Luke Ng

Design, drones and drumming: �鶹��Ƶ hosts 26th annual Bring Our Children to Work Day

noreen.rasbach — Fri, 03 May 2019 17:24:54 +0000

Design, drones and drumming: �鶹��Ƶ hosts 26th annual Bring Our Children to Work Day

noreen.rasbach Fri, 05/03/2019 - 13:24

Cutline

Professor Edward Banning of the department of anthropology exhibits a series of Jordanian pottery and stone tools from the Bronze Age to the Neolithic period (photo by Luke Ng).

Luke Ng

Topic

City & Culture

Anthropology

Faculty & Staff

Faculty of Arts & Science

Human Resources & Equity

Faculty, librarians and staff collectively brought more than 450 kids to the University of Toronto’s 26^th annual Bring Our Children to Work Day on Thursday.

The event welcomed those who work at �鶹��Ƶ to bring children in Grades 4 to 7 to learn about their careers and participate in a day of activities hosted by departments across all three campuses.

Professor Heather Boon, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice-provost of faculty and academic life, kicked off this year’s events on the downtown Toronto campus with a special message directed at the younger participants.

“The University of Toronto is your home too,” said Boon. “Every day, your parent or other important person comes to work at �鶹��Ƶ. Because you share your family with us, that means you are a part of our family too.”

Boon’s welcome remarks were followed by a talk from Professor Marcel Danesi. The expert on semiotics and linguistic anthropology gave a captivating address about riddles. The talk provided examples from childhood literature, and what they tell us about language, the mind and the origin of human cultures.

After the talk, Camp �鶹��Ƶ staff led participants to one of their pre-selected tours and activities in one of 16 departments.

For Jennifer Sheehan, the opportunity to bring her child to experience �鶹��Ƶ for a day meant a lot for both of them.

“[My son] has always been curious about where I work and the campus in general so this is a great opportunity to bring him down here with me,” said Sheehan, a LAN administrator for the Information Commons in Robarts Library. “We live in Whitby so we don’t get to spend a lot of time here. I’m glad that �鶹��Ƶ does this because it shows that they really care about faculty and staff.”

One of the activities this year included “Drones in the City.” This exercise, facilitated by the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, explored the disruptive technology’s potential and how city designs might respond to this budding element. This demonstration also served as a preview into some of the faculty’s new summer programs, which will include a more in-depth look at how drone technology might affect design.

“I don’t work for this faculty [Daniels] but my child is interested in architecture, so this is a really cool thing for him to be able to experience,” added Sheehan.

�鶹��Ƶ Scarborough Elder Wendy Phillips (right) and Juanita Muise, Indigenous engagement co-ordinator (left), led a sharing circle with participants. The children in attendance also took part in a drumming activity after the session (photo by Tina Adamopoulos).

This year’s Bring Our Children to Work Day also served as an opportunity to travel down memory lane for another member of the �鶹��Ƶ community. Tricia Kenderdine, manager of communications projects in the Division of Student Life, got her kids to agree to sign up for a tour that was tied to her own history with the university.

“I studied archeology at �鶹��Ƶ,” said Kenderdine, who took her children on a tour in the department of anthropology where Professor Edward Banning exhibited a series of Jordanian pottery and stone tools from the Bronze Age to the Neolithic period. “I had classes with Professor Banning so I thought it would be interesting for them to see what I studied when I was a student here.”

Over at �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough, faculty, staff and children spent their day participating in activities that included making slime and bath bombs in chemistry sessions, taking part in a sharing circle on Indigenous ways of being, and interactive presentations on safety and culture. At lunch, participants were treated to a cold treat as they watched liquid nitrogen being used to make ice cream.

�鶹��Ƶ Mississauga’s Marc Johnson, an associate professor of biology, took kids on a trek along the UTM Trail to discover local wildlife and nature (photo by Blake Eligh).

And at the opposite end of the city, participants at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga trekked along the UTM Trail to search for wildlife with Associate Professor Marc Johnson and students from the department of biology.

Attendees were also treated to activities in the department of geography with Assistant Professor Trevor Porter and laboratory technician Philip Rudz where they examined a fallen pine tree in the forest, counted its rings and took several core samples to learn more about the tree.

