Joseph Ferenbok, PhD

Dr. Joseph Ferenbok is an Associate Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto. He is the founder of the Translational Research Program (TRP), a graduate program that equips students with creative problem-solving and innovation skills to translate research into meaningful health impact, and co-founder of the Health Innovation Hub (H2i), the Temerty Faculty of Medicine's startup accelerator supporting the translation, innovation, and commercialization of health-related discoveries.

Dr. Ferenbok has worked extensively as a mentor, coach, and educator with founders and trainees across Africa, including Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Nigeria. He has delivered founder training workshops for four cohorts participating in the African Innovation Challenge and continues to support entrepreneurs as they grow and scale their ventures.

His work focuses on bringing diverse perspectives together to solve complex healthcare challenges. Through collaborative problem-solving, knowledge mobilization, and human-centred design, he seeks to improve the development and implementation of interventions ranging from diagnostics and therapeutics to clinical procedures and behavioural health initiatives. He is particularly interested in challenging conventional assumptions and approaching problems from new perspectives to unlock opportunities for innovation and impact.