April 26, 2023

StemCellTalks

The 14th Annual StemCellTalks Symposium at the University of Toronto will be held on the 5th of May 2023.

StemCellTalks is an outreach symposium that aims to educate high school students (grades 10-12) about stem cells. We are excited to host the 14th annual StemCellTalks on May 5, 2023 from 9:00 – 15:30 EST ! The theme for this year’s event is Stem Cells in Personalized Medicine. This annual event, in partnership with Let’s Talk Science and Stem Cell Network is put together by graduate students and invites more than 200 high school students from the Greater Toronto Area and parts of Southern Ontario to learn about stem cell science and ethics!

If you are interested, please email Jennifer at jennifer.kieda@mail.utoronto.ca. We also ask that you fill out the following form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUOWQFzx_LI4gNKAUmSny5Q7YC0_tHavxaNsTiUISWb1HPoQ/viewform 

Participation will be confirmed by return e-mail. 

The full agenda can be viewed here: SCT2023 Event Schedule

  • Where? Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MY), on the University of Toronto St. George Campus, 55 St George St, Toronto, ON M5S 0C9.
  • Who? Grades 10 to 12 students in schools within the GTA 

Please continue to check this website for any updates on the event agenda! We hope to see you there!


StemCellTalks is a free outreach initiative developed in partnership by the Stem Cell Network and Let’s Talk Science. StemCellTalks was established to facilitate knowledge transfer between academia and high school students pertaining to the science and practical ethics of stem cells. 

Our Mission –– to empower high school students to contemplate contemporary medical dilemmas that emerge in the field of stem cell biotechnology. To do this, we will provide basic knowledge of stem cell biology, encourage thought and discussion of practical ethics surrounding clinical trials and stem cell therapies, and facilitate the development of ethical frameworks in which to address new medical dilemmas.

StemCellTalks Symposium –– The full-day symposium is divided into two sessions.  Each session will begin with a formal presentation delivered by expert faculty from the Stem Cell Network.  This will be followed by breakout sessions where Let’s Talk Science volunteers will lead small groups of approximately seven high school students in discussion and through problem solving activities.

Science –– Introduction to stem cell biology and stem cells.  Students will learn the fundamental biology behind stem cells and the requisites for their use in medical treatments through a combination of conventional lectures, debate/panel discussion from leading stem cell scientists and small group discussions.

Practical Ethics –– Stem cell therapy clinical trials.  A discussion of the practical ethics regarding clinical trials and stem cell therapies will (1) reinforce concepts of stem cell science, (2) provide the opportunity to develop an ethical framework to be used for decision-making, and (3) expose high school students to novel and unconventional medical treatments that we may see in the future.


2023 Event Sponsors & Partners:

In Partnership With

     

National Sponsors