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Interests

  • Biomedical Engineering

  • Therapeutic design

  • Drug discovery, design, & delivery

  • Oncology & infectious disease immunotherapy

  • Dementia therapeutics & vaccine design

  • iNeuron Cell Therapy

  • Ocular Biology

  • Anti-bacterials

  • Phage-based therapeutic platforms

  • Phage-based biomanufacturing

  • Vaccines

  • Gene editting

  • Targeted gene therapy

  • Nanomaterials

  • Biotechnology & biosensors

Roderick Slavcev

Principle Investigator

Roderick Slavcev is an associate professor with the University of Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy. Dr. Slavcev’s research specializes in bacteriophage-based biotechnology and exploits phage genetic systems and phage themselves in the generation of novel therapeutic platforms. With a particular focus on coliphages, his lab’s research designs and constructs vectors for novel vaccines, gene delivery systems, and immunotherapeutics. In addition, his team identifies and applies novel phage genomic anti-bacterial genes with potential phage therapy applications. Research in the Theraphage lab is heavily multidisciplinary, integrating genetics, molecular biology, microbiology, gene therapy, virology, therapeutic design, and synthetic in vivo biology.

Roderick comes to the University of Waterloo with a MBA specialized in biotechnology management and commercialization. As the Professor of Business and Entrepreneurship, Roderick currently directs and delivers the School of Pharmacy's award-winning business curriculum initiative. He was also instrumental in the designing and development of the first Medical Microbiology Laboratory to be offered by a Canadian Pharmacy curriculum and leads the development of a Continuing Education initiative to bring Strategic Management and Leadership to practicing pharmacists.

Dr. Slavcev is also the Chief Technology Officer of Mediphage Bioceuticals in Toronto, as well as a Principle Investigator at the Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR) in Hong Kong.

Education

  • B.Sc. Honours in Human Biology, University of Toronto (1995)

  • Ph.D. in Microbial Genetics, University of Saskatchewan (2002)

  • Research Associate Fellowship Medical Genetics, University of Toronto (2005)

  • M.B.A. in Biotechnology Management and Commercialization, Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan (2006)

Contact

  • roderick.slavcev@theraphage.bio

Selected Publications

Patents

Books

  • Bacteriophage Applications—Historical Perspective and Future Potential.
    Jessica Nicastro, Shirley Wong, Zahra Khazaei, Peggy Lam, Jonathan Blay, Roderick A. Slavcev.
    Cham: Springer Nature Publishing (2017)

  • Pharmacy Management in Canada. Vol. 1.
    Roderick A. Slavcev, Alan Low, Jason Perepelkin, Rita Winn, Kevin Hall, Mike Jaczko, Dayle Acorn
    Toronto: Brush Publishing (2015)

  • Tackling the classical genetic mystery of the bacteriophage λ Rex phenotype.
    Slavcev, Roderick A.
    Köln: Lambert Academic Publishing (2010)

Awards

  • ASGCT Research Award

  • WIN Research Award

  • JNJ Innovation Labs Technology Award

  • Illumina Next Generation Sequencing Award

  • Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) & Janssen Innovation in Education Award

Affiliations & Associations

  • Cross-appointment to Department of Chemistry, Department of Biology, & Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo

  • Member of Center of Bioengineering & Biotechnology, Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology, Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research, & Bioworks Research Group

  • Chartered Biologist, Royal Society of Biology (MRSB, C. Biol designation)

  • Member, American Society for Gene & Cell Therapy, 2012-present

  • Member, American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

  • Member, Canadian Society for Microbiology