Lunch activities included a virtual fire-extinguishing exercise where participating children got a chance to use the same digital training equipment used by campus fire marshals to put out computer-simulated flames.

In the afternoon, kids got their hearts pumping with leadership games organized by assistant camp directors Sarah Tracz and Graham Childs of Camp �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga.

“Our goal is to encourage the kids to think about their health and wellness with activities to support a healthy lifestyle,” says Cameron Walker, community outreach officer for the Recreation Athletics & Wellness Centre.

The annual tri-campus �鶹��Ƶ Bring Our Children to Work Day is hosted by �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga and �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough, and in partnership with the Office of the Vice-President, Human Resources & Equity, the Office of the Vice-President & Provost, Family Programs & Services, the Organizational Development & Learning Centre and Camp �鶹��Ƶ.

With files from Alexa Battler, Maeve Doyle and Blake Eligh

�鶹��Ƶ named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for 2019

noreen.rasbach — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 17:03:41 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for 2019

noreen.rasbach Tue, 04/16/2019 - 13:03

Cutline

The Environmental Science and Chemistry Building at �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough has been recognized for its innovative, sustainable design (photo by Ken Jones)

Luke Ng

Topic

Our Community

Ontario Impact

Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Environment

Human Resources & Equity

Sustainability

�鶹��Ƶ Mississauga

�鶹��Ƶ Scarborough

The University of Toronto has been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers in 2019 for the sixth consecutive year.

This designation, issued by editors of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project at Mediacorp Canada Inc., recognizes employers who are leaders in developing exceptional sustainability initiatives and creating a culture of environmental awareness in their organizations.

For the 2019 competition, Mediacorp highlighted �鶹��Ƶ’s many ongoing efforts to eliminate unnecessary waste, such as the ban of plastic water bottles on its campuses that led to the installation and mapping of new water filling stations in a number of its buildings. The editors also noted the suite of engagement programs – like Green Res, Green Courses and Green Ribbon Awards – to enable and recognize those championing sustainability in student housing, the classroom and daily activities on campus.

In addition, �鶹��Ƶ was also selected for incorporating sustainability and green designs into many of its new, renovated and planned buildings. These features include geoexchange heating and cooling systems, green and reflective white roofs, rooftop gardens, solar electricity generation, LED lighting systems, solar hot water heating and rainwater collection systems.

“On an average day, we have over 100,000 people on our campuses. That places us in the top 50 largest population centres in Canada – making us a city within a city. As such, we have a responsibility to advance sustainability across our campuses and community,” said Ron Saporta, �鶹��Ƶ’s chief operating officer, property services and sustainability.

“I am proud of the great work done by our staff and campus operations community that improves what we do on a daily basis to ensure we remain one of Canada’s Greenest Employers.”

�鶹��Ƶ recently completed major projects aimed at reducing current and future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its three campuses. These projects, worth over $50 million in investment and more than 8,500 tonnes in GHG emission reductions, range from new rooftop solar systems to ground source heat pumps. Looking ahead, the university will be updating new building-performance design standards, implementing energy efficiency and GHG reduction measures in existing buildings and expanding programs around waste and water savings opportunities.

“One of our key commitments is to reduce our carbon footprint to meet the challenge of climate change,” said Saporta. “We will work collaboratively with our dedicated and sustainability-driven staff, students, and faculty to achieve this goal.”

�鶹��Ƶ is planning a wood tower and has installed green building features within the past year across all three campuses:

The Environmental Science and Chemistry Building at �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough has been recognized for its innovative sustainable design and was awarded the 2018 Institutional Award by the Canada Green Building Council.
The Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship, on �鶹��Ƶ’s downtown Toronto campus, opened in 2018 and boasts some of the most sustainable design strategies to maximize energy efficiency, making it one of the most energy-efficient buildings on campus. Highlights include rooftop photovoltaic cells and a series of skylights will reduce dependence on artificial lighting.
The North Building Phase B at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga opened last summer. Over 80 per cent of the waste from the demolition of the old building was recycled or reused. The building is extremely water-efficient, using 88 per cent less potable water than a conventional building, and also features a rainwater reuse system, which is used for irrigation and toilet flushing.

