Ori Rotstein Lecture in Translational Research

The annual Ori Rotstein Lecture in Translational Research is an important event for the Institute of Medical Science - it is a time to celebrate the exceptional scientific contributions of our scientific community.

The Ori Rotstein Lecture in Translational Research was established in 2011 to mark Dr. Rotstein's 25-year engagement with the IMS. Dr. Rotstein is an IMS alumnus, former IMS Director (2000-2010) and long-standing faculty member. Dr. Ori Rotstein is now the Vice President of Research and Innovation at Unity Health Toronto. He is also a Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto. We are honoured to have him come back and host this Annual Lecture each year.

We are excited to be welcoming Eunji Chung, PhD, as our 2026 keynote speaker. Dr. Chung is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California and the Dr. Karl Jacob Jr. and Karl Jacob III Early Career Chair. She is the founding director of USC’s Transformative Center for Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery and holds cross-disciplinary appointments spanning chemical engineering, medicine, surgery, and pharmacy.

Dr. Chung leads a highly collaborative research program focused on designing innovative biomaterials—from nano- to macroscale—to advance next-generation therapies. Her work bridges engineering, medicine, and translational science, with applications in kidney disease, cancer, and regenerative medicine.

A Fellow of BMES, AIMBE, and the American Heart Association, Dr. Chung has received numerous honors, including the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2), the AHA Transformational Project Award, and AIChE’s “35 Under 35.” Her research is supported by major national initiatives such as the NIH U54 Kidney O’Brien Center and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

She is also an Associate Editor for Bioactive Materials and co-founder of Silver Spur Therapeutics, translating cutting-edge discoveries into real-world impact.