Certificate in Clinical Research

What they teach at SCS
Principles of Clinical Trials, Research & Drug Development

Current role
Currently, Amin serves as Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of HYGEIA Group, a boutique consultancy specializing in management consulting services for Series A biotech firms, life sciences, and healthcare clients. HYGEIA Group delivers end-to-end program management for large global Phase II/III oncology and rare disease studies, offering clients strategic guidance, trial budgeting and P&L management, decision support systems development, and talent recruitment.

Education
BPharm (Pharmacy) from the University of Toronto
MBA in Corporate Finance and Entrepreneurship from Queen’s University
Certificate in Precision Oncology and Cancer Genomics from Harvard School of Medicine
Advanced Post-Graduate Certificate in Investment Finance and Portfolio Management from the Ivey School of Business

Professional experience
Amin is a highly experienced professional with nearly 25 years in the pharmaceutical industry, covering all phases of pharmaceutical research and drug development. With more than two decades dedicated to senior leadership, project management, and clinical trial monitoring, Amin has built a broad and impressive career across pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations (CROs), and site management organizations.

Amin has contributed to major Fortune 500 companies, including Procter & Gamble, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Syneos, PPD, ICON, and Parexel. His operational expertise spans multi-therapeutic, global Phase I-IV drug and biologic trials, device studies, and functional outcome projects. Notably, he managed significant multi-compound client portfolios and oversaw key programs such as a large-scale global Phase III study involving over 3,000 patients from 180 sites across 26 countries, leading clinical operations and program management for Canada, the USA, and Latin America.

Teaching philosophy
Amin prioritizes fostering an interactive and inclusive learning environment where students are encouraged to critically engage with complex concepts in pharmaceutical drug development and clinical research. He believes in bridging theoretical knowledge with practical applications, empowering students to become innovative thinkers and responsible leaders in the field.

What they teach at SCS
Clinical Trial Design & Planning

Current role
Clinical Research Manager, Princess Margaret Cancer Program

Education
Jasmine completed her Master’s degree in Adult Education and Community Development at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.

Professional experience
Jasmine is a Clinical Research Manager, Lead Research Training Program – Education Specialist across UHN Clinical Research at the Princess Margaret Cancer Program. She is responsible for developing and facilitating training programs based on clinical research staff needs and audit findings. Her projects include the standardization of clinical research documentation, quality assurance initiatives and establishing e-learning clinical research course content for UHN Research and the Princess Margaret Cancer Program. Jasmine also has over 15 years of experience working as a Study Coordinator, monitoring and coordinating multicentre investigator-initiated and sponsored oncology trials at Princess Margaret.

Jasmine is a Professor in the School of Biological Sciences and Applied Chemistry at Seneca College and has designed and delivered training in clinical research practice and clinical trial project management at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) and University Health Network. Jasmine is an active member of SOCRA and since 2021 she has been the Co-Chair of the Education Committee with Network of Networks, a Canadian not for profit aimed at improving site quality and excellence in clinical trial conduct.

What they teach at SCS
Clinical Research Operations

Current role
Currently, Lisa is a Global Clinical Trial Manager at Janssen Inc., part of the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson. She works with diverse cross-functional study teams including those at the global and country level and is responsible for the end-to-end operational management and delivery of large oncology trials.

Education
Lisa holds an Honours Bachelor of Health Science from the University of Western Ontario and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research. She is also a graduate of the Project Management Certificate Program at Ryerson University.

Professional experience
Lisa has more than 15 years of clinical research experience gained in several multinational pharmaceutical companies, with a rapid growth of responsibilities.

Lisa has held a number of different roles in her career including Local/Country Trial Manager, Global Clinical Project Leader, Clinical Trial Monitor, Monitor Manager, and Study Coordinator. She has been an integral part of managing and leading teams to successful execution and delivery of Phase I-IV studies in various therapeutic areas, which includes oncology, endocrinology, immunology, cardiovascular, hematology, and neurology. Her extensive experience includes working at several prominent companies and academic institutions, such as Bayer Inc., Novo Nordisk Canada Inc., ApoPharma Inc., and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

What they teach at SCS
Regulatory & Ethical Issues in Clinical Trials
Clinical Trial Design & Planning

Current role
Mikaeel is a medical affairs professional and medical writer with expertise in scientific communications and stakeholder engagement across various therapeutic areas, particularly Oncology and Neuroscience. Currently, he works at IQVIA, where he develops scientific content and medical training materials to support internal teams within pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals.

Education
Mikaeel holds a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Toronto and a graduate diploma in Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Management and Innovation (PHMI) from Queen’s University. The PHMI program provided him with a strong foundation in pharmaceutical business strategy, market access, healthcare economics, and medical innovation, complementing his scientific expertise with strategic and business acumen.

Professional experience
His career spans medical affairs, medical writing and research, allowing him to bridge the gap between clinical research, data interpretation and real-world application in medical communications.

Beyond his industry experience, he has a background in academia, having served as a teaching assistant for multiple graduate courses and contributed to curriculum development. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with cross-functional teams, including institutional research ethics boards, medical directors, project managers, and creative specialists, to translate complex scientific data into clear, engaging, and strategic content.

What they teach at SCS
Regulatory & Ethical Issues in Clinical Trials

Current role
Research Manager, Joint Department of Medical Imaging, covering University Health Network (UHN), Mount Sinai and Women’s College Hospital

Education
Miran has over 12 years of experience in clinical research, conducting academic and industry sponsored clinical trials in oncology, cardiology, and neuropsychopharmacology, following his completion of a PhD in molecular medicine (pharmacology).

Professional experience
As a Scientific Associate with the Surgical Oncology Department of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, the largest oncology hospital in Canada and a global leader in cancer research, he supervised the conduct of a number of phase II and III clinical trials evaluating novel disease biomarkers and treatments.

In his current position as Research Manager within the Joint Department of Medical Imaging, Miran oversees research conducted using imaging modalities at University Health Network, Mt. Sinai Hospital, and Women’s College Hospital. He has extensive experience in the design and conduct of multi-site phase III studies and adaptive clinical trials accruing in both Canada and the United States.

Teaching philosophy
Miran engages students in analyses of historical cases, guiding the discussions towards real-world situations and practically applicable take-home lessons. His goal is to provide practical tools and approaches that allow students to immediately contribute in a work position.

What they teach at SCS
Clinical Trial Monitoring

Current role
Global Clinical Operations Leader – Hoffman La-Roche

Professional experience
Nishan Balakumar is an instructor for the clinical research program. He has over 15 years’ of clinical research experience working in the various pharmaceutical, biotech contract research organizations and hospitals. Nishan has worked with several industry leaders in drug and vaccine development, including Roche/Genentech, Astra Zeneca, Cliantha Research (formerly Inflamax Research), Pharma Medica and University Health Network (UHN).

Nishan’s experience includes portfolio and project oversight of large multi-center, global clinical trials in all phases of development across a variety of therapeutic disease areas. In his current role as a Global Clinical Operations Leader at Hoffman La-Roche, he oversees the strategic planning, execution, compliance and overall management of our multinational clinical trials.

Teaching philosophy
Nishan prioritizes building a learning environment that is inclusive, collaborative, and intellectually stimulating. His engagement with students is rooted in mentorship, respect, and a genuine investment in their success, both inside and outside the classroom.