Chirag M. Vaswani
PhD
Dr. Chirag M. Vaswani is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, and Undergraduate Coordinator in the Department of Physiology at the University of Toronto. His teaching spans undergraduate and graduate education in foundational and advanced human physiology, biomedical translation, and entrepreneurship.
His teaching is centred on helping students move beyond learning physiology as a collection of facts toward understanding how physiological principles can be used to reason through complex biological and biomedical problems. Through case-based learning, application of physiological concepts, and opportunities to engage with real-world problems, he aims to foster curiosity, critical thinking, and greater confidence in navigating questions that may not have a single straightforward answer.
As Undergraduate Coordinator, Dr. Vaswani contributes to curriculum development and the academic delivery of the Department’s undergraduate physiology program, with an interest in creating connected and meaningful learning experiences across courses.
His background in biomedical research and entrepreneurship also informs his approach to teaching. His work has focused on microRNA-based therapeutics for critical illness, and he is a co-founder of NorthMiRs. He aims to bring this translational perspective into the classroom, encouraging students to consider how fundamental physiology can inform scientific discovery, therapeutic innovation, and solutions to real-world health challenges.