The Student of the Year Award, University Co-op, has been awarded to Thomas Van der Sloot, a fourth-year Neuroscience student in UBC Science Co-op and the 2025 UBC Science Co-op Student of the Year. Thomas bridges health policy, biomedical research, and community impact through exceptional work-integrated learning.
At Satori Health Network, he worked as a Strategic Research Lead, analyzing international health systems to shape executive strategy, building a cost-effectiveness research study involving academic collaborators and provincial health data, and designing a remote patient monitoring program with substantial projected cost savings while safeguarding patient safety in a major partnership decision.
At UBC’s Cembrowski Lab, Thomas serves in a rare dual role as Lab Manager and independent Alzheimer’s researcher, managing roughly $500,000 in annual operations for a 25-person team and investigating early-stage Alzheimer's disease pathology that has led to data for upcoming manuscripts and national conference presentations.
Beyond his work terms, Thomas founded BioInnovate UBC and the Vancouver Biotechnology Innovation Foundation, a registered non-profit that has raised over $15,000 and built permanent infrastructure connecting hundreds of students with biotechnology employers through conferences, case competitions, and networking events, with a new program extending opportunities to underserved Vancouver youth.
Thomas’ achievements demonstrate the transformative power of work-integrated learning to advance healthcare, accelerate research, and create equitable pathways for future students. Congratulations, Thomas Van der Sloot!