�鶹��Ƶ places second in Forbes magazine's 2019 list of Canada’s Best Employers

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 15:15:53 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ places second in Forbes magazine's 2019 list of Canada’s Best Employers

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 02/01/2019 - 10:15

Cutline

(photo by Ken Jones)

Topic

Human Resources & Equity

The University of Toronto has been named one of the top two places to work in Canada, according to Forbes magazine.

The global media company’s annual list of Canada’s Best Employers saw �鶹��Ƶ move up 61 spots to second place, nipping at the heels of Google’s number one position.

“We make a lifetime investment in people,” Professor Kelly Hannah-Moffat, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice-president of human resources and equity, said in an interview with Forbes.

“We have 20,000 employees and a two per cent turnover rate, which, at other higher education institutes, is around seven per cent.”

�鶹��Ƶ attracts, retains and engages its workforce through a number of intentionally inclusive, diverse and equitable initiatives that support employees over various life and career stages.

For example, the university provides family support to its employees through generous parental leave and child care benefits, as well as tuition waivers for employees and dependents. Flexible work, phased retirement and a defined benefit pension plan are also available for many faculty, librarians and staff. A True Blue Recognition Platform provides an online space that houses 14 annual awards that make up �鶹��Ƶ’s formal recognition strategy. It also allows colleagues to informally recognize each other for small victories and day-to-day accomplishments.

“The number of faculty and staff who have been here for decades is phenomenal, and their commitment to the institution is equally impressive,” said Hannah-Moffat. “People can move around and do a range of jobs throughout their careers.”

The university continues to work on a range of inclusion initiatives that retain diverse talent and place a high priority on achieving employment equity. �鶹��Ƶ recently demonstrated progress in increasing representation among faculty and staff who self-identify as women, racialized / persons of colour, and LGBTQ.

It also continues to focus on areas where there are employment gaps, such as among persons of Indigenous and Black backgrounds. Some of these initiatives include significant budget allocations to hire faculty and staff from these underrepresented communities, and Indigenous Mentoring Day, a bi-annual event that offers job-seekers a unique opportunity to shadow a �鶹��Ƶ professional.

The Forbes list of Canada’s Best Employers surveys 8,000 Canadians working for businesses with at least 500 employees. Respondents are asked to rate how likely they would be to recommend their employer to others, and to nominate organizations other than their own. The final list ranks the 300 employers that receive the most recommendations.

Read the story in Forbes magazine

Indigenous Mentoring Day: �鶹��Ƶ to host unique job-shadowing event

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 14:44:34 +0000

Indigenous Mentoring Day: �鶹��Ƶ to host unique job-shadowing event

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 01/25/2019 - 09:44

Cutline

The �鶹��Ƶ initiative matches prospective employees with experienced professionals across the university's three campuses (photo by Jon Horvatin)

Luke Ng

Topic

Our Community

Employment Equity

Human Resources & Equity

Indigenous

The University of Toronto will be hosting Indigenous Mentoring Day – an experiential learning opportunity for job-seeking individuals who identify as Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America.

The �鶹��Ƶ initiative, to be held Feb. 21, matches prospective employees with experienced professionals across the institution’s three campuses to provide candidates with unique insights about working and building a career at the university.

“The principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and their fundamental relationship to excellence are at the heart of the mission and values of this university,” said Professor Kelly Hannah-Moffat, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice-president of human resources and equity.

“As a leading employer in Canada, we embrace the opportunity to engage with Indigenous communities to continue building an inclusive workforce where all members flourish.”

In its latest Employment Equity Report, �鶹��Ƶ published new data that shed light on the diverse makeup of staff, faculty and librarians. The 2017-2018 report identified areas where the university made progress, such as increases in representation among faculty and staff who self-identify as women, racialized / persons of colour, and LGBTQ. The report also highlighted opportunities for improving employment gaps, particularly among Indigenous groups, and other inclusion initiatives to ensure positive employment experiences.

“Developing meaningful opportunities for Indigenous community outreach strengthens our path towards reconciliation,” said Erin Jackson, �鶹��Ƶ’s chief human resources officer.

“We are committed to advancing employment equity in all employee groups and positions, and we will continue to develop recruitment and succession plans to close the remaining gaps.”

