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UHN Therapeutics

About Us

UHN Therapeutics is a dedicated translational drug discovery unit within the University Health Network (UHN), established to transform discoveries in disease biology into new therapeutic opportunities.

Built on the foundation of the Centre for Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Discovery at the Krembil Research Institute, now the Krembil Brain Institute (KBI), UHN Therapeutics serves as a centralized hub for small-molecule discovery at UHN—bridging fundamental research, clinical translation, and commercialization.

Directed by Dr. Mark Reed, the centre brings together a multidisciplinary team advancing drug discovery across diverse disease areas. The group supports the full early-stage discovery pipeline, including target identification & validation, chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, and translational strategies to advance discoveries towards clinical candidates.

With strong roots in neuroscience and oncology, UHN Therapeutics collaborates extensively across UHN, including the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and UHN Research Institutes. By identifying shared molecular mechanisms across diseases, the group enables cross-disciplinary programs that accelerate therapeutic innovation.

As part of the UHN Collaborative Centre for Drug Discovery (C2D2), alongside the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC Toronto), UHN Therapeutics contributes to a unified platform that integrates discovery science with enabling technologies and translational expertise. UHN Therapeutics was established through a $9.8 million investment from the Krembil Foundation and UHN Foundation, enabling the creation of UHN's first dedicated therapeutic discovery and commercialization unit. This funding supports the development of infrastructure, expertise, and partnerships required to advance discoveries towards clinical translation and commercialization.



Ci2i Connect Photo
UHN Therapeutics Team

Mark Reed
Mark Reed
Dr. Mark Reed (PhD) is a Scientist at UHN's KBI and Director of UHN Therapeutics. He is also the Co-Chair of the UHN Collaborative Centre for Drug Discovery (C2D2) and Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology at the University of Toronto.
Frank Lee
Frank Lee
Dr. Frank Lee (PhD) is a Scientific Associate at UHN Therapeutics, KBI. He obtained his BSc in organic chemistry at Queen's University and completed his PhD on the synthesis and study of organoboron compounds and macrocyclic peptides at the University of Toronto. At UHN Therapeutics, his work as a senior member includes managing various medicinal chemistry/drug discovery programs in neuroscience and oncology.
Ross Mancini
Ross Mancini
Dr. Ross Mancini (PhD) is a Scientific Associate at UHN Therapeutics, KBI. He obtained his BSc in organic chemistry at the University of Ottawa and completed his PhD on sugar chemistry at the University of Toronto. At UHN Therapeutics, he manages the drug discovery programs in oncology, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory disorders.
Leonardo Massignan
Leonardo Massignan
Dr. Leonardo Massignan (PhD) is a Scientific Associate at UHN Therapeutics, KBI. He obtained his BSc in pharmaceutical chemistry & technologies at the University of Milan and completed his PhD in organic chemistry at the Georg-August University of Göttingen. At UHN Therapeutics, he focuses on using small molecule inhibitors and degraders to modulate disease-relevant proteins in fibrosis and oncology.
Michael Noden
Michael Noden
Dr. Michael Noden (PhD) is a Scientific Associate at UHN Therapeutics, KBI. He obtained his BSc in biochemistry at the University of Waterloo, where he also completed his PhD on the synthesis and study of peptide antibiotics. At UHN Therapeutics he works on bioorganic chemistry and medicinal chemistry projects using chemical tools to probe/modulate biomolecular interactions.
Geoffrey Sinclair
Geoffrey Sinclair
Dr. Geoffrey Sinclair (PhD) is a Scientific Associate at UHN Therapeutics, KBI. He obtained his BSc in biochemistry at the University of Waterloo, where he also completed his PhD on the synthesis and application of organic electronic materials. At UHN Therapeutics, he works on the design and advancement of novel small molecule therapeutics.
Simran Isani
Simran Isani
Simran Isani is an Administrative Assistant to Dr. Mark Reed at UHN Therapeutics, KBI. She obtained her BSc in Psychology and Biology for Health Sciences at the University of Toronto. She supports administrative procedures, operations, and grants coordination within the group.

Collaborate with Us!

We partner with investigators, clinicians, and innovators to translate bold ideas in disease biology into tractable drug discovery programs. By combining deep biological insight with integrated therapeutic development expertise, we work collaboratively to derisk novel targets, accelerate early discovery, and enable new pathways toward patient impact. Our model is built on openness, scientific rigor, commercialization, and meaningful partnership—bringing together expertise across disciplines to advance high-quality, actionable discoveries.

How to Get Started

  • Connect with us: Reach out to therapeutics@uhn.ca about your targets.
  • Set up a meeting: We will learn more about your target, challenges, research, and goals.
  • Due diligence: We will evaluate your target to determine its drugability.
  • Collaborate: Together, we will formulate a drug discovery program tailored to your target and begin research based on your target needs.

See here for a list of our active programs and pipeline.

Events

Click here to see upcoming and past events for the UHN Collaborative Centre for Drug Discovery.

For inquiries, contact therapeutics@uhn.ca.