Special BMC80 podcast–coming in June!

THE MEDICAL ILLUSTRATION PODCAST PRESENTS: TORONTO BMC PROGRAM 80TH ANNIVERSARY

Topics: Education | Industry Training | Graduate Program History

The Master of Science in Biomedical Communications at the University of Toronto continuously evolves to meet the ever-changing needs of science communication. In this special episode of the Medical Illustration Podcast, host Paul Kelly sits down with Director and Associate Professor Michael Corrin and Associate Director and Associate Professor Shelley Wall for an in-depth conversation on the program’s rich history, key milestones, and lasting impact. They share insights into their roles in shaping BMC through academic leadership, curriculum development, student mentorship, and research oversight. Don’t miss this fascinating look at how BMC has grown into a powerhouse in visual science communication!

Release Date: June 2025

Paul Kelly is a professional certified medical illustrator working in Toronto, Canada, at TVASurg (Toronto Video Atlas of Surgery). He specializes in 3D animation and video editing for teaching surgery. The Medical Illustration Podcast is an audio resource for those interested in the field of medical illustration, featuring interviews with seasoned professionals, and industry updates.

Return to BMC80 main page.

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Web sites referenced:

Medical Illustration Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/medillustrationpodcast

Paul Kelly’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-f-kelly-3989831b/?originalSubdomain=ca

Michael Corrin’s Faculty Profile https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/#corrin

Shelley Wall’s Faculty Profile https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/#wall

TVASurg web site https://pie.med.utoronto.ca/TVASurg/

BMC80 main page: https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/bmc80

BMC Alumni Association Gala: celebrate 80 years in May!

Join fellow alumni, students, faculty, and friends for an unforgettable afternoon filled with delicious food and drinks, fun activities, exciting prizes, and photo ops. Reconnect with familiar faces, make new connections, and toast to the rich history and bright future of the BMC program.

📅 Date: Saturday, May 31, 2025
🕐 Time: 12:00 – 5:00 PM EST
📍 Location: Kaneff Centre Rotunda, University of Toronto Mississauga Campus

🎟️ Tickets:

• Early Bird (May 7–17): $30

• Regular (May 18–24): $40

• Complimentary parking for the first 10 ticket buyers — eligible guests will be contacted directly. (Parking is also available for purchase in lots P4, P8 and P9.)

👗 Dress Code: Cocktail attire / Semi-formal

RSVP HERE to take advantage of early bird pricing!

We can’t wait to celebrate this milestone with you. Let’s raise a toast to 80 amazing years of BMC!

Alumni Gala brought to you by the BMCAA Executive Committee. The BMCAA is generously sponsored by:

Return to BMC80 main page.

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Web sites referenced

Biomedical Communications Alumni Association (BMCAA) https://www.bmcaa.com

BMC80 main page https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/bmc80

Visitor Parking Fees: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/parking/visitor-parking-0

UTM Campus Map: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/media/11507/download?inline

Eventbrite link to register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/bmcaa-annual-gala-2025-tickets-1355778583239?aff=oddtdtcreator

BMC80 Anatomical illustration challenge–now until May 30

Illustration Credits: Shehryar (Shay) Saharan (Arteries of the Face & Scalp), Dave Mazierski (Camel Anatomy, Superficial Nerves and Blood Vessels), and Maria Torrence Wishart (Knee Surgery)

The Anatomical Illustration Challenge is a community-driven event celebrating 80 years of BMC! This is your chance to showcase your anatomical illustration skills while honouring the rich history and exciting future of BMC as a leader in medical illustration.

Create a new, original illustration, information graphic, animation, comic or any other media type that features human or animal anatomy. Let your creativity shine!

Deadline: May 30, 2025 (Aligned with the AMI Salon Deadline 👀)

• What's Involved

  Create a new, original illustration, information graphic, animation, or any other visual media that features human or animal anatomy. This could include anything from anatomical cross-sections, microscopic processes and surgical scenes, to comparative anatomy studies. Let your creativity shine!

  Maybe you're:

  • Looking for motivation to create a new portfolio piece

  • Preparing a submission for the AMI Salon

  • Working toward your CMI certification

  • Trying out a new medium or technique (e.g., gouache, ZBrush, After Effects, etc.)