Indigenous Mentoring Day adds to �鶹��Ƶ’s collective efforts toward reconciliation. In its 2017-2018 Budget Report, �鶹��Ƶ allocated $2.5 million to support the hiring of 20 faculty and 20 staff from Indigenous backgrounds. The university also allocated an additional $1 million per year for three years to fund post-doctoral fellowships for individuals from underrepresented groups to increase the pool of Indigenous and Black scholars.

Members of the public who identify as Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America are encouraged to register for this event. Mentees should have successfully completed, or be near completion of, their post-secondary studies, or possess an equivalent combination of education and experience. All mentees will be entered into �鶹��Ƶ’s talent pool and, as applicable, considered for future career opportunities at the university.

�鶹��Ƶ continues to be recognized as a top employer in Canada

noreen.rasbach — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 17:08:04 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ continues to be recognized as a top employer in Canada

noreen.rasbach Tue, 12/18/2018 - 12:08

Topic

Human Resources & Equity

Indigenous

The University of Toronto has been recognized again as a top employer in Canada and among the best in the Toronto area.

The 2019 competition results for Canada’s Top 100 Employers, Greater Toronto’s Top Employers and Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 acknowledge �鶹��Ƶ’s continued leadership in a number of employment practices. This is the 12^th consecutive year that the university has received the award in the national category.

“We are pleased to be regarded as a top employer again,” said Kelly Hannah-Moffat, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice-president of human resources and equity. “These recognitions reaffirm our commitment to all employee experiences and to ensuring an inclusive environment that engages the University of Toronto’s talented and diverse workforce.”

Managed by Mediacorp Canada Inc., the nation’s largest publisher of employment periodicals, the competitions grade employers on criteria that range from health, financial and family benefits, to training and skills development, and community involvement. Some of the reasons for �鶹��Ƶ’s selection include its support to families through generous parental leave provisions and multiple onsite daycare options, the new True Blue platform for peer-to-peer employee recognition, contributions to employees’ defined benefit pension plan, and health benefits coverage that extends to retirees.

The University of Toronto is committed to building an intentionally inclusive and diverse work environment. In its 2017-2018 budget, �鶹��Ƶ allocated $2.5 million to support the hiring of 20 faculty and 20 staff positions of Indigenous backgrounds. Over the course of the past year, the Division of Human Resources & Equity also developed a set of hiring guidelines and requirements to encourage Indigenous applicants, and to ensure that the university attracts a diverse pool of candidates.

�鶹��Ƶ also recently allocated $1 million per year for three years to fund post-doctoral fellowships for individuals from under-represented groups to provide academic training opportunities that will in turn increase the pool of Indigenous and Black scholars for academic positions institutionally and across Canada. The university also delivers a number of diversity training workshops to staff across all three of its campuses on topics such as Indigenous cultural competency, anti-Black racism and anti-bias, accessibility, managing religious diversity in the workplace and mental health awareness.

�鶹��Ƶ also supports and encourages community involvement among its employees. The university has partnered with the United Way for more than 20 years in support of programs that address poverty and barriers to education for families and individuals. �鶹��Ƶ faculty and staff also participate in Bring Our Children to Work Day and the CIBC Run for the Cure each year.

“These competition results continue to underscore the University of Toronto’s position as an employer of choice,” said Erin Jackson, �鶹��Ƶ’s chief human resources officer. “We place a high priority on delivering innovative and equitable employment practices that attract, recognize and retain talented people that make �鶹��Ƶ the best university in Canada.”

The University of Toronto employs more than 20,000 appointed and casual faculty and staff across its three campuses in the Greater Toronto Area.

Two �鶹��Ƶ researchers to receive Governor General’s Innovation Award

noreen.rasbach — Mon, 14 May 2018 04:00:00 +0000

Two �鶹��Ƶ researchers to receive Governor General’s Innovation Award

noreen.rasbach Mon, 05/14/2018 - 00:00

Cutline

Professor Tom Chau, a University of Toronto pediatric rehabilitation engineer, works with two graduate students to develop a brain-computer interface for children (photo by Neil Ta)

Jennifer Robinson

Luke Ng

Topic

Our Community

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Medicine

Health Innovation Hub

Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

Research & Innovation

Subheadline

Two University of Toronto professors, renowned in their respective fields of pediatric rehabilitation engineering and the early detection of globally dangerous infectious diseases, are the recipients of the 2018 Governor General’s Innovation Award.

