Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) are important considerations for all UHN researchers, both in the conduct of research and in the translation and commercialization of innovations. With many new researchers joining UHN, including through the Canada Leads program, this session offers an opportunity to explore key IDEA concepts in Canada and at UHN.

Join Patti Leake, UHN Research’s Equity Specialist, and researchers Azadeh Yadollahi and Sumaiyah Rehman for an engaging discussion exploring IDEA in the Canadian and UHN research context. Participants will learn about key IDEA concepts and resources, and hear practical examples of how IDEA principles can be integrated into research, grant writing, and commercialization activities to enhance impact, strengthen research excellence, and support innovation.

This event is open to all UHN Trainees (MSc, PhD), Postdoctoral Researchers, Scientific Associates, Lab Technicians and Scientists.

Scroll to the bottom to find the recording and helpful resources!

Date: Thursday November 5th, 2026

Time: 10:30AM – 12:00PM

Location: Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada 6th Floor Bob Bell Auditorium

Patti Leake is the Equity Specialist at UHN Research. She is an educator with a special interest in equitable research processes and methodologies. She is the lead developer and instructor for UHN-wide trainings on IDEA in Research Methodologies. Patti is Program Lead for Project Chrysalis, and is a member of the team that conceived of and developed Project Chrysalis at UHN. Dwelling now in Toronto, Patti grew up in Peterborough, Ontario, and has studied molecular biology, education, midwifery, knowledge translation, and interprofessional collaboration. She has worked at 4 science centres across Canada, taught science to Grade 6-7-8 in a one-room schoolhouse on an island in BC, collaborated with other parents to found a social justice elementary school in the Toronto District School Board, and was a founding staff member of The Institute for Education (TIER) at UHN.

Azadeh Yadollahi is the Scientific Director of the Translational Biology and Engineering Program (TBEP), a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Cardio-Respiratory Engineering, and a Senior Scientist at the University Health Network’s KITE Research Institute (UHN-KITE). She is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering and an adjunct faculty member at the University of Manitoba. Her research bridges engineering and clinical care to develop innovative digital health technologies that improve access to care for people with cardiorespiratory and sleep disorders. She leads the SleepdB laboratory at UHN-KITE, where advanced physiological assessments and realistic home and hospital simulations support the development and clinical validation of emerging technologies. She also directs the Fabric-Based Research (FIBRE) platform, advancing smart textiles and wearable technologies to enable accessible, personalized healthcare beyond traditional clinical settings. A passionate advocate for inclusive research and health equity, Dr. Yadollahi chaired UHN Research’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee from 2020 to 2025. She was named a 2025 IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Distinguished Lecturer and serves on the World Health Organization’s inaugural Disability Health Equity Network. She leads and co-leads national initiatives that train the next generation of researchers and innovators to develop equitable digital health solutions, particularly for older adults.

Sumaiyah Rehman is a Scientific Associate III at UHN’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and a cancer researcher studying the biology of colorectal cancer relapse. Her research focuses on drug-tolerant persister cells and the development of prognostic and therapeutic strategies to prevent cancer recurrence. Building on this, Sumaiyah co-founded DTPx Therapeutics, an academic-stage venture, to advance treatment strategies that prevent cancer relapse. She has been the recipient of several fellowships and awards, most notably she is the recipient of a CIHR Research Excellence, Diversity, and Independence (REDI) Early Career Award and the OICR’s FACIT Entrepreneurship Award. Sumaiyah is also a founding advisory member of UHN-based courses Project Chrysalis, and the Princess Margaret Biosciences Oncology Leadership Development (BOLD) Program where she currently serves as a mentor.