Description

Over the past three decades, science and business have united to give rise to innovative start-up biotech companies, which have become the driving force behind scientific innovation. It has become evident that many pioneering scientific institutions are strengthened by a productive interaction between Academia and the private sector. The contrasting ideologies in public and private research, and the potential of private capital to accelerate innovation will also be discussed. This course will reveal not only cultural differences between Pharmaceutical and Biotechnological industries, but also beneficial relationships between Academia and Industry in the complex and expensive process of moving new and novel therapeutics from bench to bedside.

High-profile academic clinicians will address controversial issues associated with therapeutic interventions and vaccine programs. Moreover, the interface between Law and Science will be examined by addressing intellectual property protection mechanisms, including patent, copyright protection, etc.

This course is designed to encourage dialogue between the speaker and the student audience. An objective of the course is to teach students how to make quality decisions based on critical thinking when forming opinions on controversial topics in science and medicine. This course is not designed like many traditional science courses; you are expected to speak up in class and stimulate dialogue with the lecturers and your peers. This course will help you better approach and deal with controversial topics, as this skill is needed to make such decisions in your future careers.

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3 credits — Winter Term
Pre-requisites: At least one 200-level biological or biomedicalÌýdiscipline or permission of instructor.

Course Coordinator

Dr. Jacques Archambault, Ph.D.
Office Room D22-3775 University
Montreal, QC H3A 2B4
Department of Microbiology and Immunology - 91ÉçÇø
jacques.archambault2 [at] mcgill.ca