Karen Lam

Dr. Karen Lam is a Ph.D. trained medical researcher and entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in biomedical research, strategic planning, innovation, and business development. She has worked across nonprofit, healthcare, industry and academic settings. She completed her Ph.D. in Medical Genetics and post-doctoral training in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Lam has broad scientific expertise encompassing molecular biology, personalized medicine, data science, and diagnostics and therapeutics development.  

Dr. Lam is co-founder and CEO of a health tech start-up for veterinary medicine, Pawsperity Biotechnologies Inc., and holds an appointment as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UBC. She has held various leadership positions within the health and biotech community, notably as Chief Business Officer of the PROOF Centre of Excellence, a nonprofit research organization based at Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital, and as Leader of Innovation and Business Development at Vancouver Coastal Health, one of the largest health authorities in BC. In her roles, she has spearheaded the formulation, launch and execution of large-scale, multidisciplinary research and development and commercialization initiatives in human and animal health, playing pivotal roles in developing corporate and business strategies, establishing partnerships, and securing government, industry and equity funding.