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About Us: The Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences (CSMB) is a national organization that promotes and supports molecular biosciences research in Canada. Our mission is to advance scientific understanding, promote education and training, and advocate for policies that support the life sciences community. Learn more about us at csmb-scbm.ca.

Position: Part-Time Administrative Assistant
Location: Remote (Canada-wide)
Salary: $60/hour
Hours: Approximately 10 hours per month
Employment Type: Independent Contractor

Job Summary: The CSMB is seeking a detail-oriented and organized Administrative Assistant to support our operations. This role requires excellent communication skills, strong digital literacy, and the ability to manage multiple tasks independently. The successful candidate must be fully proficient in both English and French.

Key Responsibilities:

• Maintain and update the CSMB website, including job postings, awards, nominations, webforms, events and newsletter.
• Manage the CSMB membership list using an online membership management tool.
• Manage and update CSMB’s five social media accounts (X, BlueSky, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook).
• Maintain and manage the Fourwaves platform for CSMB conferences and events.
• Communicate with CSMB members via email, ensuring timely responses and accurate information.
• Organize CSMB Board meetings and the Annual General Assembly (AGA), including scheduling, logistics, and taking meeting minutes.
• Maintain and update organizational documents on Dropbox and Google Drive.
• Manage website hosting, name registration and email addresses.
• Send invoices for job postings

Required Qualifications:

• Full professional proficiency in both English and French (spoken and written).
• Experience with website content management and social media platforms.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively.
• Familiarity with virtual meeting platforms and collaborative tools (e.g., Zoom, Google Drive, Dropbox).
• Experience in administrative support roles is an asset.

Additional Information:

• This is a part-time, contract position with flexible working hours.
• The workload is approximately 10 hours per month.
• Remuneration is $60 per hour.
• CSMB is committed to employment equity and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities.

How to Apply: Please send your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant experience and language proficiency before August 1, 2025 to contact@csmb-scbm.ca

The CSMB Trainee committee is proud to announce a career development session hosted by the CSMB and Canadian Science Publishing, June 19th, 2025, at 2PM ET.

Scan the QR Code below to register.

Today we celebrate and inaugurate three 2025 Fellows. In alphabetical order: Dr. Imogen Coe, Dr. John Orlowski, and Dr. Jan K. Rainey.

I will first say a few words about each fellow and then present the fellow with their award certificate and we can take a picture.

Dr. Imogen Coe

Dr. Imogen R. Coe is a professor of Chemistry and Biology at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and an affiliate scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. She is an active researcher in the biomedical sciences focusing on the uptake of anti-cancer drugs into cells via transporter proteins and using innovative novel therapies such as ultrasound plus micro/nano-bubbles.

She is also an academic leader. She was Chair of Biology and Associate Dean, Research and Partnerships at York University. She then served as the founding Dean of the Faculty of Science at TMU. From 2020 to 2022, she was the President of CSMB. Since 2022, she has been the inaugural Scholar-in-Residence at NSERC and has been invited by the federal government to serve on numerous committees to evaluate rigorous inclusive research for NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC, CFI, ISED and others.

Dr. Coe has received many awards including, recently, the 2024 King Charles III Coronation medal. She is known as a compelling and accomplished scholar-activist and public intellectual in Canada, especially with respect to the integration of principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion into research cultures.

Dr. John Orlowski

Dr. John Orlowski is a Distinguished James McGill Professor and former Chair (2005-2017) of the Department of Physiology. Currently, he is the co-Director of the Cell Information Systems Group within the School of Biomedical Sciences at McGill University.

Dr. Orlowski’s scientific interests have focused on understanding the complex dynamics of cellular pH homeostasis as it pertains to human health and disease. He has played a leading role in identifying new plasma membrane and organellar isoforms of the mammalian alkali cation/proton exchanger SLC9 gene family, commonly referred to as Na+/H+ exchangers.

Dr. Orlowski has served on the Board of Directors for CSMB from 2002 to 2015, including as President of the Society. He is currently on the Editorial Board of the CSMB society journal Biochemistry and Cell Biology and serves as an Associate Editor of Physiological Reviews.

In other leadership activities within the Faculty of Medicine and Heath Sciences (FMHS) at McGill, Dr. Orlowski has made significant contributions to several mentorship activities, including the development and implementation of the Telemachus Scholar Mentoring Program for faculty members. He is also the current Chair of the Post-Leadership Development Program (LDP) Mentoring Program that offers personalized coaching for emerging leaders within the FMHS.

Dr. Jan Rainey

Dr. Jan Rainey is Professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, with cross-appointments in Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry. He is also currently the Undergraduate Coordinator for his Department.

Dr. Rainey’s research contributions in the molecular biosciences span structural biology, protein engineering, physical biochemistry, and biomaterials science. His research has two major areas of focuse: (1) recombinant spider silk-based materials and (2) peptide activation of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). He made significant contributions to both areas. He recently established Dalhousie’s Biomolecular NMR Spectroscopy CORE Facility.

Dr. Rainey first became involved with CSMB Board activity as Councilor in 2010. In 2015, he hosted the CSMB Annual Meeting at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Since 2016 until 2024, Dr. Rainey served as Treasurer for CSMB. This was a period of substantial transition for the Society, and Dr. Rainey introduced several measures to ensure the financial success of CSMB. He also served as Associate Editor for Biochemistry and Cell Biology, the Society journal.

The distinction of CSMB Fellow is bestowed on a faculty member

1. who must be a current or past member of CSMB,
2. who has displayed excellent scientific accomplishments in the general area of molecular biosciences, and
3. who has demonstrated exceptional and sustained service to the CSMB Society preferentially and/or to the general molecular biosciences community in Canada.

