Celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Headshots of all the women who work as part of the ORIHI team

In this photo (l-r): Banita Aggarwal, Augustina Ampofo, Harene Buvanesan, Kamalprit Chokar, Athena Foo, Joy Anne Gatmaitan, Chanjot Gill, Sarah Kamal Eddin, Diksha Katoch, Senaya Kiruwanagamage, Marie Licodini, Rosa M. Marticorena, Sofia Ramirez, Patti Rempel, Tiziana Rivera, Simran Saini, Sonia Singh, Arunya Sithi Vinayagam, Monica Szczypinski, Lynn Vicente and Gabriella Villanueva.

On February 11, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate the remarkable achievements of the women driving innovation and progress at the Osler Research Institute for Health Innovation (ORIHI).

As ORIHI works to shape the next generation of researchers, scholars, and innovators, we are proud to showcase the talented women on the ORIHI team and the diverse roles they hold in advancing health research.

The list below profiles their unique roles and serves to inspire and highlight the wide range of opportunities for women and girls in science and encourage future generations to pursue their passion for discovery and innovation.

Executive Vice-President, Quality, Research and Chief Nursing Executive

The Executive Vice-President (EVP), Quality, Research and Chief Nursing Executive, provides strategic leadership and oversight in research, innovation, partnerships, patient safety, clinical excellence, regulatory compliance, nursing practice, workforce development and quality improvement. The EVP ensures the integration of evidence-based practices into clinical settings and leads initiatives to enhance healthcare delivery and outcomes.

Director, Clinical Research

The Director, Clinical Research, at ORIHI plays a critical leadership role in shaping and overseeing the organization’s research initiatives and operations. With a focus on growth and operational excellence, the Director leads the expansion of research programs and facilitates partnerships that enhance the impact of clinical research. The role also guides research teams to achieve organizational goals while maintaining high standards of research quality and ethical practices.

Manager, Clinical Research

The Manager, Clinical Research, oversees the strategic planning and execution of research projects, ensuring they align with the organization's goals. They manage resources, budgets and timelines, while also coordinating between different departments and interested parties. They are responsible for maintaining high standards of research quality, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and fostering a collaborative environment that promotes innovation.

Manager, Research Ethics Board

The Manager, Research Ethics Board, oversees the operations of the research ethics office, managing policies and procedures, and ensuring that all research activities comply with ethical guidelines and regulations.

Research Communications

The role of Research Communications is to translate complex findings into language, materials or initiatives that can help to bridge the gap between research, the public and policymakers. It drives real-world impact by fostering informed decision-making and developing strategic research messaging and objectives.

Research Team Lead

In addition to managing the day-to-day operations of clinical trials, the Research Team Lead plays a pivotal role in guiding and overseeing research staff, ensuring that research projects meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

Clinical Research Coordinator

The Clinical Research Coordinator is a health care professional who conducts and/or supervises the conduction of daily research operations and clinical research activities including the safe administration of investigational products in a safe, efficient and ethical manner while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and quality. The Clinical Research Coordinator conducts daily activities in compliance with study protocols under the direction of a principal investigator, provides education to clinical staff contributing to the advancement of knowledge to research team members and clinicians. The Clinical Research Coordinator guides activities within the Research team with clinicians and stakeholders. The scope of responsibilities of the Clinical Research Coordinator can differ widely based on their level of experience in each therapeutic area.

Research Coordinator

The role of the Research Coordinator is crucial in advancing knowledge and innovation within research teams. They are essential for the success of research projects, overseeing daily operations to ensure studies are conducted efficiently and ethically while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and quality across various settings. The scope of responsibilities and daily activities of the Research Coordinator can differ widely based on their level of experience within the field.

Regulatory Coordinator

The Regulatory Coordinator plays an essential role in ensuring that an organization complies with relevant laws, regulations and standards. This position involves a careful balance of understanding regulatory requirements, coordinating with various departments to gather necessary information, and preparing and submitting documentation to regulatory bodies.

Research Ethics Board Coordinator

The Research Ethics Board Coordinator supports the research ethics review process by ensuring submissions comply with ethical guidelines and regulations, conducting preliminary reviews and coordinating REB activities including preparing documentation.

Research Assistant

The Research Assistant supports researchers by performing tasks such as data collection, analyses and literature reviews. With strong analytical and critical thinking skills, they assist in regulatory submissions, experiments, laboratory processing, organize and maintain research materials and contribute to the overall integrity and success of the research working side by side with research coordinators.

Lab Coordinator

The Lab Coordinator’s role is essential in maintaining the integrity and quality of the clinical research process. They ensure that all laboratory procedures are conducted according to the study protocol and regulatory requirements. This includes coordinating the collection, processing and storage of biological samples as well as overseeing the use of lab equipment and maintaining meticulous records.

Student Researcher

The Student Researcher actively contributes to research projects by assisting with data collection, literature reviews, data analysis and the preparation of research reports. As part of their academic journey, they support various aspects of the research process to gain hands-on experience within the scope of the project.