nextGen: Science Workshops from the Department of Molecular Genetics
Offered by the Department of Molecular Genetics, nextGen is designed to introduce students ages 14-18 to the field of genetics through hands-on labs, interactive lectures, and career insights. Book a workshop and bring the science of molecular genetics directly to your students.
For Educators
Access Downtown Campus Labs
Our workshops typically last between 60-90 minutes and accommodate 20-30 students at a time. We can tailor our demonstrations and experiments to align with your curriculum.
Book a Workshop
Please contact us to arrange a nextGen workshop for your students.
It's Free!
Our program is offered at no cost to schools and community groups within Toronto.
Volunteer Opportunities
Interested in Science?
We’re always seeking enthusiastic volunteers for various nextGen projects.
Flexible Commitment
The time you choose to dedicate to nextGen is completely up to you, with sessions ranging from 1 hour to a full day.
Who Are Our Volunteers?
Our volunteers include graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and staff.
Ready to spark interest in science?
Sign Up for nextGen Workshops 2025 Here!
Learn and Explore Genetics Through Videos
Would you like to learn more about genetics and genomics? Watch the webinars that students in the MHSc in Medical Genomics program made for their course in Communication of Genetic Information. You can find more webinars aimed at a specialized audience on the Medical Genomics Youtube Channel.
Have you ever wondered how scientists uncover so much about us by analyzing our genetic makeup? How do they transform a simple blood or saliva sample into a wealth of information about who we are? In this webinar, we’ll dive into the fascinating timeline of sequencing technologies, tracing their evolution from Frederick Sanger’s groundbreaking work in 1977 to the cutting-edge advancements of 2024.
This webinar aims to give you an understanding that our genetics are influenced by more than just internal factors but also external factors such as our environment, diet and lifestyle choices. You will get an introduction to genetics, a definition of epigenetics and its impact on gene regulation, different epigenetic mechanisms, examples of epigenetics is the context of both embryonic cell development and diseases and how everyday life can influence human epigenetics.
Have you ever wondered how changes to the DNA cause certain people to develop certain diseases? In this video, we use Duchenne muscular dystrophy as an example to address this question. We introduce the features and symptoms of this disorder, discuss the genetic causes, and explain how exon-skipping genetic treatments can slow progression.
Explore the revolutionary world of liquid biopsies—a simple blood test that could transform how we detect, monitor, and treat cancer. From early detection to tracking treatment progress and preventing relapses, liquid biopsies are making cancer care faster, safer, and more accessible.
Are you considering getting your genome sequenced? This video gives you an overview of a genetic test called whole genome sequencing (WGS). It will cover an introduction to genetics, some applications of WGS, the types of findings you can expect from this test, and the advantages and potential risks of WGS.
Explore how genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics come together to transform our understanding of diseases like cancer. Follow Alex’s journey as multi-omics profiling uncovers new treatment options for her Triple Negative Breast Cancer, showcasing the power of multi-omics in personalized medicine.
Would you like to learn more about an example of a rare disease and what it means for the family with a child who has a rare genetic condition? This video takes parents along a journey, which starts with learning about the basics of genetics before diving into the details of caring for a child with Williams Syndrome.
This webinar explores the world of genetic genealogy—understanding its principles, the methods used to infer genetic relationships, and most intriguingly, how genealogy is used in forensics to help solve crimes. With interactivity throughout the webinar, this video provides both educational information and entertainment.
Learn about Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (also known as HGPS or progeria), a rare genetic disease.