“It’s exciting that innovations in the field of childhood disability are being recognized by the Governor General as important to Canada’s success and future,” said winner Tom Chau, a professor in the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering and vice-president of research at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital whose research and inventions are helping non-verbal young people overcome communication obstacles.

“Indeed, this award affirms our vision of no boundaries for children and youth living with disabilities and their families, and the value of their voices in Canadian society,” he said.

Chau and his fellow �鶹��Ƶ recipient, Dr. Kamran Khan, an associate professor with the Faculty of Medicine and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital, will receive their awards at a ceremony with Gov. Gen. Julie Payette on May 23 in Ottawa.

“The University of Toronto congratulates Tom Chau and Kamran Khan on winning the prestigious Governor General’s Innovation Award,” said Vivek Goel, the university’s vice-president of research and innovation.

“Their exceptional research and creativity in tackling major global problems are great examples of how our innovators can – and are – having a positive impact on the lives of people around the world. We’d also like to thank MaRS Discovery District for nominating our two winners.”

Yung Wu, CEO of MaRS Discovery District, added: “MaRS is honoured to play a role in highlighting and celebrating Canada’s most talented and creative innovators. These awards provide an important platform for recognizing their outstanding contributions to Canada and the world.”

This is the second year in a row a �鶹��Ƶ researcher has received the Governor General’s Innovation Award. In 2017, IBBME Professor Paul Santerre was recognized for his contributions to biomaterials research that improves the safety and effectiveness of medical devices, and for sharing his commercialization expertise with students through �鶹��Ƶ’s Health Innovation Hub (H2i).

And, in 2017, �鶹��Ƶ was ranked by Reuters Top 100 as the most innovative university in Canada for its contributions to advancing science, inventing new technologies, and powering new markets and industries.

Chau leads a world-renowned research group that has published more than 190 journal articles and holds more than a dozen patents. He has also supervised more than 250 undergraduate and graduate students.

Working with a multidisciplinary team, Chau has examined how hemodynamic signal features and facial thermography can be employed in emerging methods of electrical engineering and machine learning. The result is a range of personalized, life-changing assistive technologies that give voice to the voiceless. From virtual musical instruments and vocal cord transmitters to an ultrasonic brain-computer interface, these innovations have had a profound impact on families, caregivers and health-care providers by boldly reimagining the way we communicate.

Recently, his team won the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Cross (Civil Division) for their development of the Virtual Music Instrument, a device that helps individuals with complex medical problems express themselves and experience the benefits of music therapy.

For Khan, the worldwide health, economic and social impacts of the SARS epidemic in 2003 inspired him to develop a global early warning system for dangerous infectious diseases. He spent the next decade working to create a big data platform to drive scientific research on outbreaks and pandemics and founded BlueDot in 2013 to accelerate that goal.

Using geographic information systems, natural language processing and artificial intelligence, the multidisciplinary team at BlueDot has been able to predict the worldwide spread of influenza, and track the spread of recent outbreaks, including Ebola and the Zika virus.

With files from Sasha Babakhanova

�鶹��Ƶ researchers uncover mechanism of scar-free wound healing in fruit fly embryos

noreen.rasbach — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 16:40:04 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ researchers uncover mechanism of scar-free wound healing in fruit fly embryos

noreen.rasbach Mon, 04/23/2018 - 12:40

Cutline

Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez and PhD student Teresa Zulueta-Coarasa led a study that has shed new light on how wounds repair without scars in fruit fly embryos. Their work could advance the way we treat wounds in humans (photo by Luke Ng)

Luke Ng

Topic

Our Community

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Graduate Students

Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

Research & Innovation

Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research

Stitches help deep cuts heal, but can leave a scar. Now, a new study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Toronto may help scientists and medical professionals move toward scar-free wound repair.

Their paper, published in Nature Physics on Monday, describes the process by which two proteins generate physical forces to drive repair at the cellular level in fruit fly embryos, and how they result in wound healing that leaves no scars.

“Fruit flies are more like us, in some ways, than people think,” said Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez, an associate professor at �鶹��Ƶ’s Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME), the Canada Research Chair in Quantitative Cell Biology & Morphogenesis, and the supervising researcher behind this study.

