Nana Hyung-Ran Lee
Associate professor, teaching stream
PhD, University of Toronto, 2001
Visiting PhD Scholar, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1998-1999
Postdoc, University of Michigan, 2000-2002
| Address | Room 5233 Medical Sciences Building 1 King's College Circle Toronto, ON M5S 1A8 |
| Office Phone | 416-978-8565 |
| nana.lee@utoronto.ca |
Dr. Nana Lee holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Toronto, a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Michigan and was a Visiting Scholar at Whitehead (Broad) Institute for Biomedical Research, MIT with the world’s leading group of the International Human Genome Project. Her roles in the biotechnology industry include Senior Research Scientist for Ellipsis Biotherapeutics and Senior Research Scientist, Product Manager and Director of Application Science for DNA Software Inc.
She currently holds the position of Director and Associate Professor, Teaching Stream of Graduate Professional Development (GPD) for both Departments of Biochemistry and Immunology, Director of Mentorship and GPD for Research and Graduate Education (formerly GLSE), Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and the Chair for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committees. She has presented to over 3500 audience members from high school, undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty and professionals throughout the USA, Canada and Asia. She enthusiastically brings her learnings from her sabbatical 2022-23 experience as a Visiting Professor at Harvard Medical School and Stanford University to the new 2023-2024 academic year.
Photo: July 2023.
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Research Description
Dr. Nana Lee brings her valuable expertise as an industry scientist and mother of three back into academia as she has pioneered the addition of professional development in biomedical graduate education.
Along with Dr. Reinhart Reithmeier, she developed and implemented the innovative Graduate Professional Development (GPD) course in the fall of 2012 for the Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto which was published in Science Careers. She directed the organization of the first Biomedical Career Workshop in 2013 sponsored by ASBMB, CSMB, Biochemistry, Immunology, U of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine, and the Banting Research Foundation. She was the principal investigator in the CIHR-funded disemmination grant to organize Life Science Career Expo in 2021, 2022, and 2023. She is the co-author of “Success After Graduate School (2017)” and “Success in Graduate School and Beyond” 2024, published by University of Toronto Press.
Links to her articles are
http://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/training-the-trainers/
http://www.universityaffairs-digital.com/universityaffairs/201502?pg=58&pm=2&fs=1#pg58
http://www.immpressmagazine.com/letter-to-the-editor-in-response-to-the-many-paths-post-phd/
Some of her invited speaking engagements since 2017 about professional development include:
2024
June 27, 2024 Selected Proposal for Panel Discussion Communicating Innovation: Insights from GCC’s Carpe Careers Contributors, Katie Homar; Mabel Perez-Oquendo; Sarah Hardesty Bray; Robbie Pearson; Rebekah Layton; Nana Lee, Graduate Career Consortium, Philadelphia, USA (declined to attend due to health leave but sent my viewpoints to be read in person)
June 24, 2024 Academia to Industry Meeting (AIM), Science to Business Network “Find Your Skills – Discover your Superpower” (cancelled and found another speaker due to health leave)
April 17, 2024 International Congress of Medicine (ICAM) Career Professional Development Three Workshops (90 minutes each) for MD/PhD trainees, Vancouver, BC (Zoom)
May 31, 2024 “Success during and after the PostDoc” UHN Postdoctoral Association (UHNPA), Toronto
May 3, 2024 Panelists, Career Panel, IMMSPIRE, Outreach Program for High School Students in GTA Organized by Grad Students of Immunology
March 23, 2024 Creating Your Dream Career, Science and Society, Beyond Sciences Initiative Annual Conference
March 2, 2024 Creating Meaningful Engagements in STEM, Girls in STEM Outreach Program for Grades 7/8, Dept of Mathematics