  • Revisiting an old sketch or concept you’ve always wanted to refine

  • Or maybe you just miss illustrating anatomy and want to reconnect with what brought you into this field...

  Have fun with it—we can’t wait to see what you create! 🚀

• Who Can Submit

  This challenge is open to all BMCers, including alumni, current students, and faculty.

  We welcome individual, group, and studio submissions—so whether you're working solo or collaborating, we encourage you to participate!

• How to submit

  Submit your piece here! We are channeling our inner Linda Wilson-Pauwels—so remember to sign your work!

  This goes without saying, but all participants retain all rights to their work. Submissions will only be used to promote the event and celebrate our community’s contributions!

  Submission link: https://forms.gle/Jse6Zr8i6sh59uXBA

  What happens next?

  Your work will be printed and featured on a gallery wall at BMC until December! We’ll also create a collage image of all submissions, which will be shared on our social platforms.

Return to BMC80 main page.

Spring Critique 2025 Best in Show

by Maeve Doyle

Critique organizers and BMC faculty pose with Best in Show winners. Top right: Professor Shehryar Saharan, MScBMC ‘22 and Molly Wells, MScBMC Class of ‘25. Bottom left: Dr. Derek Ng, MScBMC ‘15 and Athena Li, MScBMC Class of ‘26.

Vivid imagery and vibrant discussion filled the Biomedical Communications' studios and hallways on April 17, 2025, as students, faculty and alumni gathered for Spring Critique.

Participants reviewed student galleries, after which they voted to name a first- and second-year student each Best in Show for their cohorts.

The winners were first-year student Athena Li and second-year student Molly Wells.

Of the pieces Li presented at the critique, she said she is most proud of the eyeball anatomy she visualized for the Show Me the Unseeable assignment in Visual Representation of Medical Knowledge.

A cross-sectional view of the human eye, highlighting its general anatomy and the structures involved in light transmission for sight. From Light to Sight by Athena Li, MScBMC Class of ‘26

"A lot of anatomical research went into this piece, which directly informed the final look of the image, and indirectly informed decisions on what structures were included, and how they were depicted. This was a stimulating and ultimately rewarding process that I had a lot of fun with," Li said.

Best in Show-Second Year winner Molly Wells is proud of several pieces she presented including Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema, an infographic she created for the course Visual Representation of Processes in Pathology.

An infographic that visualizes the micro and macro changes in the lymphatic system as a result of the edema that can occur in some cases after breast cancer treatment. Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema by Molly Wells, MScBMC Class of ‘25.

In the piece, Wells depicts micro and macro changes in the lymphatic system that may occur as a result of breast cancer treatment.

She said that she designed the piece "to help healthcare providers better prevent, identify, and treat this disease. I am proud of how I showed the lymphatic system at histological and morphological levels, and I hope that my attempts to show different scales and aspects of the disease will help people's understanding."

• 2025 Vesalius Trust Scholar–Molly Wells

Spring Critique is one of two annual events where students present work created in biomedical communications courses. The critiques contribute to student professional development.

As presenters, students give oral-visual presentations designed for a live audience. They receive and document the critical feedback they receive on their work.

As audience members, they practice analysing visual communication media, and learn to offer constructive feedback.

BMC faculty Derek Ng and Shehryar Saharan introduced the Best in Show awards in Fall 2022. Saharan said the awards were created "to reward students for an incredible amount of hard work and commitment they've demonstrated to honing their skills."

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Web sites referenced

Athena Li's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/athna.stomosis/

Molly Wells' online portfolio https://www.mollywellsart.ca/

Course Description MSC2001Y Visual Representation of Medical Knowledge https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/required-curriculum/#msc2001y

Course Description MSC2018H Visual Representation of Processes in Pathology https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/required-curriculum/#msc2018h

2025 Vesalius Trust Scholar announcement–Molly Wells https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/news-events/2025/3/2/vt2025-molly-wells?rq=molly%20wells

Derek Ng faculty profile https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/#ng

Shehryar Saharan faculty profile https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/#saharan

Katelyn Moore receives 2025 Stephen Gilbert Award for Artistic Excellence

by Maeve Doyle

Katelyn Moore, MScBMC Class of ‘25 received the 2025 Stephen Gilbert Award for her submission, The Artist’s Vision: Understanding the Intricacies of Visual Processing.

