Posts Categorized: Stories
Discover how the Possibility Engineering and Research Lab (PEARL), led by Professor Elaine Biddiss, is advancing pediatric rehabilitation through innovative, evidence-based technologies. Leveraging gamified therapy systems like Bootle Blast to interactive platforms such as ScreenPlay and Bootle Band, PEARL’s interdisciplinary team develops tools that make rehabilitation more engaging, accessible, and personalized for children and youth with disabilities.
How do you control disease at the genetic level without changing DNA? In this research highlight, discover how Professor Omar Khan and his team at the University of Toronto are building nanotechnologies that deliver RNA directly to cells to control gene expression with precision.
Meet Dr. Lindsey Fiddes, who joined the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in January 2026 as an Assistant Professor (Teaching Stream). She brings over a decade of expertise in microfabrication, microfluidics, microscopy, and training highly qualified personnel at the University of Toronto. Dr. Fiddes develops hands‑on, research‑focused curricula that build strong practical lab skills, and her pedagogical research explores data integrity and biases in bioimaging.
In this research highlight, discover how Professor Caitlin Maikawa and her team are engineering dynamic polymer materials that adapt to biological changes, enabling more precise, responsive drug delivery.
Discover how the Rocheleau lab investigates communication between pancreatic islets, beta cells, and vascular endothelial cells, and how these interactions are altered in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Research approaches include two-photon and confocal microscopy, microfluidics, and live-cell fluorescence imaging to study islet metabolism and tissue function.
Discover how Professor Berj Bardakjian and the Neural Systems Lab at the University of Toronto are uncovering the electrical “alphabet” of the brain. This research explores the hidden rhythms behind how we think and move, with a focus on predicting seizures, improving diagnosis, and advancing machine learning tools for brain disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and depression.
Ammara Faiyaz moved from Canada to Saudi Arabia at age five, where limited opportunities for women and personal challenges shaped her determination to pursue science. She is now a second-year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto, researching neurotechnology to improve rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy.
The Craig Simmons Lab at the University of Toronto investigates how biomechanical forces shape the behavior of cells, driving regeneration, repair, and disease in cardiovascular tissues. By integrating experimental and computational cell mechanics with state-of-the-art molecular biology, the lab uncovers how heart valve calcification develops, how stem cells can be guided to rebuild tissue, and how lab-on-a-chip technologies can accelerate drug testing. Their work is redefining the future of cardiovascular medicine through mechanobiology and engineering innovation.
Vrushali Guruji is a fourth-year PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto, where she studies how aortic valve disease influences blood flow and molecular changes in the aorta. Her work spans fundamental research and collaborations aimed at developing new treatments, while her commitment to STEM outreach supports programs that mentor and inspire future scientists. Discover how her research and advocacy are contributing to a more inclusive and innovative scientific community.
In Professor Alison McGuigan’s lab at the University of Toronto, researchers are creating artificial tissues that mimic the complexity of the human body. These engineered tissues help scientists discover new drugs, predict how patients might respond to treatment, and even reveal who might be at higher risk for certain diseases. By combining tools from biomaterials, microfabrication, and synthetic biology, the McGuigan Lab is pioneering a new frontier in regenerative medicine and personalized health care.
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