“There are many human genes that have a counterpart in these insects that we can study. This is amazing because, in fruit fly embryos, we can observe how cells behave in real time inside a living organism, which is not something we can do – ethically or practically – in humans.”

In their study, the team looked at two proteins found in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) embryos that accumulate at wound margins. Using a combination of experimental, quantitative microscopy techniques and mathematical modelling, they were able to observe and record how two proteins – actin and myosin – distribute in a non-uniform fashion to induce contractile forces at wound edges.

They were also able to see how the non-uniform distribution of these proteins generated and transmitted mechanical signals that helped the cells around the wound communicate with each other and co-ordinate their movements to drive efficient healing.

The research team looked at two proteins found in fruit fly embryos and how they helped cells around wounds drive efficient healing (photo by Luke Ng)

“This study has changed our understanding of embryonic wound healing, demonstrating that the actomyosin protein network around the wound is not uniformly distributed but rather a dynamic structure,” said Teresa Zulueta-Coarasa, a PhD student in Fernandez-Gonzalez’s group and the first author of this study. “Our work may shed light into why applying certain patterns of physical forces to wounds facilitates healing.”

Read the research in Nature Physics

Their results could also enhance efforts to reduce certain occurrences of heart failure. In cases where a person experiences a heart attack, the resulting scar tissue from the natural repair process can stiffen and reduce the capacity of the heart to pump blood.

“Our understanding of how wounds can repair without scarring in fruit fly embryos could lead to the development of interventions that prevent scarring and subsequent chances of heart failure,” said Fernandez-Gonzalez, who is also a principal investigator in the translational biology and engineering program, �鶹��Ƶ’s component of the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research.

The research was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation, the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research TBEP Seed Program, and the Canada First Research Excellence Fund - University of Toronto Medicine by Design.

Purple Day: Meet �鶹��Ƶ students researching new ways to understand epilepsy

noreen.rasbach — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 15:13:10 +0000

Purple Day: Meet �鶹��Ƶ students researching new ways to understand epilepsy

noreen.rasbach Mon, 03/26/2018 - 11:13

Cutline

From left, biomedical engineering PhD students Chaim Katz, Kramay Patel and Sara Mahallati are members of Dr. Taufik A. Valiante’s Neuron to Brain lab at the Toronto Western Hospital (photo by Luke Ng)

Luke Ng

Topic

Global Lens

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

Research & Innovation

Each day in Canada, an average of 42 people learn that they have epilepsy. The majority of new patients are young children and senior citizens.

The cause of this neurological disorder is unknown for more than half of identified cases. Long-term drug therapy is the predominant form of treatment, but does not provide a cure and can have undesirable side effects, from nausea to severe liver complications.

In recognition of Purple Day, an international grassroots effort to increase awareness about epilepsy around the world, several University of Toronto students in the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) share their research efforts to develop better treatments and improve the quality of life for individuals facing the neurological disease.

Azin Ebrahim Amini

Azin Ebrahim Amini, a master's of applied science candidate, is working with Dr. Peter Carlen, a neurologist at the Toronto Western Hospital and senior scientist at the Krembil Research Institute, to examine a known contributor of epileptic seizures in the brain. Carlen is also a professor in the department of medicine and IBBME.

“I am investigating the role of potassium concentration and how it starts and maintains seizures in the largest part of the brain,” said Ebrahim Amini.

One of her research techniques involves the use of a novel experimental platform that allows her to record neural activity and potassium concentrations simultaneously from the same location in the brain.

Her methodology combines the use of specifically manufactured electrodes to view potassium distribution over the neocortex and the exposure of green light on genetically modified glial cells, a support cell found in the nervous system. The light causes the cells to open membrane channels to take in potassium and thereby reduce its concentration in the brain. This action could have major effects on several brain processes, including epilepsy.

“My project attempts to add insight into the understanding of potassium distribution over large areas in the brain,” said Ebrahim Amini. “I hope that my research will contribute to how we might control its concentration, leading to more effective approaches and medications for epilepsy.”

Vasily Grigorovsky (left) uses computer models to investigate neurological mechanisms behind epileptic seizures. Led by Professor Berj Bardakjian (second from right) and working closely with graduate students Vanessa Breton (second from left) and Helena Liu (right), this team is attempting to identify better treatment options for patients with epilepsy (photo by Luke Ng)

Vasily Grigorovsky

Vasily Grigorovsky, a PhD candidate, studies the neurological mechanisms that determine the duration and termination of epileptic seizures.