Katelyn Moore, a second-year student in the Master of Science in Biomedical Communications program at the University of Toronto, was honoured with the Professor Stephen Gilbert Award for Artistic Excellence in Biomedical Visualization.

The announcement was made April 17 at Spring Critique 2025–a highlight of the academic year where students showcase their best work.

The Stephen Gilbert Award is presented to a first- or second-year biomedical communications student who excels in the artistic representation of structure and function at the gross, micro, or molecular level.

• Professor Stephen Gilbert Award for Artistic Excellence in Biomedical Visualization

Students may submit up to three pieces of work created in a biomedical communications course for consideration by a faculty committee. Moore's submission The Artist's Vision: Understanding the Intricacies of Visual Processing, was selected from more than 50 entries. She created the piece for Neuroanatomy for Visual Communication.

The Artist’s Vision: Understanding the Intricacies of Visual Processing by Katelyn Moore, MScBMC Class of ‘25

This infographic guides the viewer through the journey of the visual pathway—from the eye to the primary visual cortex of the occipital lobe. Illustrated in Procreate and formatted in Adobe Illustrator, this work is intended for an audience of undergraduate anatomy and physiology students and is meant to support learning by utilizing visual art analogies to describe various visual processes and anatomy. 

"In a competitive field of very strong entries, Kate's self-portrait with the brain in situ stood out for its elegant design choices and combination of structural and functional information," said Shelley Wall, associate director of the biomedical communications program and award committee chair.

"Kate successfully integrated a sensitive portrait with a detailed cross-section of the brain showcasing the visual pathway and optic radiation. She added an extra dimension to the assignment by including a beautifully recursive editorial element, depicting herself holding her sketchbook, activating her visual pathway, while creating the very image we are looking at."

Moore expressed her appreciation and excitement for the award.

"Receiving this award is an incredible honour. I’m filled with gratitude for BMC—for our faculty, who have poured countless hours into our growth, and for the constant support of my cohort," Moore said. "Their passion and encouragement have shaped not only my work but who I’ve become over the last two years. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished—and even prouder to have grown alongside such an inspiring community!"

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Web sites referenced

Katelyn Moore's online portfolio https://www.mooremedicalart.ca/

Spring Critique 2025 Best in Show https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/news-events/2025/4/29/spring-critique-2025-best-in-show

Steve Gilbert Award Professor Stephen Gilbert Award for Artistic Excellence in Biomedical Visualization https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/mscbmc-awards/#steve-gilbert

Course Description MSC2012H Neuroanatomy for Visual Communication. https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/required-curriculum/#msc2012h

Shelley Wall’s faculty profile https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/#wall

David Mazierski honoured with IMS Faculty Recognition Award for mentorship

David Mazierski, associate professor in the Master of Science in Biomedical Communications (MScBMC) program, has been recognized by the Institute of Medical Science (IMS) with a Faculty Recognition Award for Strong Mentorship.

Dr. Mingyao Liu, director of the IMS, presented the award to all recipients at IMS Scientific Day on April 25, 2025.

• IMS Faculty Recognition Awards

In a congratulatory letter, Dr. Liu noted that as a graduate supervisor and member of numerous advisory committees, Mazierski has demonstrated “great responsibility, patience, and commitment to the mentorship of each graduate student.” He added that Mazierski has been “essential to the academic success” of many students.

Professor Michael Corrin, director of the MScBMC program, described Mazierski as “an enthusiastic mentor and instructor.”

“He’s always excited to meet with students to talk shop and exchange ideas,” Corrin said. “His passion for what we do is infectious. Students feed off his never-ending curiosity and incredible knowledge of our discipline.”

Corrin added, “This award is well deserved and a testament to his more than 30 years of student guidance and training.”

Science trading cards gallery launch

In celebration of BMC80, we are unveiling all four editions of SciCards in a new online gallery. The exhibit includes, for the first time, SciCards 2024.

