Communications at the University of Toronto’s Cell & Systems Biology Department

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This summer, I was a Communications Assistant at the Cell & Systems Biology Department where I wrote pieces about departmental research, events, and awards; filmed and edited short-form videos about graduate students’ research; and designed graphics for social media and TV screens around CSB buildings!
Rebecca Tam's skill at the microscope earns Hone-Buske Award for outstanding paper - Department of Cell & Systems Biology
Rebecca Tam's outstanding publication reveals how the membranes delineating nuclear chambers form in the multinucleated Drosophila embryo
Rebecca Tam's skill at the microscope earns Hone-Buske Award for outstanding paper - Department of Cell & Systems Biology
https://csb.utoronto.ca/rebecca-tams-skill-at-the-microscope-earns-hone-buske-award-for-outstanding-paper/
Rebecca Tam's skill at the microscope earns Hone-Buske Award for outstanding paper - Department of Cell & Systems Biology
A daring application and hard work earn Stella Chen the top plant biology undergraduate award - Department of Cell & Systems Biology
Stella Chen has earned the top plant biology undergraduate award in North America to work on cell wall mutants in the McFarlane lab
A daring application and hard work earn Stella Chen the top plant biology undergraduate award - Department of Cell & Systems Biology
https://csb.utoronto.ca/a-daring-application-and-hard-work-earn-stella-chen-the-top-plant-biology-undergraduate-award/
A daring application and hard work earn Stella Chen the top plant biology undergraduate award - Department of Cell & Systems Biology
Cell & Systems Biology on Instagram: "#DYK there is science themed artwork on display around the CSB Buildings? As you’re walking around the @uoftartsci buildings, keep your eyes open for gorgeous images created by our @csbgu students, both from their research and as artwork from @cyberabbit and @ian54383 Did we miss any? Let us know if the comments and we’ll post them in another segment You can also view these images in our online gallery through the “Science Galleries” link in our bio #SciArt #LifeSciences #Biology #PlantScience #DataMining #Genomics #Microscopy"
46 likes, 1 comments - uoftcellsysbiol on July 31, 2025: "#DYK there is science themed artwork on display around the CSB Buildings? As you’re walking around the @uoftartsci buildings, keep your eyes open for gorgeous images created by our @csbgu students, both from their research and as artwork from @cyberabbit and @ian54383 Did we miss any? Let us know if the comments and we’ll post them in another segment You can also view these images in our online gallery through the “Science Galleries” link in our bio #SciArt #LifeSciences #Biology #PlantScience #DataMining #Genomics #Microscopy".
Cell & Systems Biology on Instagram: "#DYK there is science themed artwork on display around the CSB Buildings? As you’re walking around the @uoftartsci buildings, keep your eyes open for gorgeous images created by our @csbgu students, both from their research and as artwork from @cyberabbit and @ian54383 Did we miss any? Let us know if the comments and we’ll post them in another segment You can also view these images in our online gallery through the “Science Galleries” link in our bio #SciArt #LifeSciences #Biology #PlantScience #DataMining #Genomics #Microscopy"
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMyHlP4vNup/
Cell & Systems Biology on Instagram: "#DYK there is science themed artwork on display around the CSB Buildings? As you’re walking around the @uoftartsci buildings, keep your eyes open for gorgeous images created by our @csbgu students, both from their research and as artwork from @cyberabbit and @ian54383 Did we miss any? Let us know if the comments and we’ll post them in another segment You can also view these images in our online gallery through the “Science Galleries” link in our bio #SciArt #LifeSciences #Biology #PlantScience #DataMining #Genomics #Microscopy"
Cell & Systems Biology on Instagram: "🌻 Plants started off as aquatic organisms. But how did they make the jump to land hundreds of millions of years ago? Part of that answer lies with the protein SKL1—recently revealed in a paper by CSB researchers led by Michael Kanaris in Dinesh Christendat’s lab @uoft The really exciting part? This protein has a conserved function in many land plants Keep watching to learn more about this research or check out “SKL1 needed for land plants” in our bio! #LifeSciences #Arabidopsis #Liverwort #PlantBiology #Evolution #PlantEvolution"
8 likes, 0 comments - uoftcellsysbiol on August 11, 2025: "🌻 Plants started off as aquatic organisms. But how did they make the jump to land hundreds of millions of years ago? Part of that answer lies with the protein SKL1—recently revealed in a paper by CSB researchers led by Michael Kanaris in Dinesh Christendat’s lab @uoft The really exciting part? This protein has a conserved function in many land plants Keep watching to learn more about this research or check out “SKL1 needed for land plants” in our bio! #LifeSciences #Arabidopsis #Liverwort #PlantBiology #Evolution #PlantEvolution".
Cell & Systems Biology on Instagram: "🌻 Plants started off as aquatic organisms. But how did they make the jump to land hundreds of millions of years ago? Part of that answer lies with the protein SKL1—recently revealed in a paper by CSB researchers led by Michael Kanaris in Dinesh Christendat’s lab @uoft The really exciting part? This protein has a conserved function in many land plants Keep watching to learn more about this research or check out “SKL1 needed for land plants” in our bio! #LifeSciences #Arabidopsis #Liverwort #PlantBiology #Evolution #PlantEvolution"
https://www.instagram.com/p/DNOfas6vtQW/
Cell & Systems Biology on Instagram: "🌻 Plants started off as aquatic organisms. But how did they make the jump to land hundreds of millions of years ago? Part of that answer lies with the protein SKL1—recently revealed in a paper by CSB researchers led by Michael Kanaris in Dinesh Christendat’s lab @uoft The really exciting part? This protein has a conserved function in many land plants Keep watching to learn more about this research or check out “SKL1 needed for land plants” in our bio! #LifeSciences #Arabidopsis #Liverwort #PlantBiology #Evolution #PlantEvolution"

