About
Grew up in Toronto, Canada. Spent years across neuroscience, genetics and medical…
Articles by Will
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Combatting Alzheimer's Disease Using Nanoparticles
Combatting Alzheimer's Disease Using Nanoparticles
By Will Blair
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My Experience at the Y2 Sage Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition
My Experience at the Y2 Sage Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition
By Will Blair
Activity
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Boilermakers!! Lilly Day at Purdue is today! Stop by and learn more about Lilly and career opportunities! 🙌
Boilermakers!! Lilly Day at Purdue is today! Stop by and learn more about Lilly and career opportunities! 🙌
Liked by Will Blair
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🚨 Hiring Alert 🚨 We're growing Susa Ventures' operations team! About: Susa Ventures is an early-stage fund based in San Francisco. Since our…
🚨 Hiring Alert 🚨 We're growing Susa Ventures' operations team! About: Susa Ventures is an early-stage fund based in San Francisco. Since our…
Liked by Will Blair
Experience
Education
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The Johns Hopkins University
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Activities and Societies: President of Charm City Science League, Chair of Student Advisory Board, Brotherhood Chair at Alpha Kappa Psi, Tour Guide at Blue Key Society, Nu Rho Psi, Enactus, Youth Library Tutorial, JHU Newsletter SciTech Editor, Secretary of TCO Labs, Neuroscience Research at Anderson Lab, Leadership Studies Research under Dean Andy Wilson
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Activities and Societies: Lang Scholar; Co-Captain of Varsity Swimming (OFSAA Provincial Gold and 2x Silver Medallist); Varsity Cross Country; Varsity Badminton; Horizons Tutor; Peer Tutor; World Affairs Conference; Head of Neuroscience Society; HOSA Club; Head of Mental Wellness Committee; Chair of Synapse/Jack.org Mental Health Conference; College Times; GPA: 4.6/4.0, Top 5%
Licenses & Certifications
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National Lifeguard Certification (NLS)
Lifesaving Society Ontario
IssuedCredential ID W6SG2I-R5MV2X-263386 -
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Volunteer Experience
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President of Charm City Science League
Charm City Science League
- 3 years 9 months
Education
Elected as president to supervise day-to-day operations of the club and manage external communications for and collaborations.
Oversee 100 mentors at 20+ schools, assist organization of Johns Hopkins Invitational, regional and state tournaments
Charm City Science League’s mission is to improve academic performance in Baltimore City middle schools, with a focus on enriching science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. We inspire Baltimore City Middle School…Elected as president to supervise day-to-day operations of the club and manage external communications for and collaborations.
Oversee 100 mentors at 20+ schools, assist organization of Johns Hopkins Invitational, regional and state tournaments
Charm City Science League’s mission is to improve academic performance in Baltimore City middle schools, with a focus on enriching science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. We inspire Baltimore City Middle School students using a unique combination of intensive one-on-one mentoring, academic competition participation, and greater community involvement. -
Youth Library Tutorial Volunteer
The Johns Hopkins University
- 9 months
Founded as an outgrowth of the Johns Hopkins Tutorial Project, YLT is a tutoring-based program in which elementary to high school students come to Waverly Library each Saturday for help with homework and individual tutoring. The goal of the program is to increase the students' confidence in their learning abilities while also giving them a productive space in which to ask questions and complete their school assignments.
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Brain Injury Rehab Team Volunteer
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
- 10 months
Children
The brain injury rehab team serves clients aged 3 months to 18 years who require rehabilitation following an acquired brain injury.
The goal of the program is to enable children and youth with brain injuries to recover as fully as possible and return to their homes, schools and communities. -
Aquatic Therapy Volunteer
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
- 10 months
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital's Aquatic Therapy program aims to help improve the children’s strength, balance, range of motion and overall fitness. I work in this program as an aquatic therapy volunteer in a one-on-one setting to assist children with disabilities.
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Sunnybrook Wheelchair Escort Volunteer
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
- 10 months
Through the wheelchair escort service, volunteers provide assistance with wheelchair transportation to and from appointments. Volunteers also respond to the needs of the patients and provide companionship during transportation.
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Spiral Garden Volunteer
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
- Present 7 years 1 month
Spiral Garden is an integrated, outdoor, art, garden and play program that has been running for more than 30 years. Half of the camper spots are reserved for children with special needs, and the other half for those without. Participants of Spiral Garden are ages 6-21 years, coming from all over the GTA. Many are clients of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Participants will have a range of ability levels. - We work together to nurture the creative potential of the children both…
Spiral Garden is an integrated, outdoor, art, garden and play program that has been running for more than 30 years. Half of the camper spots are reserved for children with special needs, and the other half for those without. Participants of Spiral Garden are ages 6-21 years, coming from all over the GTA. Many are clients of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Participants will have a range of ability levels. - We work together to nurture the creative potential of the children both individually and collectively and care for their everyday personal needs. We look for ways to connect with one another, ourselves, and the earth.
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Leading to Reading Volunteer
Toronto Public Library
- Present 8 years 6 months
Education
- Work at the Toronto Public Library in the Leading to Reading program.
