The Curious Mindset

Gairdner Connects

The Curious Mindset is an interview series that spotlights the voices of Gairdner Laureates and Early Career Investigators shaping the future of science and global health.


Through engaging and accessible conversations, the series explores how scientific ideas emerge, how collaborations thrive, and how discoveries translate into real-world impact. Each episode highlights not only breakthrough research, but the curiosity, resilience, mentorship, and human stories that drive scientific progress.  

Designed to inspire the next generation of scientists and celebrate Canadian excellence in research, the series offers a closer look at the people behind transformative discoveries across medicine, biology, and global health.

 

 

Explore Episodes

Below is a growing collection of The Curious Mindset episodes. Stay tuned for new episodes monthly!

 

How a gene discovery led to life-changing CF treatments with Dr. Michael Welsh & Dr. Paul Negulescu
Drs. Paul Negulescu and Michael Welsh discuss discovering the CFTR gene and understanding how it affects protein function, as well as what can happen when basic science, industry and collaboration come together.
Watch Episode

The hidden connection between the gut and cancer treatment with Dr. Arielle Elkrief
Dr. Arielle Elkrief discusses her research into the gut microbiome and cancer immunotherapy, including uncovering how antibiotic exposure can affect treatment outcomes.
Watch Episode

The science behind how cells communicate with Dr. Spyros Artavanis-Tsakonas
Dr. Spyros Artavanis-Tsakonas discusses his pioneering work on the Notch signalling pathway and its impact on developmental biology. 
Watch Episode

Reproductive Justice in Canada with Dr. Martha Paynter
Martha Paynter explores the intersections of reproductive health, policy, and social justice from expanding access to abortion care across Canada to studying the health impacts of incarceration.
Watch Episode

How DNA is the Key to Cancer Care with Dr. Daniel De Carvalho
Dr. Daniel De Carvalho explores how epigenetics is changing the future of cancer care and what it takes to translate discoveries from the lab into tools that can improve patient outcomes.
Watch Episode


The Future of Stem Cells with Dr. Nika Shakiba
Dr. Nika Shakiba explores the hidden social dynamics of stem cells, the future of regenerative medicine, and what it might take to create a computer-based simulator of human embryonic development.
Watch Episode

Inside the Discovery of Notch Signalling with Drs. Iva Greenwald and Gary Struhl
Drs. Iva Greenwald and Gary Struhl discuss how Notch signalling shapes cell fate, development, and cellular communication, alongside reflections on collaboration, scientific communities, and the future of research.

Watch Episode


Engineering the Nanoparticle Puzzle with Dr. Joel Finbloom
We have a conversation with Dr. Joel Finbloom to explore how nanotechnology is being used to improve antibiotic effectiveness and design new therapeutic strategies to combat bacterial infections.

 

Transforming Pain Management in Pediatrics with Dr. Jennifer Stinson
We sit down with Dr. Jennifer Stinson to explore how technology is transforming the way young patients track, communicate, and manage chronic pain.

 

 

The Curious Mindset series is sponsored by TELUS Health and Presented in Partnership with RCIScience.

This series is hosted by Carrie Boyce (Executive Director, RCIScience) and Celia Du (Programs Manager, RCIScience).

Video production by Elias Harisis, 2Frames Media.

 

Related Sponsor

Related Partner