Message from the Director
This year, we’ve taken a new step by moving the magazine online to better reflect the dynamic, multimedia nature of our community. Over the past year, we’ve produced a range of engaging videos that showcase the outstanding work of our faculty, students, and alumni, highlighting both research excellence and vibrant extracurricular involvement.
Our students continue to impress with their multidisciplinary strengths, excelling across engineering, medicine, and beyond. This edition places special focus on the journeys of our Master of Engineering students, featured in video format for the first time.
We’re also proud to highlight the achievements of our faculty, from prestigious awards to securing competitive research grants. Their work continues to push the boundaries of biomedical innovation.
And of course, we celebrate our alumni, who are making meaningful contributions across industries and around the world.
We hope you enjoy exploring this year’s Year in Review and the many dimensions of our BME community. Thank you for being part of our journey, and here’s to another exciting year ahead.
Warm regards,
Professor Milos Popovic
Director, Institute of Biomedical Engineering
Magazine Cover
Digital, Adobe Fresco
This image illustrates a colourimetric method used to assess cell viability. Displayed are Lewis Lung Carcinoma cells following a 24-hour treatment with cisplatin, a chemotherapy agent, at increasing concentrations. The deepening violet tones reflect the gradient of cytotoxic response, a visual harmony between chemistry and cell fate, where colour becomes a measure of survival.
Artist Bio
Dinuri Punchihewa is a Master of Engineering student at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering working under the supervision of Prof. Naomi Matsuura.
Research Highlights
At BME, research drives everything we do. Located within Canada’s largest health-care research hub, our faculty and students collaborate across 14 departments at the University of Toronto, 10 partner hospitals, and 7 research institutes and commercialization centres. This unique ecosystem fosters a cross-disciplinary approach to biomedical and clinical engineering, enabling exploration across a wide range of topics.
Alumni Highlights
The success of our alumni is a testament to the transformative impact of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering. From pioneering medical technologies to leading global health initiatives, our 1,200+ graduates are making meaningful contributions across academia, industry, and clinical practice. Their journeys reflect the strength of our interdisciplinary training and the collaborative spirit of BME. Data shown are tabulated from September 2024, January 2025, and May 2025 cohorts.
Student Life at BME
Our 350+ students come from diverse academic backgrounds and bring a wide range of perspectives to the classroom and beyond. Whether they’re conducting cutting-edge research, launching startups, volunteering in the community, or leading student organizations, BME students consistently demonstrate excellence and initiative. Data shown are tabulated as first year students as of November 2025.
Toronto Biomedical Engineering Conference
On May 9, 2025, the Institute of Biomedical Engineering hosted the Toronto Biomedical Engineering Conference (ToBE) at Hart House: one of Canada’s longest-running student-led conferences in the field. Since its founding in 1985, ToBE has provided a platform for emerging researchers to share their work with a broad audience of students, faculty, clinicians, and industry professionals.
This year’s program featured keynote lectures from leading experts in cancer diagnostics, assistive neurotechnology, and immune response modeling. Workshops and panels explored topics such as biomedical commercialization and data visualization using AI. Central to the event were student-led oral and poster presentations, showcasing innovative research across molecular, cellular, and clinical themes.
ToBE 2025 concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding student contributions. The event was organized entirely by BME trainees and supported by generous sponsors, reflecting the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration and the vibrant research culture at BME.
Achievements
Excellence is a defining trait of the BME community, and each year our faculty, students, and staff continue to raise the bar. From prestigious national and international research awards to innovation prizes, teaching accolades, and leadership recognitions, the accomplishments across our institute reflect the depth of talent and dedication within BME. These achievements not only celebrate individual success but also highlight the collaborative and impactful nature of our work. In this section, we proudly showcase the honours that mark another outstanding year at BME.