Fellows will be honored at the CSMB annual meeting and recognized at CSMB-related events. Fellows have the privilege to add “CSMB Fellow” (FCSMB) to their signature.

The latest edition of the CSMB Bulletin is out now!

This edition was prepared by: Chris-Tiann Roberts, Ashraf Kadar Shahib, and Mojgan Rastegar, with contributors from across Canada and covers the years 2022 to 2024.
 

In English : https://www.umontreal.ca/public/www/documents/offres_emploi_profs/MED_12-24_09_ENG.pdf

En français : https://www.umontreal.ca/public/www/documents/offres_emploi_profs/MED_12-24_09_FR.pdf

 

This is a reminder of the April 15 deadline for multiple CSMB activities & programs:

1. Meeting deadlines: Abstract submission and early registration
2. CSMB Fellows Program
3. CSMB Mentorship Program

1. Meeting deadlines: Abstract submission and early registration

The deadline of early registration and abstract submission have been extended to April 15 for the 68th CSMB Annual Conference and the 4th PRinCE (Proteostasis Researchers in Canada, Eh) Biennial Conference. The meeting will take place May 26-29, 2025, in Ottawa.

We have assembled a list of renown speakers highlighting the state of protein homeostasis studies, including two IUBMB lectures by Drs. Julie Forman-Kay and Erika Holzbaur and one PABMB lecture by Dr. Marilene Hohmuth Lopes.

In addition to scientific sessions, we will have a panel discussion and updates about “Research in Canada”, with following confirmed panelists:

Allison Evans (Research Canada), Sylvain Charbonneau (CFI President and CEO) and Paul Hébert (CIHR President).

The registration is open at the following website, with the deadline for early registration (20% discount) on April 15^th, 2025.

https://event.fourwaves.com/csmb-prince-2025

Programs and other details will also be updated on the website.

We look forward to meeting you at the 2025 Annual Meeting !

The 2025 CSMB-PRinCE Organizing Committee

Jyh-Yeuan (Eric) Lee, Mireille Ouimet, Maxime Rousseaux, Gilda Stefanelli, Martin Duennwald, Walid A. Houry, Dale Martin, Maria Vera Ugalde, Hilla Weidberg

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2. CSMB Fellows Program –application deadline April 15, 2025

The CSMB is proud to announce the launch of the CSMB Fellows program. Application deadline is April 15, 2025.

The distinction of CSMB Fellow is bestowed on a faculty member

1. who must be a current or past member of CSMB,
2. who has displayed excellent scientific accomplishments in the general area of molecular biosciences, and
3. who has demonstrated exceptional and sustained service to the CSMB Society preferentially and/or to the general molecular biosciences community in Canada.

Fellows would have typically demonstrated leadership or have been involved in activities such as mentorship, outreach, advocacy for science, or the promotion of diversity and inclusion, in addition to their research activities.

Fellows will be honored at the CSMB annual meeting and recognized at CSMB-related events. Fellows have the privilege to add “CSMB Fellow” (FCSMB) to their signature.

Learn more on the CSMB Fellows webpage

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3. CSMB Mentorship Program – Application deadline April 15, 2025

We are pleased to announce the new CSMB Early Career Researcher (ECR) Mentorship Program. This Program aims to connect ECRs from institutions across Canada with an established Canadian researcher mentor.

This ECR Mentorship Program will formally cover a 1-year period; we recognize that a successful mentoring relationship may extend beyond this but would not be part of the commitment for this Program. During the time of the CSMB ECR Mentorship Program, mentors and mentees will engage to allow the mentee to obtain:

• advice about funding applications and strategy
• advice and support for mentee to engage with strategic collaborations
• support for the mentee to engage with opportunities for invited seminars and/or other opportunities for increasing the mentee’s visibility
• general advice and support for mentee to engage with professional development opportunities, including journal review/editorial positions, conference organization, grant panel membership, outreach activities, etc
• advice on navigating interpersonal matters (within mentee’s team or within institution)

More on the mentorship program webpage

Congratulations to Imogen Coe who recently won a King Charles III Coronation medal!

The Royal Canadian Institute for Science (RCIScience) awards King Charles III Coronation Medals to those whose work furthers the charity’s mission of fostering science culture in Canada, including those who:

• have made significant contributions to engaging the public and policy-makers with science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEMM) in Canada;
• are combating mis- and disinformation in STEMM; and/or
• are fostering inclusive communities within STEMM.

We invite you to read this article a great Canadian scientist whose research had an important impact

Professor Philippe Crine: a hero for children with hypophosphatasia 

Michel Chrétien, Trang Hoang, Michel Bouvier, Mieczyslaw Marcinkiewicz, Michael Whyte, Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg

Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, zjae061, https://doi.org/10.1093/jbmr/zjae061

Published: 16 April 2024

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We also invite you to read the story of the development of Asfotase Alpha, written by his colleagues, Michel Bouvier, Trang Hoang and Michel Chrétien.

 

The winners are

• CSMB New Investigator award winner: Maja Tarailo-Graovac
• Canadian Science Publishing Senior Investigator award winner: John Archibald
• Jeanne Manery-Fisher Memorial award winner: Sylvie Mader
• Arthur Wynne Gold Medal award winner: Guy Sauvageau

Click to learn more about this year’s winners

From May 6 – May 8th in 2024, the University of Manitoba will host the 67th Annual Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences (CSMB) Meeting in Winnipeg. The conference theme will be “Gene Regulation: From Cells to Systems”.

Registration is now open!

The CSMB was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Dr. Eugene Tustanoff, who was Secretary of the CSBMCB for 12 years in the 90s. + + + →