on our YouTube channel: HERE
Many thanks to our sponsors, without whom the CBR Summer Studentship Program and CBR Research Day would not be possible: the Neil Mackenzie Memorial Fund, the Naiman-Vickars Endowment Fund, and Canadian Blood Services. We’d also like to say thank you to the Life Sciences Institute for partnering with us on this year’s program
