Watch the video-recording of the 2021 CLIC event
The McGill Clinical Innovation Competition and Awards Ceremony took place virtually on May 20, 2021. To watch the video recording of the event, click here.
And the 2021 top teams are:
Winner of the Hakim Family Innovation Prize
EczemaQ
EczemaQ is a pilot mobile health application available for download to clinician and/or patient smartphones for testing. This tool received an award from the Canadian Dermatology Association, and we have engaged a network of stakeholders, including industry, national patient advocacy groups, and the International Eczema Council. We are now validating usability of EczemaQ, using a co-development iterative process with REB-approval from the Center for Applied Ethics at the McGill University Health Centre.
Dr. Carolyn Jack, MDCM, PhD, Department of Medicine, McGill University Hospital Centre
Charlie Bouchard, Co-Director, Eczéma Québec; Patient Partner, McGill University Hospital Network Center of Excellence for Atopic Dermatitis
Valerie Jack, Co-Director, Eczéma Québec; Coordinator, McGill University Hospital Network Center of Excellence for Atopic Dermatitis
Priya Patel, Project Manager, McGill University Hospital Network Center of Excellence for Atopic Dermatitis
Gaurav Isola, Research Coordinator, McGill University Hospital Network Center of Excellence for Atopic Dermatitis
First-Place Winners of the Marika Zelenka Roy Innovation Prize
Remote Optical
No high-quality remote examination method of the front of the eye exists. Our solution revolutionizes eye care with remote, asynchronous imaging and examination. These features improve access to eye care for people in rural/indigenous communities, senior homes, intensive care units and emergency rooms. Our solution saves money and time, and leverages the power of AI to assist ophthalmologists during exams and improve monitoring of changes in eye condition between consultations.
Angela Wong, Co-founder, Remote Optical; Experimental Surgery, McGill University
Jeremy Zwaig, Co-founder, Remote Optical; Experimental Surgery, McGill University
Oliver Wu Martinez, Co-founder, Remote Optical; Experimental Surgery, McGill University
Leonard Levin, MD, PhD, Co-founder & Academic Lead, Remote Optical; Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences and Neurology & Neurosurgery, McGill University
Second-place winners of the Marika Zelenka Roy Innovation Prize
& Winners of the Bereskin & Parr Innovation Prize
NURA Medical
The process of preparing weight-based medication is not only time-consuming, but error-prone, which can ultimately lead to serious or even fatal consequences for pediatric patients. As such, NURA Medical has developed the IV Assistant, a semi-automated medical device to prevent medication errors. The IV Assistant will positively impact children receiving care across various healthcare settings and healthcare professionals lacking pediatric medicine expertise.
Georgia Powell, COO, NURA Medical; Experimental Surgery, McGill University
Sofia Addab, CCO, NURA Medical; Experimental Surgery, McGill University
Jean-Gabriel Lacombe, CEO, NURA Medical; Experimental Surgery, McGill University
First-Place ![]()
Winners of the MI4 Innovation Prize
LFAnt Medical
LFAnt Medical is a Canadian biotechnology startup dedicated to revolutionizing point-of-care diagnostics for at-home detection of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Founded out of the Department of Bioengineering at McGill University in 2019, our student-led team combines proprietary biosensing technologies with the latest advances in microelectronics and machine learning to deliver accessible, inexpensive, and connected STI testing solutions.
Adam Melnyk, Chief Product Officer, LFAnt Medical; Bioengineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University
Mark Kumhyr, Chief Executive Officer, LFAnt Medical
Michael Phelan, Chief Operating Officer, LFAnt Medical; Bioengineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University
Patrick O'Neill, Chief Science Officer, LFAnt Medical; Bioengineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University
Second-Place Winning Team of the MI4 Innovation Prize
Sensoreal
At Sensoreal, we have developed the first point-of-care blood test that was successfully commissioned at the International Space Station in 2019. In 2020 and in collaboration with Health Canada, we developed a prototype to differentiate bacterial/viral respiratory infections. Our technology uses disposable microfluidic chips using only a finger prick of blood and the data is analyzed using novel AI techniques. Our solution will help physicians to guide antibiotic therapy in less than 15 minutes.
Pooya T. Saberi, Chief Executive Officer, Sensoreal; Mechanical Engineering, McGill University
Kate Turner, Chief Technology Officer, Sensoreal; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University
Hosseinali (Roozbeh) Safavieh, Chief Science Officer, Sensoreal; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University
Congratulations also to our finalists:
BioOpticTM
BioOpticTM is a portable, wireless, non-invasive, and inexpensive device that aims to improve rehabilitative programs for conditions related to intra-abdominal pressure, such as low back pain or incontinence. It can be used in physiotherapy and clinical offices to improve targeted treatment plans.
Trevor Cotter, PhD Candidate and CREATE Program, Mechanical Engineering, McGill University
Natasha Jacobson, PhD Candidate, Mechanical Engineering, McGill University
Mark Driscoll, Professor, Mechanical Engineering, McGill University
GynAware
GynAware’s technology allows a safe pre-surgical assessment of uterine muscle tumours via a tissue biopsy. The implementation of this technology within the healthcare workflow will enable women with gynecological tumors to receive personalized treatments based on a diagnosis.
Ida Derish, Chief Executive Officer, Co-founder, GynAware; Experimental Surgery, McGill University
Meera Kanagalingham, Chief Scientific Officer, Co-founder, GynAware; Experimental Surgery, McGill University
Mihnea Gangal, Chief Medical Officer, Co-founder, GynAware
Gabriel Campos, Engineering Intern, GynAware; Aerospace Engineering, Ryerson University
Sarah Abdel-Rahman, Technical Lead, GynAware; McMaster University