The MGD College of Health Inventors is a group of McMaster faculty, staff, and alumni who have shown interest and success in entrepreneurship and innovation. This group, working together, will provide McMaster with insight into issues of commercial/entrepreneurial interest. They will provide each other and associate members with advice concerning topics of mutual interest and address questions of how to raise the initial funds to move a project along, protect IP, and when to step back and have professionals develop the product etc.
Full Membership
Full members have demonstrated both interest and success in entrepreneurship, commercialization, and innovation. Metrics include the development of companies, licensing agreements and issued patents among others.
Full members include:
- Founders of companies that have raised significant investment (i.e. series A from investors, strategic partnerships with companies; not just grants) or generating revenues
- Lead inventors on patents that have been licensed to companies currently developing the IP
Associate Membership
Associate members have demonstrated interest in commercialization, licensing, and company development, which has not yet come to fruition. They will gain mentorship and start-up advice etc. from each other and the full members of the College of Inventors.
Associate members will include:
- Founders of new companies seeking investment
- Lead inventors on patents being marketed by MILO with active ongoing research program to support said inventions
- Individuals who have filed disclosures with MILO and demonstrate an interest to commercialize
Current College of Health Inventors
Information Box Group
Chair of Full Members
Deputy Chair of Full Members
Chair of Associate Members
Information Box Group
Sheila Singh, MD, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Co-founder and CEO, Empirica Therapeutics (focused on the development of novel rationally designed immunotherapies against glioblastoma and brain metastasis)
- Patented a suite of novel immunotherapies against CD133 as a potential target for anti-cancer chemotherapeutics, for use in GBM, brain metastases, CML and other solid cancers
- Discovered Brain Tumour Initiating Cell, a Cancer Stem Cell
- Founding Director, McMaster Surgeon-Scientist Program (SSP)
Mark Larché, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology & Allergy
- Co-founder of Circassia Ltd (speciality pharmaceutical company, respiratory disease) and Scientific Advisor Adiga Life Sciences (peptide immunotherapy)
- Inventor on several patents related to use of synthetic peptides for allergen desensitization
- Research focus on immunological tolerance for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disease
Jeremy "Jay" Hirota, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Medicine, Division of Respirology
- Founder, Hiropharm Therapeutics (a consulting company that develops pre-clinical models of chronic respiratory diseases and mucosal immunology)
- Founder, Infinotype (a consulting and services company that functions to bridge bioinformaticians and respiratory researchers with an in-house focus on development of diagnostic signatures
- Canada Research Chair, Respiratory Mucosal Immunology
- The Hirota Lab is creating a translational research program with a focus on respiratory mucosal immunology
Information Box Group
Mehran Anvari, MBBS, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Surgery
- World-renowned pioneer in telerobotic and laparoscopic surgical techniques including remote surgery
- Scientific Director and CEO, the Centre for Surgical Invention and Innovation, a Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research (NCE-RCE)
Mick Bhatia, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences
- Chief Scientific Officer, Actium Inc
- Founder and Shareholder, Kisoji Biotechnology
- Inventor on multiple patents related to disease models, prognostics, and therapies for cancer
- Leader in differentiation of human stem cells and its application
Jonathan Bramson, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
- Co-founder, Triumvira Immunologies, Inc. (commercializing T cell Antigen Coupler to recruit the bodies T cells and direct them to attack cancer cells)
- Cancer immunology and T cell mobilization
Philip Britz-McKibbin, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology
- Research expertise in bio-analytical chemistry and metabolomics for the discovery of clinically relevant biomarkers for early detection of chronic/inherited human diseases
- Inventor of biomarker panels for improved screening of cystic fibrosis, allosteric activators for treatment of phenylketonuria,and method for surveillance of iodine deficiency
- A patented method for comprehensive drug screening being commercialized by a Canadian diagnostic company based on multiplexed capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry technology
Information Box Group
Eric Brown, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences
- Co-founder, Zumedix (company focused on antimicrobial drug development); Inventor on multiple patents related to novel antibiotics and screening methods
- Leader in antibiotic drug resistance and infectious disease
- Former Chair and Director, Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization Program
Anthony Chan, MD
McMaster University, Department of Pediatrics
