Research Day and Retreat
Each year the Department holds a Research Day and Retreat which is held at various venues either on or off campus. This full-day event brings together students, postdocs, faculty, and staff to celebrate the year’s scientific achievements and to enjoy one another’s company in in an informal and relaxed setting. The day showcases the innovative science being done across the different research foci of the Department. Students and postdocs share posters and selected oral presentations with additional talks from faculty members. In addition to talks and posters there is also plenty of time to meet and chat with people in the department!
A highlight of the Day is our annual Theo Hofmann lecture. Delivered by a prominent international scientist, it has featured the likes of Phil Hieter (UBC), Michel Bouvier (U de M), Greg Petsko (Brandeis) and Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz (NIH). Our Hofmann lecturer also serves double duty as guest judge for our graduate student and postdoc poster competition. Regardless of the competition outcomes, all of us end up having enjoyed a day of great science, terrific food, and excellent company!
Research Day and Retreat 2025
Research Days Past
Retreat Day Awards 2024
The deadline for awards submissions and all reference letters is midnight July 26th. All applications must be emailed to Carrie Harber (carrie.harber@utoronto.ca). Poster Awards will be decided Day Of - No Application Required
Outstanding PhD Thesis In Biochemistry Award
The award will be based on having a well written and scholarly thesis document that provides important contributions to new knowledge (not strictly publications) and outstanding performance at the oral defense.
Any faculty member may nominate a student who has defended their PhD between August 1st of the previous year and July 31st of the current year (e.g. for nomination for 2024, the the defense must have occured between August 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024).
The application should include:
- A nomination letter
- At least one letter of reference from the supervisor and a second letter from an exam committee member, the letters should comment on the importance of the thesis and the performance of the student during the thesis exam
- The student’s CV
- The thesis abstract
The awardee will receive a $500 award and give a talk about their work to the Department.
David A. Scott Award
This award is for the “best all-round Biochemistry graduate student using as criteria performance at seminars, readiness and willingness to assist fellow graduate students and staff, abilities as teaching assistant, etc.” The award is provided from an endowed fund set up by the estate of David Scott in his honour.
David Scott was one of Canada’s most distinguished biochemists. He played a key role in the development of methods for large scale preparation and purification of insulin. He was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 1939 and the Royal Society of London in 1949.
Nomination Procedure: Any faculty member or student may nominate a student currently enrolled in the MSc or PhD program in the Department of Biochemistry.
The application should include:
- A nomination letter
- At least one letter of reference
- The student’s CV
The awardee will receive a $500 award and give a talk (typically focus on their career, life path, or extracurricular activities) to the department.
Connell Award for Top Graduate Student Publication
The graduate student being considered for the prize must be the first author of the paper. Joint 1st authors will be considered if both authors are Biochemistry grad students, but the prize will be shared. The nominated paper must have been published in the calendar year prior to the nomination (e.g. papers published in 2024 may be will be nominated by the deadline in 2025) and must indicate that the student is affiliated with the Department of Biochemistry.
A student’s paper can be nominated by the student or by his/her supervisor.
The application should include:
- A pdf file of the published paper (NOT the original manuscript or an advance e-publication)
- A one-page letter that summarizes the significance of the paper
The awardee will receive a $500 award and present their published work to the department.
Centennial Award in honour of Sela Cheifetz
The award is for the top PhD student in the Biochemistry Graduate Program who is beyond their 3rd year.
Any faculty member or student may nominate a student currently enrolled in the PhD program in the Department of Biochemistry.
The application should include:
- A nomination letter
- At least one letter of reference
- The student’s CV
The awardee will receive a $1,000 award and give a talk to the Department about their thesis work.
Connell Award for Best All-Round Postdoctoral Fellow
The criteria used to judge the applicants will encompass excellence in research, leadership within the laboratory and the Biochemistry community, scientific communication and outreach, and contributions including presentations and intellectual property.
Any faculty member or postdoctoral fellow may nominate a postdoctoral fellow working in a lab that is in the Department of Biochemistry.
The application should include:
- A nomination letter
- At least one letter of reference
- The applicant’s CV
The awardee will receive a $500 award and give a talk about their work to the Department.
Best Poster Presentation Awards
Our Theo Hofmann lecturer will serve as guest judge for our Graduate student and Postdoc poster competitions.