Derrick Rancourt  is a Professor in the Departments of Oncology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Medical Genetics. He received his BSc and PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Guelph and Queens University respectively and postdoc’d in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Dr. Mario Capecchi. He is the establishing director of the University of Calgary’s Embryonic Stem Cell Facility. He recently stepped down as Graduate Coordinator of the Master of Biomedical Technology program, a course based Masters that bridges science and business.

His research lab is comprised of five research associates and five trainees, all of whom have independent research funding. Previously four postdoctoral fellows, four Ph.D. students and six M.Sc. students have also trained in his laboratory. He has published over 50 peer review articles and book chapters, is the reviewer of
numerous manuscripts and is a member of the Canadian Stem Cell Network. He was the Treasurer of the Genetics Society of Canada and sits on the NIH Genes, Genetics and Genomics Study Section. His research program is related to the derivation, expansion and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells.

Technology Commercialization Experience
Inventor of Targeting Vector Recombineering Technologies
Licensed to Aventis Pharma in partnership with University Technologies International Inc.
Co-Founder of Stem Cell Therapeutics Inc. formerly NeuroStasis Inc.
Acquired by Transition Therapeutics in 2001.
Founder and CEO TS Biotech Inc.
Inventor of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Technologies
5 independent patent applications.