- Inventor of technologies that have been licensed and developed by Canadian and international pharmaceutical companies; patent families related to medical device coating compositions and diagnostics
- Co-invented a methodology for monitoring clotting in patient samples for studies/clinical trials
- Provides 24/7 consultation worldwide for pediatric thrombosis and stroke through a toll-free service (1800NOCLOTS)
Teresa Chan, MD
McMaster University, Department of Medicine, Emergency Medicine
- Founding member, CanadiEM website
- Creator, McMaster Emerg Med Games Intrapreneurship Venture (makers of GridlockED and TriagED serious educational games)
- Founding member and Chief Strategic Officer, International
- Faculty Incubator program for the Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) group
- National speciality committee chair and Program Director for Canada’s first official Clinician Educator Area of Focused Competency Diploma program under the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and Director of the program at McMaster
Lauren (Warren) Foster, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Patented method for diagnosis and monitoring of endometriosis, currently licensed and under development by an international women’s health pharmaceutical company
- Expert in reproductive toxicology and the role of environmental toxicants on reproductive and endocrine health
Information Box Group
Alison Fox-Robichaud, MD
McMaster University, Department of Medicine
- Implemented electronic early warning scores into the medical records for Hamilton Health Sciences, and patented risk assessment tools for patients with sepsis
- Studies translation of research in the pathophysiology of sepsis into clinical practices
Gail Gauvreau, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Medicine
- Co-Director, AllerGen Clinical Investigator Collaborative (a clinical trial collaborative that investigates new drug candidates for respiratory diseases)
- Co-author, Clinical Investigative Collaborative Operating Procedures (CIC-SOP) (has been licensed out to numerous times to pharmaceutical companies)
- Interests in allergic inflammation and respiratory physiology, drug development, and clinical trial research
Peter Gross, MD
McMaster University, Department of Medicine
- Founder, Twelve Squared Diagnostics (focused on development and commercialization of more efficient diagnostic techniques)
- Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of blood clotting disorders including venous thrombosis and haemophilia
Todd Hoare, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Chemical Engineering
- Holds patents for a number of different devices for drug delivery and collaborates with numerous industry partners on product development and validation
- Designs smart materials and gel nanoparticles for a vast range of biomedical applications including drug delivery methods
- Successfully licensed university-based innovations to companies
Information Box Group
Zeinab Hosseini-Doust, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Chemical Engineering
- Invented and filed a patent application on a regenerative bacteria-fighting gel, which has a variety of potential applications currently under development
- Principle Investigator, Biohybrids Lab at McMaster University (integrates biology and synthetic nanoparticles to develop health solutions)
Alfonso Iorio, MD
McMaster University, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI)
- Developed Web-Available Population Pharmacokinetic Software (WAPPS-Hemo) – a platform for tailoring factor concentrates for hemophilia patients
- Founder of Precision Medicine Agency Inc – a consulting agency for personalized treatment
- Co-Principal Investigator of Patient Reported Outcome Burden and Experiences (PROBE)
- Principle Scientist for Hemalytic Inc – data mining specialists in bleeding disorders
Peter Kavsak, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
- Inventor on 3 patent families related to biomarker panel and methods; Adverse cardiac event risk score patent licensed and under development by global healthcare company with a focus on personalized diagnostics
- Developed lab scores to identify patients at risk of heart attack as well as assessing risk of acute kidney injuries
Zahra Keshavarz-Motamed
McMaster University, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Developed a non-invasive monitoring and diagnostic framework for patients with cardiovascular disease that is patient-specific and calculates both local and global hemodynamics – blood fluid dynamics. The tool provides a breakdown of the global function of the heart and how the disease is affecting heart performance.
Information Box Group
Yingfu Li, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences
- Founder, InnovoGENE Biosciences Inc. (a research platform company providing aptamer-and DNAzyme-based services and assets; inventor on large portfolio of aptamer related patents)
- Functional Nucleic Acids Research to make DNA-based enzymes and receptors (aptamers)
Brian Lichty, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
- Co-founder, Turnstone Biologics (an immune-oncology company) currently partnered with US company AbbVie Inc. to commercialize and market their oncolytic viral immunotherapies
- Inventor on several oncolytic virus and method patents
- Developing virus-based cancer immunotherapies
James MacKillop, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research
- Founder and principal at BEAM Diagnostics, Inc.
