Senior Research Associate
Kinjal Desai, PhD
Teaching and Mentorship Experience
Mentorship of Trainees
The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto | 2011 – present
- PhD co-supervisor: 1 student (2024–present, co-supervised with Dr. Peter Dirks)
- MHSc research practicum supervisor: 2 students (2024–2025), and (2025–2026)
- Research mentorship: providing conceptual feedback and advice, helping with experimental design, monitoring progress, and sharing feedback on their results; 3 PhD students, 3 PhD rotation students, 2 MSc students, 6 summer students.
- Undergraduate engagement & outreach: Hosted site visits and informational interviews for 5 students from U of T Mississauga’s Anatomy and Physiology program.
Course Coordinator and Lead Instructor
Advanced Human Genetics (MMG 3001Y), Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto | 2023 – 2026
- Lead instructor and coordinator for a two-semester core graduate course in the Master of Health Sciences (MHSc) in Medical Genomics program, enrolling approximately 22–25 students annually.
- This includes hands-on teaching, mentorship, and course coordination, and conveying complex material in an accessible way over a sustained period of time (1 or 2 terms).
Co-Organizer and Instructor
Low Input Epigenomics Workshop, Welcome Genome Campus, UK | 2024 & 2025
- Co-organizer and lead instructor (CUT&RUN and CUT&Tag module) of this competitive, international 8-day workshop for senior PhD students, postdocs, and early-career investigators.
- Delivered comprehensive and hands-on theoretical and laboratory training on epigenomic profiling in rare cell populations and low-input samples.
Additional Teaching Experience
2019 - 2023
Instructor | University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, Toronto, Canada
2020 - 2025
Guest Lecturer | Advanced Human Genetics (MMG 3001Y) | Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
2019
Guest Lecturer | Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, Canada
2020
Guest Expert | Online Healthcare Forum, Toronto, Canada
2011
Teaching Assistant | Dartmouth College, Hanover, USA
Academic Service and Professional Experience
June 2025
Session Chair | Scientific Retreat, Departments of Genetics and Genome Biology & Developmental, Stem Cell, and Cancer Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Blue Mountain, Ontario, Canada
June 2025
Judge, Oral Presentations & Posters | Garron Family Cancer Centre Research Day, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
2023 - 2025
Panelist (Scientific Reviewer and Scientific Officer), Grant and Fellowship Applications | Canadian Cancer Society, Toronto, Canada
October 2024
Invited Speaker | University of Toronto – Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Student Union (MGYSU), Toronto, Canada
August 2024
Judge, Student Poster Presentations | Summer Research Symposium (SSuRe), SickKids, Toronto, Canada
July 2024
Invited Participant | CRUK Children's Brain Tumour Excellence Summer School, University of Cambridge, UK
July 2024
Invited Panelist | The Hospital for Sick Children Research Integrity Symposium, Toronto, Canada
Community Service
2024 - Present
Advisory Board Member | Stay at Home Nursing Care, Toronto, Canada
2023 - Present
Scientist Partner | Skype a Scientist, Philadelphia, USA
2023 - Present
Community Outreach Representative | Canadian Cancer Society, Toronto, Canada
2016 - 2023
Community Outreach Lead | Toronto Research Information Outreach Team (R.I.O.T.) and the Canadian Cancer Society, Toronto, Canada
2019 - 2022
Child Life Volunteer | The Hospital for Sick, Toronto, Canada