Jan 27, 2024 Speaker, Research Career Development, Biochemistry Undergraduate Student Society Symposium
2023
Fall Career Development Workshops Series, Tufts University, Boston, MA
Career Development for MSc Students, Harvard University, Boston, MA
July 27 Creating your Dream Career with your PhD, The Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre
April 13 International Congress of Medicine (ICAM) Career Professional Development Three Workshops (an hour each: Relfection using the IDP, Meaningful Engagement, Marketing Your Brand) for MD/PhD trainees, Quebec City, Quebec
March 18 Creating Your Dream Career, Science and Society, Beyond Sciences Initiative Annual Conference
Jan 20 “Best Practices in Applying to Graduate Schools, Summer Research and Jobs” GLSE, Virtual
2022
July 5-8, 2022 “A Graduate Course on Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship in Academia, Industry and Non-Profit” Nana Lee, Graduate Career Consortium National Conference, San Francisco, USA
June 14, 2022 CSHRF + Gairdner Professional Development Workshop (3 hrs) University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
May 10, 2022 Confidence Building as a Researcher with Networking, Interviews, Presenting and Marketing Your Brand, Pre-Conference HQP Development AGM and Canadian Glycomics Network, Banff Centre for Creativty and Arts, Banff, Alberta
May 7, 2022 Design Thinking “Wicked” Complex Problems – Together in Real-time, IGRAD Conference, Interdisciplinary Graduate Research and Discovery Conference
May 6, 2022 Keynote, IGRAD Conference, Interdisciplinary Graduate Research and Discovery Conference
May 6, 2022 How to Write the Best Resume, Young Investigators Forum, Hypertension Canada Conference
May 2, 2022 Moderator, IMS Connects Panel Discussion (3 hrs)
March 25, 2022 Graduate Student Wellness Programs at the University of Toronto, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Graduate Career Consortium Regional Conference (Virtual), University of New Hampshire
March 23, 2022 An Overview of Life Science Careers and Tips to Get There, Amgen WISE Careers in Life Sciences Industry
March 5, 2022 Creating Your Dream Career, Science and Society, Beyond Sciences Initiative Annual Conference
Feb 17, 2022 Career Guest for Discussions with Students for UTSC’s Department of Physical and Environmental Science (DPES) networking event
Feb 8, 2022 RSI Mentorship and IDP Mentor Workshop, RSI Mentorship Program, RSGSU Mentorship Committee
Jan 21, 2022 Best Practices In Applying for Graduate School, Research and Jobs, GSLE
2021
Dec 14, 2021 Optimizing Your Grad Experience to be Market-Ready for Any Career, University of Guelph Seminar Series
Dec 13, 2021 MBPCDA Presents: Crafting Your LinkedIn Profile with Dr. Nana Lee, Medical Biophysics Student Group
Dec 3, 2021 In Remembrance: Leigh’s Syndrome, French Canadian-type with Dr. Brian Robinson, Hospital for Sick Children
Dec 3, 2021 Picture a Scientist Discussion Leader at Ontario Institution of Cancer Research
Nov 15, 2021 Wise Practices in Mentorship, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
Sept 16, 2021 Career Panelist for Young Scientists Organizing Committing for ClostPath 2021, an international conference on the molecular biology and pathogenesis of Clostridia.
Sept 1-4, 2021 Guest Panelist “Dealing with Covid Burnout and Being an Asian Woman in Science” Association of Korean-Canadian Scientists & Engineers (AKCSE) is hosting the Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE) program in Canada-Korea Conference (CKC), Halifax, Nova Scotia
Mar-August 30, 2021 Monthly Speaker, Medicine by Design, Creating Your Career Blueprint Series
August 30, 2021 Best Practices in Mentorship, Department of Molecular Genetics
August 13, 2021 Amgen Biotech Bench to Biotech Career Panelist
Organizer and Facilitator, GLSE Students Leadership Conference
Keynote Speaker, Career Development Workshop, Canadian Student Health Research Forum
Keynote Facilitator (Organziing Committee Member), Life Sciences Career Expo
Speaker, University of Guelph GPD Day
Speaker, Introduction to IDPs, PRiME (Precision Medicine Initiative)
Keynote Faculty Speaker, Outreach Program, REACH by CLAMPS, LMP
Speaker, EDI in Scientific Research, Ontario Institute of Cancer Research
