Photo Courtesy / Anna-Maria Kalesoski

“Better models for better drugs” is the motto for the second International Annual Conference for the Models of Human Diseases. On Jun. 28, U of T’s Faculty of Medicine will be host a diverse range of participants united by a common cause: advancing the development of more efficient animal models to develop better drugs.

Dr. Lorelei Silverman and Dr. Rosalind Silverman are the founders and co-chairs of the conference. The twin sister duo has voluntarily dedicated countless hours and resources to initiate and sustain this project. To make this event possible, they have gathered an impressive team of passionate scientists, clinicians, consultants and students, many of whom are from UTSC.

When Lorelei taught a biology course at UTSC last year, she noticed some of the obstacles faced by the student population: limited resources compared to other campuses, a relatively isolated community and integration problems faced by UTSC’s multicultural newcomer-based student population.

The Silverman sisters, who are immigrants themselves, understand the obstacles faced by a newcomer population. They didn’t think it was fair that science students on the downtown campus were overwhelmed with opportunities while UTSC students had to struggle to get involved. They realized that involving UTSC students in this international project would provide them with unique opportunities to engage with the local and global scientific community.

“I wish we could be able to do more for our students, both at an individual and institutional level, especially for those that lack opportunities,” said Lorelei, who thinks that despite her efforts, there is more work to be done.

Currently, the majority of the Silverman sisters’ volunteers come from UTSC, even though the project is based at the St. George campus. Lorelei said that involving UTSC students was a conscious choice to try and initiate change in the way that student populations on the two campuses integrate.

Photo Courtesy / Anna-Maria Kalesoski

Last year, more than thirty UTSC students volunteered at the conference and have since been promoted to team leaders and been offered seven out of the nine work-study positions with the Models of Human Diseases project.

Amanda Brijmohan, a second-year science student at UTSC and a volunteer for the project believes the opportunities that the sisters have provided have initiated a ripple effect. “They have opened doors for students that aren’t necessarily available at this campus (UTSC), but are available to St. George students. I think that the sisters have taken initiative and other professors should follow lead,” she said.

Other students share Brijmohan’s viewpoint and appreciate the unique experience they have gained.

“Aside from being an enlightening experience, my placement allowed me to form numerous new social connections, most important of which was with my supervisor,” said Hassan Bilal, a third-year science student at UTSC. “On many occasions, Dr. Lorelei Silverman went above and beyond her duties as a supervisor to ensure the success of her students, not just during the placement but afterwards as well.” Bilal is currently the database manager of the project.

Despite the distance between the two campuses, UTSC students participate with enthusiasm and have made a huge contribution to the organization.

The Silverman sisters’ efforts shed light on the disconnect between UTSC and the downtown campus. Their efforts show that when given the opportunity, UTSC students rise to the challenge.

You can find out more information about the conference at www.nabmc.info.