Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology

In the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (LMP), you choose your research path - whether it's basic, translational, or clinical. As one of the largest and most diverse departments of its kind, LMP offers you unprecedented opportunities to pursue your MSc or PhD degree in Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology.

We occupy a special place at the interface between basic biomedical science and clinical practice, with research and clinical scientists located on campus and throughout our affiliated hospitals and research institutes.

Join our 400+ world-renowned research-active faculty and 250 graduate students pursuing basic, translational and clinical research. We are engaged in exciting areas of investigation ranging from molecular and cellular biology, to genomics and bioengineering, that will improve our understanding of fundamental processes and our ability to treat human diseases such as neurological disorders, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases, diabetes and cancer.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence will play a core role in medical research and patient care in the near future. We are proud to have the Temerty Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education in Medicine (T-CAIREM) based in our department.

We train our research-stream graduate students to think critically and to communicate effectively. As an LMP student, you will be a member of our student union, Committee of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology Students (CLAMPS), that offers academic and research support to all of its members, as well as social and wellness events throughout the year.

Our Programs

Master of Science (MSc)

In addition to completing a thesis, students take 1.5 FCE*:

LMP 1001H (Student Seminar Series I, 0.5 FCE)
LMP 1002H (Student Seminar Series II, 0.5 FCE)
LMP 1005H (Fundamentals of Research Practice, 0.5 FCE)

Students usually complete this program in two years.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

In addition to conducting independent and original research that will form their
thesis, students complete 1.0 FCE*/**:

LMP 1003H (Student Seminar Series III, 0.5 FCE)
elective (0.5 FCE)

Typically, students successfully complete this program in 5-6 years.

Alumni Profile

Negin Khosravianni, PhD

The LMP department provides an outstanding environment for trainees with vast opportunities for learning, networking, and collaborations. Students have the opportunity to explore different career paths and learn from the experiences of faculty, graduate and alumni mentors.

The graduate student union provides a close-knit community through various activities and workshops that ensure students are engaged in the department and connect with fellow peers. I am glad I was part ofthe LMP community as both an undergraduate and graduate student and had the opportunity to learn from the faculty, admins and students in the department.

Potential Career Paths

In 2022, the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) tracked the career outcomes of 5,128 PhD students who graduated from the University of Toronto between 2016 to 2021. The data below is from 122 laboratory medicine and pathobiology PhD graduates.

Positions

Some examples of the positions our laboratory medicine & pathobiology graduates held included:

Biotechnology and pharmaceutical jobs
Hospital-based jobs
Postdoctoral fellowships

Employers

Some examples of employers for whom our laboratory medicine & pathobiology graduates worked included:

The University of Toronto

The chart below shows a percentage breakdown of the various sectors in which our laboratory medicine and pathobiology PhD graduates worked at the time the survey occurred.

Main Employment Sectors of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology PhD Graduates

Chart data

Post-Secondary Education	Private Sector	Public Sector	Charitable Sector	Individual Sector	Info Not Public/Other
34.4	34.4	13.9	0	0.8	17.2

By the Numbers

87

Number of active labs across 16 sites

400+

Number of active research faculty

237

Number of current MSc & PhD students

*Full course equivalent. A typical 0.5 FCE is over one term (13 weeks), meeting 1-2 times per week. A typical 1.0 FCE is over two terms (26 weeks), meeting 1-2 times per week.

** For full details, please refer to the Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology PhD Program webpage.