Dr. Sarah McLean is a teaching scholar and Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. During her undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo, her mother was diagnosed with scleroderma which encouraged her to pursue her PhD in Physiology. She teaches students who are interested in careers in healthcare and science. One of her courses focuses on Design Thinking in Medical Sciences, which is where the idea for ScleroCare, an education resource for those living with scleroderma, was born. Her research interests include active learning, experiential learning, and community-engaged learning. Dr. McLean is the recipient of numerous teaching awards, and empowers her students to make positive change in their local communities and the world.

As a current biomedical engineering master’s student, Amel is a tech enthusiast driven by a passion to create meaningful change. She has always been particularly interested in using technology to enhance healthcare. During her time as a fourth-year medical sciences student at Western University, ScleroCare was an idea brought to life in one of Dr. McLean’s courses. Now, with the assistance of the Scleroderma Society of Ontario, she has turned that idea into a reality. The collaborative effort, fueled by both academic exploration and real-world partnerships has allowed her to dive deeper into the many ways that technology can be used for the betterment of healthcare while also making strides towards positive and impactful changes.