By joining the Cell & Systems Biology (CSB) Second-Year Learning Community (SLC) you will be surrounded by a small community of second-year students who are learning to navigate their academic and co-curricular pathways to make the most of their experiences as a CSB student. The SLC program is designed to help you make the most out of your degree by engaging in various social, academic and professional development opportunities.
For more information about CSB, visit the Cell & Systems Biology website.
Apply to a Cell & Systems Biology SLC
Applications for the 2025-26 academic year will open June 2, 2025, and close on June 22, 2025. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered for a waitlist, pending space.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the CSB SLC you must be a second-year student enrolled in any of the following CSB undergraduate programs:
- Animal Physiology Major
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Specialist
- Cell & Molecular Biology Major
- Cell & Molecular Biology Specialist
- Genome Biology Major
SLC Course Overview
Students in the Cell & Systems Biology SLC will meet bi-weekly for core sessions beginning the week of September 8, 2025, with informal hangouts offered in the alternate weeks.
Time: Mondays, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Your SLC Team
Department: Cell & Systems Biology
Title: Assistant Professor
Years worked for your current department and/or U of T: Five years
Undergraduate major/specialist and institution: Carleton University, Biology
Hometown: St. Thomas, ON
Why you decided to serve as a faculty advisor: The second year of any undergraduate program is a difficult one for students navigating the U of T system. I want to help create a sense of community where students are supported and integrate into their undergraduate community to help them through this year.
One piece of advice for a second-year student: Make sure to ask as many questions as you can!
Hobby or interest: My main hobby outside of work is road biking, which is something that I started doing during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to do with my family when we can find time.
Department: Cell & Systems Biology
Title: Undergraduate Coordinator
Years worked for your current department and/or U of T: Five years at Cell & Systems Biology and 22 at U of T
Undergraduate major/specialist and institution: BEd in Adult Education, Brock University and MBA in Human Resources, University of Fredericton
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Why you decided to serve as a staff advisor: As the Undergraduate Coordinator at CSB, one of my responsibilities is to provide students with advising regarding the programs, courses and potential career pathways. I thoroughly enjoy this aspect of my job and I decided to be an SLC staff advisor to provide this support to students earlier in their programs.
One piece of advice for a second-year student: Take the time to network and explore different courses and programs in your undergraduate career. This is the time to learn more about areas that you've been curious about and also be exposed to areas that you might not have thought about before.
Hobby or interest: In my spare time, I enjoy dancing, walking, hiking and biking.
Program: Neuroscience major, Animal Physiology major, Immunology minor
Year: Four
College: Innis College
Hometown: Chengdu, China
An interesting fact: I love animals! I’ve wanted to become a vet ever since I was nine, and I plan to continue pursuing my dream. I have a gorgeous 5-year-old Labrador back in China!
What do you enjoy most about your studies: I love learning about the complex molecular dynamics of animal bodies and applying them to real life scenarios. It not only deepens my understanding of animal physiology but also fuels my passion for discovery and sharing knowledge with others!
Hobby or interest: I love listening to music and watching TV shows (reality shows, kdrama, cdrama, etc)! It’s a great way for me to recharge :)
Program: Animal Physiology major, Pharmacology major
Year: Four
College: Woodsworth College
Hometown: Guangzhou, China
An interesting fact: I can overcome a 12-hour jet lag in a day.
What do you enjoy most about your studies: I hold a deep curiosity for all my courses and truly value the eagerness I feel to learn more as we delve deeper into each subject. I enjoy exploring different systems and applying my knowledge across disciplines, especially when course content overlaps. For example, in my Neurobiology of Respiration course last semester, I was able to draw on my background in pharmacology and physiology to better understand the broader context of the respiratory diseases we studied.
Hobby or interest: Swimming, knitting, photography, skiing.