Meet Deena Al-Sammak
Deena Al-Sammak, CEO & Founder, HarmonEase Innovations Inc.
Deena is working towards a Honors Bachelor of Health Sciences, with a specialization in Health, Engineering, Science & Entrepreneurship from McMaster University (2025).
Deena’s biggest hobby: “Piano performances. Initially she didn't love piano lessons, but as she grew older and embraced her cultural and religious heritage, she saw it as a manifestation of her identity. Piano became the medium through which she could merge her engineering skills, passion for healthcare, and entrepreneurial aspirations. Through her startup, HarmonEase Innovations, she aims to make music performance more accessible for individuals with limited hand mobility, blending her diverse interests into a single pursuit.”
A fun fact about Deena is the unexpected nature of her journey into healthcare innovation. Originally planning to pursue kinesiology, she was convinced by her brother to apply for McMaster's iBioMed program, a decision that ultimately changed her life. Now, as a full-time student and entrepreneur, she embraces the interdisciplinary nature of her work, proud to create solutions that reflect her passions and beliefs.
When did your love of STEM begin?
Growing up in a Middle Eastern household, I was always encouraged to take up a career in STEM. In elementary school, I always made my best effort to excel in science and math. Looking back, I realize that it wasn't then that I discovered my passion for STEM. My passion for STEM began in grade 11 when I began the International Baccalaureate program. It was when I was faced with real challenges in math and the sciences that I discovered how much I enjoy problem-solving in this field. Part of the IB program was to design and conduct research studies pertaining to each of the courses that I took. This was a truly unique and rewarding experience to dive into at the secondary school level. Yet even then, my love for STEM wasn't as strong as it is now.
Being in McMaster's iBioMed program, specializing in Health, Engineering, Science and Entrepreneurship, I have had countless opportunities to explore areas of interest and propose innovative solutions to real-world problems. In my first year of undergrad, I worked with a team to redesign an ostomy appliance for a patient with rheumatoid arthritis later worked on projects such as designing a hip implant for an individual with osteolysis. In that same year, I worked with a team to propose a novel therapeutic method to treat osteoporosis via mechanotransduction cellular pathways and MRI-induced magnetic fields. For the duration of a year, I worked with a team to investigate the opportunity to develop an early-stage diagnosis for a rapidly progressive and invariably fatal neurodegenerative disease (Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease-CJD) via PET scanning and an AI algorithm model. Later in my second year of undergrad, I worked with a team to propose an at-home testing method for expecting mothers to detect preeclampsia using principles of synthetic biology.
Being a student and entrepreneur in STEM is challenging. Yet it is extremely rewarding. It was definitely the moments when I saw the application of my work in action that led me to fall in love with this space!
What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?
There is nothing more rewarding than being able to use the (what seems to be) very theoretical knowledge learned within the classroom setting and apply it to design, innovate and create within the real world. The past few years have provided me with a vast range of opportunities to apply my knowledge and create something innovative for the healthcare world. There is something truly rewarding about understanding how the world around us works on a fundamental level and applying that knowledge to make a difference in the lives of those within my community!
What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?
Don't overthink it, just do it! STEM is a career space with so much to explore, so much to learn and it's filled with so many opportunities to take advantage of! I never thought I would become an engineer inventing new products and services for the healthcare system. Yes, I never thought I was cut out for engineering and innovation. I always wondered what it would be like to invent a product for the benefit of others but I never imagined that it could be me that makes such a difference! Here I am years later learning that when there's a will, there's a way and making an impact is not far out of reach at all! It just takes a great load of determination and resilience!