Step into the gallery here, and

✨ explore the collection,
✨ see what's new,
✨ revisit some favourites.

BMC80 main page: https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/bmc80

SciCards gallery link: https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/scicards-gallery

BMC 80–Speaker Series 2025: Mesa Schumacher, Medical Illustrator

Mesa Schumacher is the principal medical and scientific illustrator and animator for Mesa Studios LLC, a boutique visualization studio that finds visual solutions to communicate science, data, and ideas in popular and scientific media.

Finding Your Value–The Business of Creativity

We live in uncertain times but for creative professionals uncertainty has always been part of the job. Artists constantly navigate market fluctuations, client relationships, and long-term financial planning–often without the safety net of an employer. Mesa Schumacher began freelancing from her dorm room as an undergraduate and has spent the past two decades visualizing science and medicine while making every mistake in the freelancer’s book. In this talk, she’ll share insights on how independent artists define and market their value, attract and retain clients, and adapt to evolving industries.

Date: April 4, 2025
Time: 12 to 1 p.m. (ET)
Location: Online
Webinar Registration Link:
https://uoft.me/bmc-speaker-series-2025-mesa-schumacher
2025 BMC speaker series full program: https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/news-events/2025/01/29/bmc80-speaker-series-2025

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Mesa Schumacher is an award-winning science communicator and the owner of Mesa Studios. A graduate of Stanford University and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s Biological and Medical Illustration program, she works as an illustrator, writer, comic artist, and infographic designer. Her work has appeared in National Geographic, Scientific American, academic publications, educational and trade books, puzzles, games, and exhibits in zoos, aquariums, and museums. Whatever the medium, Mesa thrives on solving complex visual puzzles and creating work that sparks curiosity and challenges the mind.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mesa-schumacher-7714088/

Mesa Studios web site: https://www.mesaschumacher.com/

BMC80 Hoodies–Available only in April!

Celebrate 80 Years of BMC with a Limited-Edition Hoodie!

BMC alumni and current students can now order a special BMC80 hoodie–available for a limited time only!

This exclusive hoodie features:

• The University of Toronto crest on the left chest

• The years 1945–2025 embroidered on the sleeve

• A stunning, full-colour BMC80 logo on the back

Order Deadline: April 24, 2025
Price: $44.47 + HST (Offered at cost; not a fundraiser.)

Pick up your hoodie at the BMCAA Gala.

Order now: https://secure.utm.utoronto.ca/bmc80-hoodie/product/bmc80-hoodie (Credit card required.)

Want to support BMC? Visit Giving to BMC to donate.

Return to BMC80 main page.

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Links referenced:

BMCAA Gala https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/news-events/bmc80-alumni-gala

Hoodie Order Form https://secure.utm.utoronto.ca/bmc80-hoodie/product/bmc80-hoodie

Giving to BMC https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/giving-to-bmc

BMC80 main page https://www.bmcaa.com

BMC alum creates captivating cover for OVPRI's annual report

Naomi Wee, MScBMC Class of '24, brought research to life through art as the cover illustrator for Synergy, the Office of the Vice Principal, Research and Innovation's 2024 annual report.

Her illustration–a building constructed from books–depicts the dynamism and diversity of research at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Each "floor" highlights a key seasonal event:

Top Floor (Summer): The INSPIRE program, which prepares top science students for graduate studies, and SURF, the Summer Undergraduate Research Fair;

Middle Floor (Fall): The Celebration of Books, which showcases works authored and edited by UTM scholars;

Bottom Floor (Winter): The Research Excellence Prizes, which honour the achievements of early-career researchers in the Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences; and the Annual Research Excellence Lecture.

Naomi says that this was an incredible opportunity to collaborate with the OVPRI's communications team who "gave me full creative freedom over the project. As a medical illustrator, it was really interesting to think about how we can depict different research disciplines that don’t necessarily involve biology or chemistry."

Naomi Wee is a medical illustrator at Bootcamp.com.

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Web sites referenced

Naomi Wee's online portfolio https://www.naomiwee.com

Synergy, OVPRI 2024 Annual Report https://bit.ly/OVPRI-Report-24