“Understanding how long a seizure lasts and when it stops can help us identify targets for prevention and treatment of certain types of epilepsy that might not respond well to current drugs,” said Grigorovsky, a PhD student in Professor Berj Bardakjian’s Neural Systems Lab.

To do this, he is building computer models that investigate the interactions between neurons and glial cells.

“Recent studies have shown that the behaviour of different types of glial cells could play a key role in various brain disorders,” said Grigorovsky. “However, the precise impact they might have still needs to be investigated.”

Grigorovsky considers the opportunity to research in this area to be “full of unique and interesting challenges.”

“My journey towards solving these challenges has proven to be a rewarding experience and I hope to make a meaningful contribution to the understanding of epilepsy.”

Chaim Katz is looking at ways to advance treatment techniques to improve memory performance in individuals with epilepsy (photo by Luke Ng)

Chaim Katz

Chaim Katz, a PhD candidate, is researching ways to address memory loss in individuals with epilepsy. He works closely with doctors, technicians and patients to gather data on a treatment known as deep brain stimulation (DBS), a process by which electrical pulses are delivered to the brain to regulate activity. DBS also holds potential for decreasing the frequency of seizures and advancing therapy to improve memory, which is another area of focus for their lab.

“My work aims to enlighten some of the underlying mechanisms of memory in the human brain,” said Katz, who is completing his PhD under the supervision of Dr. Taufik A. Valiante, an associate professor in the department of surgery and IBBME, a Toronto Western Hospital neurosurgeon and Krembil Research Institute scientist.

“I hope that my research can utilize clinically approved stimulation devices to stop seizures, alleviate the cognitive effects of epilepsy and lend insight for memory improvement in patients with other neurodegenerative diseases.”

Katz credits the unique privilege of working with great people at the largest epilepsy monitoring unit in Canada for advancing his own research because of the direct access to clinical data and resources. “I am fortunate to work in an environment that can incorporate and benefit patients,” he said.

Katz and his colleagues’ research will soon be further enhanced by a new centre to be launched at the University Health Network (UHN). Supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ontario Research Fund, and co-directed by Valiante and IBBME Professor Milos Popovic, the $16.4-million CenteR for Advancing Neurotechnological Innovation to Application (CRANIA) will enable UHN and �鶹��Ƶ researchers to advance therapies to treat patients with diseases such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and spinal cord injury.

“I have always been taught to pursue knowledge and make the world a better place,” said Katz. “I hope that my work will help those who need it.”

She was born with heart defects. Now this �鶹��Ƶ researcher is looking for a cure

rasbachn — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 14:42:48 +0000

She was born with heart defects. Now this �鶹��Ƶ researcher is looking for a cure

rasbachn Tue, 10/31/2017 - 10:42

Cutline

Bailey Bernknopf is a graduate researcher working toward a cure for heart conditions under the supervision of Professor Craig Simmons at �鶹��Ƶ’s Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (photo by Tyler Irving)

Luke Ng

Topic

Our Community

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research

Bailey Bernknopf was born with four congenital heart defects.

She had her first surgery at five months old, followed by another at age 14 that had left doctors wondering if she would survive the night.

Today, at age 22, she is a cardiac disease researcher at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) and an ambassador for the Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSF).

“My second surgery lasted more than 13 hours. I had lost an extensive amount of blood and my recovery was slow,” said Bernknopf. “I became an advocate for heart disease research about a year after my recovery. I wanted to turn the challenges I endured into something positive for myself and others facing similar circumstances.”

Bernknopf is one of 88 new graduate students joining IBBME this fall. The multidisciplinary research centre brings together expertise from engineering, medicine and dentistry to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges in human health.

“It was my mom who connected me to Professor Craig Simmons and his lab’s work in cardiovascular disease research,” said Bernknopf. “He was the keynote speaker at a HSF event she attended where he discussed his team’s work on engineering cardiac tissue implants for children – an area that has similarities to my own history.”

