McMaster announces new School named after Marnix E. Heersink

For many years, McMaster has been recognized for its health sciences and engineering. Now, the university is poised to shift the culture towards innovation and entrepreneurship. On June 9, 2022, the McMaster Board of Governors approved the creation of the Marnix E. Heersink School of Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The new School is appropriately named after entrepreneur and philanthropist, Dr. Marnix E. Heersink, in recognition of the generous $25M USD gift endowed to the university earlier this year, by Marnix and his wife, Mary. The School will become McMaster’s home to guide and educate emerging health innovators.

The Marnix E. Heersink School of Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship will sit within the Faculty of Health Sciences. It is set to transcend traditional department boundaries, reach across the existing Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Rehabilitation Science, and will be equipped to serve the broader goals of the Faculty of Health Sciences and the university.

The School’s course and degree offerings are in development, but will include immersive clinical experiences to identify problems and form solutions, and drive innovation through high-calibre collaborations. It is certain, the new Marnix E. Heersink School of Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship will provide first-class innovation and entrepreneurship courses, resources, and partnerships.

As fate would have it, the timing of the School’s approval aligns with the Heersink’s visit to McMaster, June 16 – 17, 2022.

“I am very pleased the approval of the Marnix E. Heersink School of Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship comes as we welcome Marnix and Mary to the university,” said Dr. John Kelton, a McMaster distinguished university professor of medicine and a long-time friend of the Heersinks. He adds, “We continue to find innovative ways to improve health and equip the next generation of health professionals with the tools they will need to lead in an ever-changing health care landscape.”

Marnix is both honoured and thrilled about this initiative saying, “McMaster is the perfect place to further health innovation and to nurture academic entrepreneurship in biomedical science,” he adds, “I am looking forward to hearing about the remarkable innovations and entrepreneurship successes to come.”

The Marnix E. Heersink School of Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship is projected to open September 2023. The School will be based in the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery and will utilize space in The Clinic, which is located in the Health Sciences Library within the McMaster University Medical Centre.

To learn more about health innovation at McMaster University visit healthinnovation.mcmaster.ca.