Switching Gears

U of T PharmSci graduate student Max Regenold finds success on his bike and in the lab.

Second year pharmaceutical sciences graduate student Max Regenold clinched a gold medal for the University of Toronto Varsity Mountain Bike team earlier this month in his first competitive race.

Growing up near the Black Forest in Southwest Germany, he often spent time on the trails, but had never raced competitively.  He moved to Toronto in 2017 to begin his graduate studies at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, a transition that offered new opportunities both in and outside the lab.

“Once I settled in Toronto, I started looking into where I could bike,” said Regenold. “After a few solo rides, I came across the Varsity Mountain Bike Team at U of T and decided to drop by the information session.”

He joined the team at the beginning of September and, much to his surprise, took gold in his first-ever race a few days later.

“When you race on narrow trails, it’s difficult to determine your standing when most of the riders are out of sight,” says Regenold.  “I had it in my head that there were three riders in front of me for the majority of the race, so I pushed myself as hard as I could to catch them.  You can imagine my surprise when I passed the finish line and was the first one there. “

As part of the Allen Lab, run by Professor and Interim Dean Christine Allen,  his research work focuses on improving drug delivery using thermosensitive liposomes and high intensity focused ultrasound to treat Rhabdomyosarcoma in children -- a type of cancer that affects soft tissue, connective tissue, or bone.

“We are still in the formulation stage,” says Regenold, “but I am really looking forward to continuing this research.  Very often you find that pharmaceutic labs focus on developing formulations, characterizing them, and then the project moves to a different lab.  One of the reasons I chose to pursue my graduate studies at U of T Pharmacy is because I can be a part of the full process up to and including animal models. It’s really exciting.”

Much like toughing through a long ascent on his bike, Regenold suggests endurance is a strategy he uses in both his research and athletics. “There are obstacles and challenges coming up all the time.  It’s important to pick the smoothest line, pace yourself and go all in to overcome them.  In the end, your efforts will always pay off.”