- The program is meant to engage children who have difficulty in reading at their appropriate grade level and instil and inculcate proper reading and writing skills required for success in school and work.
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Horizons Volunteer
Upper Canada College
- 9 months
Education
- Horizons program provides tutoring to disadvantaged Public schools in Toronto in myriad subjects and branches of subjects to nurture student interest and proficiency in mathematical studies
- The program is conducted by my school, Upper Canada College with several schools in the Toronto area and assists students from Grades 1 to 6
- Participate in the math program and have been involved in the program for two years for various time periods
Publications
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Combatting Alzheimer's Disease Using Magnetic Flourescent Nanoparticles
International Youth Neuroscience Association Journal
Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurological disorder that affects millions around the world, causing disabling progressive loss of memory and cognitive functions.
While the effects of Alzheimer’s cannot be reversed with current medicine, there is hope to potentially slow down the effects. New forms of treatment for Alzheimer’s are now emerging in the experimental field of nanotechnology. These materials have increased magnetic and optical properties that help them act as an agent for early…Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurological disorder that affects millions around the world, causing disabling progressive loss of memory and cognitive functions.
While the effects of Alzheimer’s cannot be reversed with current medicine, there is hope to potentially slow down the effects. New forms of treatment for Alzheimer’s are now emerging in the experimental field of nanotechnology. These materials have increased magnetic and optical properties that help them act as an agent for early diagnoses. The nanoparticles are able to encapsulate molecules with therapeutic value while targeting specific transport processes in the brain vasculature.
Specifically, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) can bind to the amyloid plaques and become visible under MRI which have the ability to diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s Disease. -
Personalized Medicine in Parkinson’s Disease
International Youth Neuroscience Association Journal
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the
world. The cause of the disease is unknown. Parkinson’s deƌning symptoms are motor impairments,
which manifest due to damage of neurons in the substantia nigra, a structure of the basal ganglia
located in the midbrain. The damage of its neurons causes a reduction in the release of dopamine,
resulting in a biochemical imbalance causing poor balance and motor coordination.
The treatment of…Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the
world. The cause of the disease is unknown. Parkinson’s deƌning symptoms are motor impairments,
which manifest due to damage of neurons in the substantia nigra, a structure of the basal ganglia
located in the midbrain. The damage of its neurons causes a reduction in the release of dopamine,
resulting in a biochemical imbalance causing poor balance and motor coordination.
The treatment of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) has long consisted of imprecise medications and
therapies with low degrees of efficacy. Neurologists consider Parkinson’s to be a highly variable
disease, resulting in starkly different clinical profiles and with symptomology progressing at vastly
different rates for different patients. Indeed, patients with Parkinson’s report differing responses to
the traditional mode of dopamine replacement therapy (DRT) and Levodopa medication. They also
vary widely in their susceptibility to medication-related side effects such as dystonia, dyskinesia or
hallucinations.
As the average age of the global population continues to increase, the frequency of PD is
estimated to grow by four times by 2040. With the proliferation in incidence and onset of the
disease, it is necessary to consider novel methods to treat Parkinson’s Disease.
Personalized medicine offers the greatest potential in improving patient outcomes and health as well as supporting
considerable advances within the field.
Honors & Awards
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FUEL Grand Prize
Fast Forward U
Winner of FUEL Cohort Grand Prize, top accelerator at JHU for undergrads, masters and graduate students. $17k prize
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Kleiner Perkins Fellowship
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The fellows program connects students to work with the worlds most innovative companies. Selected as Engineering Fellow.
~30 selected from 3000+ (~1% acceptance) -
Next 36
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Next36 selects 36 of Canada's top entrepreneurs from thousands of applicants to participate in an accelerator program, with access to Canada's top business and venture network, investment funding and alumni.
Declined for Kleiner Perkins Fellowship. -
Social Innovation Lab Audience Award
Johns Hopkins
Received 10k for Seedling as audience award winner
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NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)
NSERC
Awarded $7500 NSERC USRA in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry
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PROMOTE CREATE Undergraduate Award
NSERC CREATE
PROMOTE brings together 11 academic faculty members and their trainees from across Canada with 52 collaborators (academic and industrial) from around the world, who together represent some of the most innovative groups in nucleic acid and biomaterial science.
PROMOTE offers a $1000 grant and training program designed to offer enriched academic, entrepreneurial and professional development opportunities. Awarded to 10 students -
DEBUT Grant
VentureWell
DEBUT is a biomedical engineering design challenge for teams of undergraduate students, managed by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and VentureWell
ThermoBeat received an honourable mention of $1000 -
NSF Regional I-Corps
NSF
The I-Corps program is an immersive learning experience developed by the National Science Foundation for researchers, faculty, students, and others to determine if the problem they are working to solve exists on a larger scale in the market.
Seedling participated in the Summer 2022 cohort to interview over 30 stakeholders and received a grant of $5000 -
NSF Regional I-Corps
NSF
The I-Corps program is an immersive learning experience developed by the National Science Foundation for researchers, faculty, students, and others to determine if the problem they are working to solve exists on a larger scale in the market.
