Molecular genetics intern program draws, retains students from China

The molecular genetics department at U of T is attracting high-performing Chinese students for summer internships — and holding on to about half of them for subsequent graduate work.

“At the end of my third undergraduate year, I wanted to go abroad and have a look at what it would be like in foreign countries, both culturally and academically. The summer internship program with U of T provided a perfect chance,” said Chitong Rao, who did his undergraduate at Peking University and is now a PhD student in molecular genetics. “And, after all, U of T is a world-class university.”

The program that brought Rao to Toronto is the result of an initiative of U of T’s molecular genetics department, the Donnelly Centre and the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute to partner with several of the top universities and research institutes in China — but it’s just one of many research and education partnerships U of T has forged with universities in the region, including Peking University, Fudan University, Tsinghua University, University of Hong Kong and others. 

President Meric Gertler, currently in Beijing and Hong Kong to meet with alumni, senior government officials and his counterparts at leading universities, has said the University’s ties with partners in China – from the region’s distinguished U of T graduates to the prestigious academic institutions that collaborate with U of T on research and education – are vital.

"U of T’s roots in the Asia-Pacific region span more than one hundred years of collaboration, exchange and achievement,” said Gertler. “Since the 19th century, our outstanding students from the Asia-Pacific region have benefited from a U of T education and the University has in turn been inspired and enriched by our extraordinary Asia-Pacific scholars, partners, collaborators, alumni and friends.”

Many of today's partnerships host students and faculty traveling between Canada and China for opportunities ranging from short weeks-long study trips to entire adjunct professorships and jointly-supervised degrees (read more about such partnerships). However, the summer internship is notable for its record of lasting connections: to date it has brought about half of the 46 summer students back to U of T for graduate work, where they more fully engage with Toronto and the university community.

“The internship left me with a good impression of this friendly city,” said Rao, who gleaned detailed knowledge and techniques during hands-on lab work with one of the molecular genetics department’s professors at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital. “At first I was quite worried about the project progress and the impression I made on people in the lab. But another graduate student comforted and encouraged me, reminding me that people in the lab were kind and friendly and wanted me to have a good experience there.”

“The overall experience of full-time intensive research study was quite helpful for me when I went back [to China] to do my undergraduate thesis project and even for my graduate study now,” said Rao. He plans to stay in Canada following his degree, “at least for the short-term.”

“Everyone overseas has heard about Harvard and Stanford and Yale, but U of T and Canada are less on their radar,” said Dr. Howard Lipshitz (pictured left, with a student intern) , chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics at U of T. “When they come here and see how good we are and how welcoming Toronto is as a city — with half the population born outside of Canada — they are interested in coming back. As the 50 per cent number indicates, we’ve competed successfully with top US institutions in that regard.”

And holding on to students like Rao is a boon to the university as well as the visiting students.

“They’re outstanding students. They have a drive and curiosity and a true interest in scholarship,” said Lipshitz, describing the molecular genetics interns. “The program and larger spread of collaborations between U of T and top Chinese universities brings the department research and educational partnerships with top institutions, top researchers and top students. It’s of mutual benefit to everyone.”

He added that the leadership of U of T’s partners at Chinese institutions has been very supportive of their students coming to Canada for graduate studies.

“They’re in favour of their students going abroad and getting further education at outstanding universities. This is a change from 20 years ago or so. I think now they are confident that most of these students will return to China as professors down the road.”

For now, though, Rao says “the environment on campus and in Toronto, also the life style here, will satisfy” as he continues to pursue his research.

“I feel it is so cool and exciting to make convincing discoveries by myself on basic questions about our nature, taking advantage of most cutting-edge techniques.”