Department of Nutritional Sciences Mentorship Program Workshop II on Careers
Speaker and Facilitator, Global Beyond Science Initiative Virtual Conference
Presenter “Student as Partners Model for GPD Programming” Regional Meeting for Graduate Career Consortium, Boston University
University Health Network Teaching & Learning Symposium Workshop on IDPs
Human Biology Undergraduate Career Development Workshop
“Success In and After Graduate School” Talk for UT Mississauga GPD Day
Speaker, Life Science Career Expo Primer Event (n=177)
Panelist, Science to Business Network “Breaking Down Barriers and Strengthening Diversity in STEM” (n=100)
Ontario Institute of Cancer (OICR) Research Rising Stars Mentorship Workshop
Department of Nutritional Sciences Mentorship Program Workshop on IDPs
“Best Practices in Applying to Graduate Schools, Summer Research and Jobs” (n=111)
2020
Facilitator,”Brainstorming Green Labs Initiative” for FacMed
Speaker and Facilitator “Wise Practices of Mentorship” GLSE
EDI Panelist, UT Scarborough GPD Day: Diversity and Inclusion in STEM
Speaker, Graduate Professional Development, CLAMPS, LMP Weekly Seminar
Facilitator re: Discussion on Post-Picture a Scientist, Biochemistry, Immunology, Pharm-Toxicology Speaker, “Wise Practices Using the Individual Development Plan” RSI
Sept 2020 “The Power of Community: Design-thinking our Way to Novel Solutions” Proposal for Presentation Accepted, American Association of Medical Colleges, Graduate Research Education and Training Group Conference, Chicago, USA – planning on hold
Aug 2020 Keynote, Canadian Student Health Research Forum, National CIHR Professional Development Symposium, Virtual Format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJfuGsr_px8&feature=youtu.be (video availabe until end of July, 2021)
July 2020 “Essentials of Professional Development” Korean Canadian Scientists Group, Toronto
June 2020 Assessing the impact of curricular graduate professional development using complementary quantitative and qualitative measures, Graduate Career Consortium, Virtual North American Conference, Co-Presenters: Helen Miliotis, Rebecca Laposa, Yoojin Choi, Reinhart Reithmeier (n=48 attendees)
April 2020 GPD Day, Departments of Biochemistry, Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario with Science to Business London Chapter, Virtual Discussion
April 2020 Best Practices in Writing the Resume” Women in STEM, Toronto Chapter
Feb 2020 Career Panelist, Global Beyond Science Initiative International Virtual Conference
Feb 2020 Day Two: Next Steps, Graduate Life Sciences and Education (GLSE), University of Toronto
Jan 2020 Best Practices in Applying to Graduate Schools, Summer Research and Jobs, Graduate Life Sciences and Education (GLSE), University of Toronto
Jan 2020 Success in and after Graduate School, GPD Day, U of Toronto Scarborough
2019
“Future Skills and Talent Development: Program Implementation Panel Session“ Canadian Science Policy Conference, Ottawa, Canada. Facilitator Lead for Panel Workshop with Dr. Bruce Seet (S2BN), Dr. Peter Severinson (Mitacs), Dr. Vivian Nguyen (Carleton) for approximately 30 policy analysts, faculty, students and industry professionals resulting in positive feedback such as “this is the best facilitated discussion I have attended”
“Success In and After Graduate School” University of Ottawa, Department of Biochemistry
“Success In and After Graduate School” Carleton University, Department of Biochemistry
“Career Transitions” IMS Panel, U of Toronto with Dr. Zayna Khayat, Dr. Wilfrid de Vegas
“Success In and After Graduate School: Reflection, Meaningful Engagement, StrategicCommunications” U of Calgary
“Design Thinking Applied: Generative, Team-Learning in Graduate Professional Development” Co-presented with Dr. Allan Kaplan and Lead Facilitator for Workshop on Ideation Brainstorming American Association of Medical Colleges, GREAT (Graduate Research Education and Training)National Conference, Seattle, Washington
“GPD: Reflection, Meaningful Engagement, Strategic Communications, Next Steps” Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, U of Toronto
“GPD: A Seven Year Review and Looking Forward” at Biochemistry Retreat
“Intro to GPD” at Speech Language Pathology Grad Student Orientation
