From stem cell therapy to self-driving cars, all modern technology and medical therapies have their roots in research from the past. 1687's Principia by Isaac Newton outlined the physics behind orbits and rockets, yet we did not land on the Moon for another 272 years. Indeed, it took a further 10 years to put a human there! The path from basic research to innovation is not a straight line. The time it takes to wander that path can be frustratingly long and sometimes poorly understood. What is clear, however, is that without basic research there can be no innovation.

In this thought-provoking panel, we will explore some of the major research breakthroughs of the past that have, eventually, led to current innovations.

Our panelists include:

Janet Rossant - Senior Scientist, Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, Sick Kids. Pioneer of stem cell biology and President and Scientific Director of the Gairdner Foundation.

Mark Lautens - J.B. Jones Distinguished Professor and AstraZeneca Chair in Organic Synthesis at the University of Toronto.  His expertise is in devising new ways to make drug-like molecules in a more efficient way, with less impact on the environment.

Robin Marjoribanks - Professor of Physics at the University of Toronto. His expertise is in extreme optics: new physics from the most intense laser light available on Earth. From this has come progress in laser-fusion, patents in laser materials-processing, and research in new modes of laser surgery.

Moderator: Bryan Koivisto - Associate Professor of Chemistry at Ryerson University and Director of the Science Discovery Zone; a non-traditional incubation ecosystem hosted at Ryerson University. Check out Bryan’s blog post for RCIScience about the need to innovate academia if universities are to continue driving innovation.

Reserve your spot here.