Talent Development Leadership
Judith Cantin
Director of Educational Support and Innovation, Polytechnique Montréal
Judith Cantin leads the STAIR Talent Development component of RAMP-UP. With a Ph.D. in higher education pedagogy, she brings deep expertise in learning processes and active teaching strategies. Her research focuses on the invisible aspects of teaching, helping educators navigate complex pedagogical decisions. She played a key role in integrating constructivist and case-based experiential learning in Polytechnique’s CREATE programs, PrEEmiuM and OPSIDIAN.
Christina Aon
Managing Director, CERASP
With over 25 years of international experience in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, Christina Aon leads CERASP, a College Centre for Technology Transfer. She holds degrees from McGill University, St. Louis University, and Louvain School of Management. Her career spans roles in vaccine manufacturing, GMP compliance, and global learning management at GSK.
Research Leadership
Xavier Banquy
Full Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université de Montréal
CRC-Tier 2 in Bioinspired Material and Interfaces
Professor Banquy leads research in advanced drug formulation and nanomedicine. With a background in chemical engineering and pharmaceutical sciences, he has developed scalable production strategies for nanosuspensions and nanovaccines. His work bridges academia and industry, and he has designed graduate courses tailored to both engineers and pharmacists.
Gregory De Crescenzo
Full Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal
Co-Director, RAMP-UP
Professor De Crescenzo brings a multidisciplinary perspective to biomedical and bioprocess engineering. He is a recognized expert in Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) biosensing and co-directs the PrEEmiuM training program. His leadership in the PROTEO network supports the development of cutting-edge biomanufacturing strategies.
Bruno Gaillet
Full Professor and Chair, Department of Chemical Engineering, Université Laval
Professor Gaillet is a pioneer in biopharmaceutical engineering education and a national authority on viral vector design and production. His innovations include scalable methods for recombinant virus production, notably for Ebola treatment. He serves as President of the Quebec Gene Therapy Association (ATGQ) and is active in the PROTEO and The Cell networks.
Alain Garnier
Full Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Université Laval
With over 30 years of experience, Professor Garnier has developed bioprocesses for enzymes, bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells. His patented technologies in stem cell culture media and his collaborations with major pharmaceutical companies (GSK, Merck, Sanofi-Pasteur) underscore his impact on industrial biomanufacturing.
Sophie Gobeil
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Bioinformatics, Université Laval
Canada Research Chair in Structural Systems Biology
Co-Director, RAMP-UP
Professor Gobeil is a rising leader in structural biology, with expertise in cryo-EM, NMR, and X-ray crystallography. Her work on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein structures has directly influenced vaccines and therapeutic development. She is widely recognized for her scientific communication and collaborative research.
Olivier Henry
Full Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal
Professor Henry specializes in cell culture process development for recombinant proteins and vaccines. His lab collaborates with the NRC on high-density mammalian cell processes and has developed scalable upstream processes for COVID-19 and rabies vaccines.
Younès Messaddeq
Full Professor, Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Optics, Université Laval
Canada Excellence Research Chair in Photonic Innovations
Professor Messaddeq is a global leader in photonic materials and optical fibre technologies. His work on fluoride glass synthesis has opened new frontiers in real-time bioprocess monitoring. He directs international research collaborations with Brazil and France.
Marie-Ève Paquet
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Bioinformatics, Université Laval
Professor Paquet is an expert in molecular immunology and viral vector biomanufacturing. She co-founded the Canadian Optogenetics and Vectorology Foundry and leads a platform distributing viral vectors to over 200 labs. Her research spans gene transfer, capsid engineering, and optical biosensors. She has extensive teaching experience with undergraduate and graduate students in multidisciplinary programs.
Administrative Team
Pierre-Jean Alarco
Executive Director, Polytechnique Montréal
Benoît Liberelle
Lead Coordinator, Polytechnique Montréal
Marie-Lou Robillard
Administrative Coordinator, Polytechnique Montréal
Take part in our initiative
M.Sc. and Ph.D. students interested in become part of the RAMP-UP initiative must contact a member of the research team, who will send them a registration form. Please note that your research team will need to be compatible with the RAMP-UP Work Packages described below.
