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Prof. Bill Willmore
From Theory to Practice
The First NRC-CU Biotechnology Internship
By Kathryn Elliott
he National Research Council (NRC), the Govern- Mullally became involved in the internship when she and
ment of Canada’s largest research organization, Bill Willmore, a professor in the Institute of Biochemistry
Twelcomed 25 undergraduate students from Carleton and the Departments of Chemistry and Biology at Carleton,
University to its active research facility in Ottawa during Fall met to discuss possible collaborations with the NRC’s Kelly
Break last year. The young scientists and innovators were Fulton, a technical officer in Human Health Therapeutics,
selected to participate in the inaugural NRC-CU Biotechnology and Sue Twine, the Section Head of Advanced Analytics
Internship, a collaborative effort between Carleton’s bio- in Human Health Therapeutics and an adjunct professor in
technology program leaders and the NRC’s Human Health the Department of Biology at Carleton. With a shared goal
Therapeutics team. of developing a talent pipeline and building STEM capacity
The internship offered three days of intensive, hands-on
learning and provided a unique environment for students to
deepen their understanding of the field of biotechnology.
Working in teams, students were tasked with designing
hypothetical biotech startup companies under the mentor-
ship of NRC researchers and industry professionals. Along
the way, they heard from leading experts in biological cancer
therapeutics.
A variety of perspectives were shared and discussed
throughout the week, with presentation topics spanning
discovery R&D, drug manufacturing and production, busi-
ness strategies, and career management. On the final day,
students pitched their startups to a panel of experts and
received feedback.
“It gives students the opportunity to experience biotech
from an applied perspective,” says Martha Mullally, Coordi-
nator of the Biotechnology Program at Carleton. “For
example, now that this molecule has been identified, how
does it work, or how could it be manufactured?”
46 science.carleton.ca
