Fast Five: Dr. Michael Laflamme

Fast 5 features quick, personal profiles of our research team members. This week, it’s Dr. Michael Laflamme, Senior Scientist at the McEwen Stem Cell Institute at the University Health Network.

1. What are you reading for pleasure right now?
I’m kind of a history nerd, so I am currently reading Alaric the Goth by Douglas Boin, and The Boundless Sea: A Human History of the Oceans by David Abulafia.

2. What is the most worthwhile non-monetary investment you’ve made?
Spending time with family and friends.

3. What advice would you give your younger self?
Ask more questions!

4. What prompted you to get into regenerative medicine?
As a clinician-scientist, I was acutely aware of the need to develop new approaches for chronic diseases. Plus, I was hooked on regenerative medicine the very first time that I saw heart muscle cells derived from stem cells beating in the dish!

5. If you could buy one new toy for the lab right now – if money was not an issue – what would you get and why?
We’re doing a lot of gene-editing in the lab these days, and that work would be easier with a digital droplet PCR machine.