3rd prize: Rina Guignard, CHU de Québec Research Centre – Université Laval
Rina Guignard earned a master’s degree from INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier. In 1989, she joined the Centre de recherche en organogénèse expérimentale de l’Université Laval / LOEX, which specializes in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. She has contributed to several laboratory projects involving skin, blood vessel and cornea regeneration and brought her scientific rigour, sense of observation and analytical skills to a number of scientific papers, including 25 as a co-author. In 1993, she coordinated the clinical production of tissue to treat burn victims, enhancing the work tools, transplanted tissue, reproducibility and performance. In 2010, her efforts to implement production in quality-controlled clean rooms was remarkable, as she was able to adapt manufacturing protocols, ensure product integrity and train staff members.
Rina has supervised several fellows and trained over 300 students on best laboratory practices and basic cell culture techniques. She is also working to advance two clinical studies on regenerated skin and autologous corneal epithelium culture. Her experience has led her to make a significant contribution to the experimental development of high-quality regenerated tissue and technology transfers to support patient care.