Writing for The Varsity

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In 2024, I was a Science Columnist at The Varsity — the University of Toronto’s (U of T) student newspaper since 1880! Specifically, I covered the fascinating work being done by researchers at U of T. Take a look at some of my favourite articles below.
Growing organs (almost) from scratch
U of T researchers are working on growing kidneys, lungs, and more in the lab to address the organ donor shortage
Growing organs (almost) from scratch
https://thevarsity.ca/2024/03/03/growing-organs-almost-from-scratch/
Growing organs (almost) from scratch
AI in healthcare: Where it is and where it’s going
U of T researchers are developing AI models to tackle lung transplantation, artery disease, and more
AI in healthcare: Where it is and where it’s going
https://thevarsity.ca/2024/04/07/ai-in-healthcare-where-it-is-and-where-its-going/
AI in healthcare: Where it is and where it’s going
Guidelines for research involving Indigenous communities are lacking
U of T researchers’ guidelines suggest ways to improve research by involving Indigenous Peoples
Guidelines for research involving Indigenous communities are lacking
https://thevarsity.ca/2024/03/17/guidelines-for-research-involving-indigenous-peoples-are-lacking/
Guidelines for research involving Indigenous communities are lacking

A Guide to Public Deliberation

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Scientists regularly call for public engagement opportunities to discuss cutting-edge research, but many of these calls go unnoticed or answered. Public deliberation may offer an antidote! Over several months, I worked on compiling a basic guide to public deliberation—from whether deliberation is the right approach for an issue to facilitation to picking a type of deliberative forum. It’s now published on the blog of the Federation of American Scientists. Take a look below!
A Scientists' Guide to Public Deliberation
Public deliberation can lead to more transparency, accountability to the public, and the emergence of ideas that would otherwise go unnoticed.
A Scientists' Guide to Public Deliberation
https://fas.org/publication/guide-to-public-deliberation/
A Scientists' Guide to Public Deliberation

Podcast Features

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I've been lucky enough to be a guest on a few podcasts where I talk about my experience with research as a young person, the advice I have for other young people in STEM, and more! Give the episodes a listen below.

Gairdner Science Week Correspondent

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During Gairdner Science Week 2022 — a series of events celebrating the Gairdner Award winners who are exceptional biomedical scientists — I was the High School Science Correspondent. I created a variety of content about the scientists’ work and events including a stem cell history explainer, a vlog of the events, tweets, and an interactive game. (More recently, I got a chance to ask some of the 2024 Gairdner Award laureates a question during the live awards announcement!)
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Gairdner Foundation on Twitter / X
Parmin, our #GairdnerScienceWeek High School correspondent, is here to give a spotlight look into Dr. Benjamin Ebert's talk on “Clonal hematopoiesis and the origin of blood cancer" at our International Symposium NEXT WEEK! register here: https://t.co/HxibbFscyN pic.twitter.com/WtNEqueLk7— Gairdner Foundation (@GairdnerAwards) October 17, 2022
Gairdner Foundation on Twitter / X
https://twitter.com/GairdnerAwards/status/1582053117256175616
The Gairdner Science Week Game!
Created with Figma
The Gairdner Science Week Game!
https://bit.ly/gairdner_science_week_game
The Gairdner Science Week Game!

ISSCR Collaboration

I also had the chance to be the High School Science Correspondent during the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2021 meeting. As part of that role, I created two videos in collaboration with the ISSCR.
I also had the chance to be the High School Science Correspondent during the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2021 meeting. As part of that role, I created two videos in collaboration with the ISSCR.
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My video about organoids, what they are, their applications, and more
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After attending ISSCR 2021 myself and learning lots, I wanted to share some of my tips for attending conferences with others!

Public Speaking

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On August 13, 2022, I spoke about biotechnology at Pyxis Hacks, a coding event (hackathon) for middle school students. I introduced them to what biotech is, some of its amazing applications, and how they can get started in the field. Watch it below.
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I got the great opportunity (from STEM ResearcHER, a student-run organization) to host a workshop all about how to write a research article for those just getting started. Watch it below.
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On July 30, 2022, I had the opportunity to speak about a combinatory approach to Parkinson’s disease involving senolytics and a cell therapy in the Biocord Discord server. Watch it below.
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At the beginning of 2021, I gave a talk titled The Rapid Development of COVID-19 Vaccines & How to Replicate it in the Future. Watch it below.
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