Simon holds a PhD from the Université de Montréal’s Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Simon has a background in consulting and research management, notably with the World Anti-Doping Agency, developing expertise in functional genomics and drug development.

His experience in academic research and partnerships with industry grants him a deep understanding of the challenges faced by researchers and the value proposition of their work.

Passionate and well-versed in the research themes covered by the RNA Mobilizing Project, Simon is a front-line contributor to this major initiative and works to bring its full benefit to the researchers involved in RNA-based therapies in Quebec.

Sam trained as a biomedical engineer at Polytechnique Montréal (B.Eng.) and MIT (PhD). His studies focused on applied biophotonics, cancer research and signal and image processing. Since obtaining his PhD in 2018, he has gained over 5 years of professional experience in the biotechnology and healthcare sectors, with varied expertise including experimental design, statistical analysis, scientific literature review, oral and written communication of scientific content, data science, applied AI and project management.

He leverages the R&D skills he has acquired in various technology start-ups, as well as his experience in venture capital development, to contribute to the creation of biotech companies in the field of RNA-based therapies, particularly those emerging from innovations in Quebec’s academic sector.

As webmaster and content coordinator, I’m responsible for designing, editing and managing the components of the AReNA website, Quebec’s RNA hub.

My role includes synthesizing evolving information about key RNA Mobilizing Project initiatives and optimizing its dissemination across web platforms to raise the profile of Quebec’s RNA therapeutics community.

My expertise and versatility in digital communications also lead me to support Axelys activities in web design and analytics. With an academic and professional background in animated video, ad buying and data visualization, I’m a colleague with a passion for understanding issues and finding solutions.