Healthcare Innovation Challenge: Improving Rural Healthcare in Canada

Join us for the final round of the IMS Healthcare Innovation Challenge, where the top five teams will pitch their idea to our panel of expert judges and a live audience. There's $5,000 of prizes to be won by our competitors.

Refreshments will be served and we'll be handing out fun raffle prizes throughtout the evening!

Dr. Jeff Golisky
Dr. Jeff Golisky is the Director of the Physician Assistant Program at the University of Toronto in collaboration with NOSM University and the Director of the Integrated Communities Residency Program. Dr. Golisky is an Assistant Professor in the DFCM and NOSM U and Chief of Family Medicine at Georgian Bay General Hospital. He brings forward expertise in medical education and comprehensive rural medicine.

Dr. Keith Pardee
Dr. Keith Pardee is an Associate Proffessor in UofT's Leslie Dan Faculty of Ph*rm*cy. He works in the field of synthetic biology, with a focus on pioneering in vitro devices to improve access to health care through the development of low-burden biotechnologies. Using cell-free enzyme systems, the lab builds low-burden molecular diagnostics (e.g. Zika) and creates technologies for therapeutics discovery and biomanufacturing, paired with computational design of peptides/proteins. These efforts have led three trainee-led start-ups (LSK tech, Liberum Bio, En Carta Diagnostics).

Serena Peck
Serena Peck is a public-sector healthcare consultant, accomplished Institute of Medical Science alumna, and Co-Founder of The Healthcare Innovation Challenge. She is on the Regional Primary Care Team at the Vancouver Island Health Authority in British Columbia and is recognized for her leadership in advancing equitable and sustainable primary care systems across various rural and remote communities.
Serena focuses on designing and implementing evidence-informed models of care that enhance access, patient experience, and overall system performance and financial viability. She grounds her work in culturally safe, community-oriented approaches, ensuring healthcare solutions are practical, responsive to local needs, and equity-driven.

Dr. Pascal Tyrrell
Dr. Pascal Tyrrell is an accomplished data scientist and the Director of Data Science at the University of Toronto's Department of Medical Imaging, within the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. He also holds appointments in the Institute of Medical Science, where he serves as Director of Equity, Diversity, Indigeneity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, and in the Department of Statistical Sciences as an associate professor.
Dr. Tyrrell is a Community-Engaged Learning Faculty Fellow at the University of Toronto, recognizing his leadership in advancing community-engaged scholarship. He is also an Affiliate Scientist at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, contributing to interdisciplinary research at the intersection of technology, ethics, and society. His research focuses on applying cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence to medical image analysis, driving improved health outcomes globally. Additionally, he is a serial entrepreneur with expertise in computer software, medical devices, and agri-tech.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Avenue, Toronto, Canada

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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