ThermoBeat participated in the Spring 2022 cohort to interview over 30 stakeholders and received a grant of $5000 -
FUEL Grant
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FUEL provides non-dilutive funding of $5000 to high-potential undergrad and graduate student startups. Seedling was selected for FUEL along with 6 teams among over 40 applicants.
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Third Place at JHU Business Plan Competition
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Awarded 3rd place and received $1000 in the Social Enterprise track among 46 teams
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Barry McKague Award for Community Service
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The Barry H. McKague Prize is awarded to a Leaving Class student who has distinguished himself by his commitment to the community, by showing particular compassion and a sense of comradeship towards his fellow students or by excelling in community service
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Senior Mann Prize in Extended Essay - Science
Upper Canada College
Greatest achievement in individual research experiment exploring the effectiveness of Manuka honey in bacteriostasis of E. coli
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Health Sciences Bursary
McMaster University
The High School Health Research Bursary Award is provided to 15 students from across Ontario for a paid research internship on the basis of exemplary academic performance and extracurricular involvement
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SAGE National Championships Best Startup Award
SAGE Canada
Awarded to the the team that has demonstrated excellence in entrepreneurship and laid the foundation for a sustainable venture, while exemplifying SAGE Canada’s mission of providing opportunities to ignite change within their community.
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Lang Scholar
Upper Canada College
The Lang Scholarship is awarded to student leaders who show high strength of character, athleticism and academic achievement.
“Just as the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship recognizes and supports tomorrow’s leaders, the Lang Scholar Program will do so by giving up to 15 boys each year access to a unique enrichment program, complete with leadership training conferences, guest speakers and field trips."
https://www.ucc.on.ca/student-life/lang-scholars -
3rd Place at JEC Spring Economic Forum
Junior Economic Club of Toronto
On March 10 and 24, I attended the JEC Pitch Competition run by the Junior Economic Club of Toronto. My team and I pitched ThermoBeat, a company which aims to solve the problem of repetitive surgeries to replace pacemaker batteries by designing pacemakers which use the body's thermal energy to power themselves indefinitely. Our team advanced to the final round, and placed third among all teams.
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Rotman Boardroom Case Competition Finalist
Rotman Commerce
The Rotman boardroom competition gives students the opportunity to demonstrate a bold vision, creativity, technical insight and business leadership while solving a business base focused on healthcare.
My team was selected as one of nine finalists from over 300 entrants to advance to the final round. -
OFSAA 2018 Provincial Swimming Championships
OFSAA
Senior 200 Metre Freestyle - 7th
Senior 200 Metre Freestyle Relay - 2nd
My contribution to the swim team at the provincial championships helped the UCC senior boys team to finish first in the province for the first time in school history. -
NYAS Stem Scholar
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I was accepted to the prestigious NYAS Stem Scholars program, working in alliance with United Technologies. The program delivers mentoring from real scientists and engineers in order to encourage students to develop necessary skills in the STEM field and network with a global community of STEM mentors and mentees.
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Runner Up at Y2 Sage Entepreneurship Conference
Ryerson Y2 Sage Entrepreneurship Conference
My group, ThermoBeats won runner up at the Y2 Sage Entrepreneurship conference at Ryerson DMZ. Our solution tackles the issue of pacemakers through the harnessing or thermal energy to power pacemaker batteries indefinitely.
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Dr. A.J. MacKenzie Prize in Biology
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Awarded to the student with the greatest academic attainment and interests in Biology (100% average)
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Community Service Gold Award
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The Gold Level Service Tie is awarded to students who have achieved over 200 hours of community involvement during their time at the Upper School
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Yale Young Global Scholar
Yale University
Acceptance to program designed to empower the next generation of leaders through a global community and designing interdisciplinary programs that precipitate curiosity, deeper understanding and inspires creative action
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Provincial Champion in 200 Metre Freestyle Relay
OFSAA Federation
My relay team placed first in Ontario in the 200 Metre Freestyle relay at the 2017 OFSAA Provincial Swimming Championships, propelling our Junior Boys swim team to secure first place in the province.
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Academic Tie
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The academic tie is reserved for students who achieve academic results placing them in the top 5% of their grade.
Received in each semester of high school (Grades 9-12)
Test Scores
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ACT
Score: 35
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Pascal Math Contest
Score: 142
School Champion
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Pythagoras
Score: 43
School Champion, Top 0.01%
More activity by Will
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congrats to the Etched team on raising $120M Series A to take on NVIDIA!! proud to be their very very first investor and believer. and excited for…
congrats to the Etched team on raising $120M Series A to take on NVIDIA!! proud to be their very very first investor and believer. and excited for…
Liked by Will Blair
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I am beyond excited to say that I will be headed out west this fall to pursue my MD/MBA at Stanford University School of Medicine and Stanford…
I am beyond excited to say that I will be headed out west this fall to pursue my MD/MBA at Stanford University School of Medicine and Stanford…
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When we think of investor-founder relationships it is easy to think of an imbalanced power dynamic. While we often ask VCs about their criteria for…
When we think of investor-founder relationships it is easy to think of an imbalanced power dynamic. While we often ask VCs about their criteria for…
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