Scientific Training Opportunities

Industrial Biotechnology Workshop Series

The IBDL has served as a host for a great variety of scientific training programs over the course of its existence.  Initially, these programs were developed and run by industry with participants attending from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) as well as across Canada.  Recently, IBDL has expanded its scientific training workshops to take on greater ownership of their development and facilitation.  In doing so, the IBDL has re-designed its scientific training workshops so that they employ adult learning principles in all aspects of delivery and provide not only a learning experience but scientific training that has been shown to be applied by workshop participants for months after attending a training session. 

The types of scientific training workshops offered have ranged in topics from: Western Blotting and Cell & Tissue Culture to Ultrafiltration and Freeze Drying over the years.  Recently, IBDL has developed a consistent and sustainable scientific training program that offers its Introductory to Cell & Tissue Culture twice per year, Introduction to Western Blotting twice per year and Real Time PCR: Basics & Optimization Strategies once per year.  Each of these workshops are offered in partnership with industry allowing participants to see how science is applied outside of an academic environment but also minimizing bias from the sponsoring company since the training content is reviewed and/or developed in house.  Workshop participants will all receive a certificate for their completion of the training session.

Who should attend?

• industrial scientists and engineers who want to get hands-on in training in selected bioprocessing techniques
• academics and students with an interest in getting hands-on experience in industrial bioprocessing

Workshops are held year round with most sessions taking place in either Spring (May) or Fall (October/November). Information about workshops including workshop content and registration details will be updated on the website regularly.

Workshop Cancellation Policy
Advance notice must be given for cancellation of attendance at any workshop. 
Cancellation of attendance at a workshop within 3 business days of the scheduled event will result in forfeiture of workshop payment.

High School Student Laboratory Discovery Programs

In 2008, IBDL first became interested in reaching out to youth in high schools.  Its first high school outreach event was serving as a visiting lab during the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Discovery Days event hosted by the University of Toronto.  During this time, high school students not only had a chance to tour the IBDL but gained first hand laboratory experience by performing an experiment related to regenerative medicine.  IBDL has received wonderful feedback from being a participant in this event and has subsequently continued its participation in these events in later years.

IBDL has also served as a site for high school class visits.  In this capacity, IBDL has provided high school students the opportunity to learn about what steps are involved in pharmaceutical development, how regenerative medicine is becoming an increasingly important research area and once again the chance to conduct a hands-on laboratory experiment in a lab based setting.
Finally, IBDL has also participated and initiated other high school programs including participation in the summer student mentorship program offered through the University of Toronto in summer 2009 and the development of a Pharmaceutical Boot Camp for high school students that was piloted for the first time in 2010.

Teachers who are interested in arranging a high school class visit to the IBDL are asked to contact Dr. David Smookler, Educational Training Manager at the IBDL.