McMaster University Awards Honorary Degree to U of T Biomedical Engineer Paul Santerre

Dr. Paul Santerre, a professor at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) at the University of Toronto, has received an honourary degree from McMaster University, recognizing his longstanding contributions to biomaterials science and health innovation.

Dr. Santerre completed his PhD in 1990 at McMaster’s Faculty of Engineering, where he specialized in the design of biomaterials for blood-contacting systems. Since then, he has worked at the intersection of materials science, biomedical engineering, and entrepreneurship, contributing to the development of medical technologies and the growth of health innovation ecosystems in Canada and abroad.

Prior to joining the University of Toronto in 1993, Santerre was the lead materials engineer for the artificial heart program at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. At U of T, he has held several leadership roles, including Associate Dean of Research in the Faculty of Dentistry (2003–2008) and Director of the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (2008–2013). He currently serves as co-founder and director of the Health Innovation Hub (H2i), a co-curricular program supporting student-led entrepreneurship in the health sciences.

Dr. Santerre’s research focuses on understanding how polymeric biomaterials interact with biological environments, particularly their degradation behaviour in the body. His work aims to improve the safety and performance of implants, tissue scaffolds, and drug-device combinations. To date, he has published over 140 peer-reviewed journal articles and delivered more than 325 conference presentations and abstracts.

The development of synthetic materials for health care is a growing field, particularly with advancements in tissue regeneration and drug-device integration. Dr. Santerre has been a key contributor in this area, holding more than 59 patents and founding multiple health technology ventures, including Interface Biologics Inc., a U of T spin-off company focused on catheter and drug-polymer coating technologies.

His academic and translational contributions have been recognized by several national and international honours. He is an International Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering, a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2009), and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2011). He received the Julia Levy Award in 2010 from the Canadian Society for Chemical Industry for translating research into products, and the NSERC Synergy Award in 2012 for excellence in university-industry research collaboration.

At U of T, Santerre has trained over 80 graduate students and secured over $61 million in research funding. Under his direction, the Health Innovation Hub has supported over 750 health-focused startups that have collectively raised more than $520 million in investment.

In addition to his academic work, Santerre serves as Chair of the Health Entrepreneurship Pillar for the African Higher Education Health Collaborative, supported by the Mastercard Foundation, helping to strengthen innovation infrastructure in African universities.