Simmons’ work inspired her to apply for an summer research position in his lab while she was still an undergraduate student at Wilfrid Laurier University. In the summer of 2016, she worked with PhD student Rachel Adams (IBBME) on a project that focused on the molecular mechanisms of aortic valve disease.

“Bailey brings a unique experience and passion to her research. She is personally aware of just how important it is to find new therapies for unmet needs, and this motivates her to find solutions that could save someone’s life,” said Adams. “She brings an optimism and positivity to the lab every day, which inspires others and makes it a pleasure to be around her.”

After graduation, Bernknopf came to a crossroads as to what to do next. She remembered her experiences at �鶹��Ƶ and decided to return to Professor Simmons’ lab to investigate the way that aortic valve disease affects men and women differently.

“The team in Professor Simmons’ lab studies molecules that shows promise in protecting against aortic valve tissue scarring,” said Bernknopf. “This is important because we know that women are more likely to have valve scarring than men, so I will be determining the molecular basis for the sex-dependent nature of aortic valve disease.”

“Also, I have a bicuspid aortic valve so I am predisposed to develop this disorder at a younger age,” she added.

“The results of Bernknopf’s work has the potential to improve our understanding of aortic valve disease, and eventually lead to more precise and effective treatments for women and men who experience it,” said Simmons, a distinguished professor who is also the scientific director of the Translational Biology & Engineering Program (TBEP), the �鶹��Ƶ component of the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research.

“I am truly inspired by Bailey’s story, her passion and her positivity that she brings to our lab and by those who share similar experiences.”

�鶹��Ƶ researchers discover how the liver prevents nanoparticles from reaching cancer cells

lavende4 — Mon, 15 Aug 2016 15:24:50 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ researchers discover how the liver prevents nanoparticles from reaching cancer cells

lavende4 Mon, 08/15/2016 - 11:24

Cutline

Microphotograph of human liver cells (Getty Images)

Luke Ng

Author legacy

Luke Ng

Topic

University Health Network

Cancer

Medical Research

The emerging field of nanomedicine holds great promise in the battle against cancer. Particles the size of protein molecules can be customized to carry tumour-targeting drugs and destroy cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

But here’s the problem: when nanoparticles are administered into the body, more than 99 per cent of them become trapped in non-targeted organs, such as the liver and spleen. These nanoparticles are not delivered to the site of action to carry out their intended function.

To solve this problem, researchers at the University of Toronto and the University Health Network have figured out how the liver and spleen trap intact nanoparticles as they move through the organ. “If you want to unlock the promise of nanoparticles, you have to understand and solve the problem of the liver,” says Dr. Ian McGilvray, a transplant surgeon at the Toronto General Hospital and scientist at the Toronto General Research Institute (TGRI).

In a recent paper in the journal Nature Materials, the researchers say that as nanoparticles move through the liver sinusoid, the flow rate slows down 1,000 times, which increases the interaction of the nanoparticles all of types of liver cells. This was a surprising finding because the current thought is that Kupffer cells, responsible for toxin breakdown in the liver, are the ones that gobbles up the particles. This study found that liver B-cells and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells are also involved and that the cell phenotype also matters.

“We know that the liver is the principle organ controlling what gets absorbed by our bodies and what gets filtered out—it governs our everyday biological functions,” says Dr. Kim Tsoi (below, with research partner Sonya MacParland), a �鶹��Ƶ orthopaedic surgery resident, and a first author of the paper, who completed her PhD in biomedical engineering with Warren Chan (IBBME). “But nanoparticle drug delivery is a newer approach and we haven’t had a clear picture of how they interact with the liver—until now.”

Tsoi and MacParland first examined both the speed and location of their engineered nanoparticles as they moved through the liver.

“This gives us a target to focus on,” says MacParland, an immunology post-doctoral fellow at �鶹��Ƶ and TGRI. “Knowing the specific cells to modify will allow us to eventually deliver more of the nanoparticles to their intended target, attacking only the pathogens or tumours, while bypassing healthy cells.”

“Many prior studies that have tried to reduce nanomaterial clearance in the liver have focused on the particle design itself,” says Chan. “But our work now gives greater insight into the biological mechanisms underpinning our experimental observations — now we hope to use our fundamental findings to help design nanoparticles that work with the body, rather than against it.”

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�鶹��Ƶ researchers discover how the liver prevents nanoparticles from reaching cancer cells