More than 15 companies across Canada, collectively representing over half of the country’s nanomedicine production and R&D activities, have committed to supporting paid internships focused on the industrial and translational dimensions of nanomedicine development. During these placements, trainees are paired with experienced industry mentors and gain first-hand exposure to the processes involved in advancing nanomedicines from development toward clinical application.

ICARE-Nanomed provides a structured framework to support both trainees and industry mentors throughout the internship. Placements provide opportunities to engage with key aspects of industrial development and analytical testing, including scale-up strategies, quality control, method validation, and regulatory requirements specific to nanomedicines. To broaden trainees’ experience beyond their academic research, internship projects are intentionally designed to be distinct from their MSc or PhD research projects, exposing them to new scientific questions, working environments, and approaches to product development.

ICARE-Nanomed coordinates the internship process from project development to placement. Participating companies are invited to submit internship proposals, which are then shared with the graduate student cohort. Interested trainees apply to selected opportunities and participate in an interview and matching process with the host companies, helping ensure that placements align with both the training objectives of the program and the needs of industry partners.