“Graduate Professional Development: Toward Becoming an International Scientist”RIKEN Brain Institute – Tokyo, Japan & Seoul National University, Incheon University, Seoul, South Korea
“Creating Community through Curriculum-Embedded Professional Development Courses”Graduate Career Consortium National Conference, Co-Presenters: Yoojin Cho, R. Reithmeier, New Orleans, Louisiana
”A New Frontier: Strategies and Outcome for Embedding Professional Development within the Graduate Curriculum” Graduate Career Consortium National Conference, Copresenting with Cynthia Fuhrmann (UMass Medical) P. Phelps (Johns Hopkins) New Orleans, Louisiana
“Success After Graduate School” University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
“The Informational Interview The Lung Association RENASCENT / CIHR-ICRH Workshop In partnership with the Canadian Respiratory Research Network and Canadian Thoracic Society, Ottawa
“Creating Your Professional Network” IMS GPD Course Guest Speaker, Toronto “Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Canada” Invited Moderator for Science to Business Network Event with Drs. Christine Allen, Zayna Khayat and Cynthia Goh “Fireside chat with Dr. Nana Lee – Creating your Career Path” Sunnybrook Hospital, Sunnybrook Peer Network Inaugural Seminar, Toronto
2018
“Is the Life Sciences PhD on Life Support or Alive and Well?” Association of American Medical Colleges GREAT (Group on Graduate Research, Education and Training) Conference, Atlanta
“Creating Your Career Path with Your Grad Degree” Canadian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences Annual Symposium, Toronto
“Using the Three Minute Thesis for Interviews, Outreach and Networking” American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Meeting, San Diego, California
“The Best Resume and Cover Letter” Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto
“Success After Graduate School” Biomedical Engineering Students Association Career Day, Toronto
“The Academic CV” Cancer Education Scholars Program, Toronto General Hospital
“Best Practices Learned over 5 Years in Biochemistry’s GPD Course” University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Calgary
2017
“Training the Trainers” Graduate Career Consortium, Boston University
Fireside Chat about Careers after Grad School, Infectious Disease Consortium, Harvard University
Parents with PhDs, School of Graduate Studies, U Toronto
“Ask the Expert” Nature Jobs Life in the Phd Lane Podcast
“Success After Graduate School” University of Guelph, OVC “Impact in Science” LMP High School Mentorship Program
“Genes, Genomes and You: Impact of NextGen Sequencing” U of Toronto Summer Youth Meds
“Engaging Industry and Academia in GPD”, Graduate Career Consortium, Houston
Trainee GPD Seminar, Canadian Society of Molecular Biology, Ottawa
Trainee GPD Seminar, McGill University
Trainee Breakfast Plenary, Canadian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Montreal
Selected: GPD in Faculty Development, Teaching and Learning Symposium, U of Toronto
Trainee GPD Seminar, Industry Link, McMaster University
Trainee Special Workshop, Canadian Society of Immunology, Banff, Alberta
Keynote for Lead Together Conference, U of Toronto
Graduate Professional Development, Department of Astronomy, U of Toronto
Courses Taught
BCH2206H Interdisciplinary Science
BCH2024 Planning Your Scientific Journey Planning your Scientific Journey
BCH2200 Design Thinking for Scientists
BCH 2201H Graduate Professional Development
BCH2024H Professional Development
Extra-Departmental Courses
IMM2200H (Immunology) Graduate Professional Development 2.0
BCH2024H (Biochemistry) Introduction to Graduate School
MGY280Y Second Year Specialist Research
Publications
Success After Graduate School pub 2017
Nana Lee and Reinhart Reithmeier
Read
Training the Next Generation of Scientists Right Now: Challenges and Suggestions
Chloe Mitchell, Ashton Trotman-Grant, Nana Lee
Canadian Science Policy Conference Editorial 2020, Nov 11, 2020 Read
Everyday Tips for Equity-Minded Scholars
Nana Lee
Inside Higher Education, Carpe Careers October 19, 2020 Read
Making professional connections in a virtual world
Nana Lee
University Affairs, Career Advice Feature Aug 24, 2020 Read
Success in Graduate School and Beyond TBP: March 2024
Nana Lee and Reinhart Reithmeier
Read