- BEAM focuses on innovations in behavioural economics and the measurement of self-regulation to improve the treatment of addiction, other mental health conditions and obesity
- BEAM has two lead products, BEACON-ALC, a screening tool for alcohol use disorder and BEACON OUD, a screening tool for opioid use disorder
- Near-term product development includes assessments for cannabis use disorder, tobacco use disorder, and obesity
Andrew McArthur, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences, David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery & M.G DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research
- Inventor of the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database and RGI software tools, the gold standard database for antimicrobial resistance surveillance and research (licensed by over 20 commercial partners)
- Program Director, Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization
Information Box Group
Karen Mossman, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
- Engineers herpesviruses to grow and kill cancer cells without harming healthy host cells
- Inventor on provisional patents related to a novel oncolytic virus currently under development as a cancer therapeutic
William (Bill) Orovan, MD
McMaster University, Department of Surgery, Division of Urology
- Medical Director,Maple Leaf HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound), Ablatherm® HIFU is a treatment of prostate cancer
- Vice Dean, Clinical Services and Commercial Enterprises
Guillaume Paré, MD
McMaster University, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
- Scientific Advisor to numerous biotechnology companies, both large and small
- Patented methods for the assessment of biochemical and genetic markers of disease risk
- Researching the role of genetics in determining individuals at risk for cardiovascular diseases
Rolf Sebaldt, MDCM
McMaster University, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Division of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology
- President and CEO, Fig.P Software Incorporated (software design company that creates data management solutions for clinicians and researchers)
- Director, ClinformaData Systems & Project Management
- Interest in designing and implementing novel and scalable information technology-based solutions to improve clinical data capture and sustainable care quality improvement at point of care
Information Box Group
Heather Sheardown, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Chemical Engineering
Dean, Faculty of Engineering
- Co-founder and Scientific Advisor, 20/20 Optimeyes (developers of drug delivery platform of ocular disease)
- Working to develop new drug-containing formulations that act as topical eye drops, also innovations in drug delivery, contact lens materials, IOLs, polymer chemistry and bioengineering in the ophthalmic space
Leyla Soleymani, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Engineering Physics
- Inventor on multiple patents for the development of electrodes and biosensing devices on the nano- and micro-scale
- Co-Inventor on a diagnostic tool for endometriosis currently licensed and under development by an international women’s health pharmaceutical company
- Research into material development for rapid prototyping techniques for faster implementation of novel healthcare diagnostics and monitoring platforms
Gregory Steinberg, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Medicine, Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research
- Co-founder and CSO, Espervita Therapeutics
- Research focuses on developing new therapies for obesity, type 2 diabetes, NAFLD/NASH and liver cancer
- Inventor on patents related to serotonin and growth differentiating factor 15 in metabolism
Harald Stover, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology
- Research at the Stover Research Group focuses on functional polymers, colloids, and encapsulation with the overall aim to develop novel materials together with a deeper understanding of their fundamental, molecular properties
- Member, Biointerfaces Institute
Information Box Group
Richard Sztramko, MD
McMaster University, Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics
- Chief Medical Officer, Reliq Health Technologies (remote patient monitoring, chronic disease management, and telemedicine solutions for Health Plans, Medicare, and Medicaid)
- Co-founder, Arya Health Technologies (a next generation electronic health record and handover product)
- Co-founder, iGericare (a comprehensive eLearning education platform for caregivers of people with dementia)
Mark Tarnopolsky, MD, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Medicine, Division of Pediatrics
- Founder, CEO, & CSO, Exerkine Corporation (a biotechnology company that commercializes exosome-based therapies for treatment of genetic diseases)
- CSO, SofTab (a biotechnology company focusing on novel emulsion-based drug and nutrient delivery systems)
- Former CSO, Life Science Nutritionals (LSN) (a nutraceutical company focusing on gummie based delivery systems)
- Leader in assessment of pharmacologic, nutritional, and exercise interventions as treatments for patients with Neurometabolic disorders
Yonghong Wan, MD
McMaster University, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
- Inventor of family of patents related to oncolytic viruses and methods of use, licensed to Turnstone Biologics
- Leader in combination therapy for cancer treatment using adoptive T cell therapy and oncolytic virus-based vaccines
- Co-founder and CSO, Joint Therapeutics
Gerry Wright, PhD
McMaster University, Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences
- Inventor on several patents related to novel antibiotics and drug discovery methods, as well as the CARD database currently licensed to over 20 industry partners
- Director, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research
- The Wright Lab studies molecular mechanisms of bacterial antibiotic resistance while developing new antibiotics and novel antimicrobial strategies