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How do you move innovative discoveries out of the lab efficiently and effectively so patients benefit sooner? What are the steps involved in translating and commercializing regenerative medicine discoveries? What career opportunities exist beyond academia?
Summer by Design, an intensive program for PhD students and post-doctoral fellows from Canadian and international universities, will run from June 8-17, 2026, located at the University of Toronto.
Summer by Design is hosted by Medicine by Design, CCRM‘s academic research division, in partnership with the Stem Cell Network and the CCRM Foundation.
Overview
This eight-day program will feature expert-led, interactive sessions including lectures, group work and case studies. Participants will:
- Learn from experts across various aspects of the technology translation continuum and be introduced to important topics including:
- Conducting technology assessments (market opportunity, competitive landscaping)
- Product conceptualization
- Pivotal experiments
- Technology strategy and intellectual property (IP)
- Scale-up and biomanufacturing
- Regulatory affairs
- Marketing
- Strategic communications and pitching including one-on-one coaching to develop presentation and pitch skills.
- Conducting technology assessments (market opportunity, competitive landscaping)
- Explore Toronto’s dynamic life sciences hub by meeting with clinical and industry leaders in the field of regenerative medicine
- Meet and collaborate with other Summer by Design participants, a diverse group of Canadian and international peers
Toronto: A global leader in regenerative medicine
Stem cells were first discovered in Toronto in the 1960s by researchers James Till and Dr. Ernest McCulloch. Since then, a world-leading regenerative medicine ecosystem has developed in Toronto’s Discovery District, with a thriving startup community, incubators and accelerators, venture funds and biotechnology companies.
CCRM is a global hub for developing advanced therapies, accelerating the translation of promising technologies, processes and therapies into life-changing health outcomes for patients.
Medicine by Design was launched in 2015, thanks in part to a $114-million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, to further advance Toronto as a leading regenerative medicine hub.
Program information
Apply now
Applications for Summer by Design 2026 are now open. Please complete the application form below and submit by email to stephanie.hume@ccrm.ca by 11:59 pm on January 19, 2026, Eastern Time.
Summer by Design 2026 Application
Selection criteria
Summer by Design participants are selected in a competitive process with consideration of both the video submission and short answer questions. Applicants will be evaluated based on the following selection criteria:
- Applicants must be PhD candidates or post-doctoral fellows in engineering, life science or medicine whose research is focused on regenerative medicine.
- Applicants should have a strong interest and/or experience in translation or commercialization.
- Applicants demonstrate enthusiasm for working as part of a team or group, an interest in international collaboration, and enthusiasm for sharing their expertise, research and insights from their home institution with the larger group.
Notes:
- Applicants must commit to participating fully in Summer by Design. Sessions typically run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays throughout the program.
- All applicants must provide a letter from their supervisor indicating they support the applicant’s participation in Summer by Design.
Dates
Costs
Medicine by Design will pay for instructional costs and, for participants from outside the Toronto area, accommodation in a university residence and breakfast each day.
Participants will be responsible for
- Booking travel and paying for travel costs to and from Toronto.
- During Summer by Design, participants will also be responsible for some lunches and most dinners, incidental expenses and health insurance.
- Participants will also be responsible for securing appropriate travel documents to enter Canada, where applicable.
Stem Cell Network will provide a limited number of travel supplements for Canadian participants from outside of Toronto. More information on Stem Cell Network travel supplements will be available soon.
News
Since 2017, Summer by Design welcomed participants from the University of Toronto and partner institutions and institutions from around the world, including the University of Cambridge, University of Loughborough, York Biomedical Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, Technical University of Munich, The Rockefeller University, Lund University, Monash University, Hannover Medical School, Karolinska Institute, Kyoto University, National University of Singapore, Queensland University of Technology and more.
- Summer by Design draws international regenerative medicine researchers to Toronto for a crash course in commercialization (2024)
- Summer by Design: 10 highlights from the program (2023)
- “Summer camp for researchers” aims to accelerate regenerative medicine discoveries into new therapies (2018)
- Summer by Design draws emerging regenerative medicine leaders from around the world to U of T (2017)
Testimonials
“The program tied in everything we, as academics, need to understand about the regenerative medicine industry. I learned so much about what makes research translatable, and this knowledge will impact how I design experiments and steer my research. It was also inspiring to learn about the career journeys of the speakers and eye-opening to learn about all the options that exist in the field. Your tagline for Summer by Design could really be “Designed by Scientists, for Scientists.”
–Sharmin Haideri, Post-Doctoral Fellow, University Health Network
“I created connections that go beyond new friendships; they are also potential collaborations for future projects. I also learned a lot more about the different aspects of translating our academic findings to a commercially viable product, and this information will be so valuable to me as I move into industry in the future.”
– Miriana Dardano, PhD, Hannover University, Germany
“I learned that, as a translational scientist, I need to acquire multiple mindsets. I should not only think about the science but also consider the economics behind a potential therapy and look at a project from the perspective of a business developer, for example. Wearing all these different hats is important for bringing innovations to the market as early as possible.”
– Quincy Nlandu, PhD student, Erasmus University, Netherlands
About Medicine by Design, CCRM and Toronto
Medicine by Design is a strategic hub where scientists, engineers and clinicians converge to conceive and translate regenerative medicine approaches to transforming human health. Our community of researchers is from the University of Toronto and its affiliated hospitals, and we also work with the biotechnology industry, government and not-for-profit partners to integrate discovery and translation with biomanufacturing and clinical implementation. Read more about Medicine by Design.
CCRM supports the commercialization of regenerative medicine-based technologies and cell and gene therapies, with strategic funding, dedicated infrastructure and specialized business and scientific expertise. CCRM’s product, process and venture development platforms provide expertise across the development continuum, from early-stage technology sourcing through to commercial stage GMP manufacturing at its CDMO subsidiary, OmniaBio Inc.
Building on Canada’s legacy of research and innovation in regenerative medicine, The CCRM Foundation envisions a future where cell and gene medicines relieve the burden of living with chronic disease for Canadian families. Its mission is to address key gaps and challenges in bringing cell and gene medicines to patients.
With about 2.9 million people, Toronto is Canada’s biggest city and the fourth-largest in North America. It is also one of most diverse, livable and safe urban centres in the world. Learn more at Tourism Toronto.
Our partners
Photos by Neil Ta, Johnny Guatto and Jackie Denholm