11 Amgen Scholars join U of T labs to bridge biology, technology and medicine

Eleven students from across Canada have been selected to spend the summer at the University of Toronto, a major health sciences hub and Canada’s leading research institute, to investigate today’s most pressing biomedical and health issues.

Funded by the Amgen Foundation and hosted at U of T, the Amgen Scholars Program provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to conduct hands-on research alongside Canada’s top experts.

Mentored by world-renowned scientists and immersed in a vibrant research community, scholars will contribute to ongoing projects while building the skills needed for future studies and careers in science.

The growing movement towards interdisciplinary health research is a common thread among this year’s cohort, who are interested in how areas such as computer science, engineering and artificial intelligence can contribute to biomedical research. This year’s scholars also share an interest in translational research – using scientific discoveries to directly benefit health.

Amgen Scholar, Omar Alshehabi, a computer science and biology student at McGill University, studies how gene therapeutics and computational genomics can be used to treat complex diseases.

This summer, he will join Bowen Li, assistant professor at the Lesie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, to explore the use of gene therapeutics to treat cystic fibrosis.

Savanna Tippe, an Amgen scholar and pharmacology student from the University of Alberta, focuses on the intersection of stem cell biology and organ-on-a-chip models — small devices containing tiny amounts of fluid that can mimic the activities and physiological responses of organs.

Tippe will work with Jonathan Rocheleau, associate professor of physiology at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and a researcher at the University Health Network and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering. In addition to live-cell imaging, they will use islet-on-a-chip technology — which simulates the physiological behaviour of pancreatic cells — to investigate diabetes.

Outside of the lab, these scholars are looking forward to becoming part of a close-knit community of like-minded peers, eager to explore all that the Amgen program and U of T have to offer.

Over the course of the 10-week placement, scholars will participate in social and community-building activities and explore the extraordinary diversity of the Greater Toronto Area. Typical activities include visits to quintessential Toronto attractions like Casa Loma, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the CN Tower and the Toronto Islands.

“The team behind the program,” Alshehabi said, “has clearly devoted so much effort into organizing a fulfilling, jam-packed schedule for us and I cannot wait to experience it all!”

Amgen program director and professor of biochemistry at Temerty Medicine, Stavroula Andreopoulos echoes this enthusiasm.

“We’re excited to welcome this year’s Amgen Scholars to the University of Toronto, where they’ll be working at the front lines of today’s most pressing health research,” she said.

“Every year, this program reminds us just how much talent and passion exists at the undergraduate level. When you bring these students into a hands-on research environment and surround them with strong mentorship and a supportive cohort, the growth you see over the summer is remarkable.”

The 2026 Amgen Scholars are:

• Malak Abdrabo, Memorial University of Newfoundland
• Omar Alshehabi, McGill University
• Maïka Harvey, University of Ottawa
• Zhi Ling Jiang, Wilfrid Laurier University
• Mehrnoosh Motlagh, University of Toronto
• Nifemi Ogundare, McMaster University
• Gabrielle Pegado, University of Victoria
• Parham Rezaeimanesh, University of Toronto
• Josh Sumra, University of Western Ontario
• Savanna Tippe, University of Alberta
• Inderpreet-Kaur Virk, McGill University

The program runs May-July and culminates with a research symposium where scholars showcase their work and celebrate their role in shaping the future of medicine.