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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250905T161000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250905T162500
DTSTAMP:20250905T200733Z
CREATED:20250905T180504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250905T200733Z
UID:52271-1757088600-1757089500@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Yuyang (Tony) Jiao
DESCRIPTION:Graduate Student Seminar Series\nPlease ensure you invite your Principal Investigator by adding their email via the ‘Add Guest’ button and they will also be notified of your presentation.\nLocation: MS2158 – 1 King’s College Circle\nPresentation Title: Patient Specific Virtual Reality for Spine Surgery Education\nAbstract:\nBackground & Prior Work: Effective surgical education benefits from multimodal approaches\, yet hands-on training is constrained by patient safety and limited operating room access. Virtual Reality (VR) simulations improve cognitive and procedural performance\, providing risk-free practice environments (1). Existing VR simulations for spine surgery focus on standardized\, generic scenarios\, they fail to align with the specific cases trainees encounter (2) impacting their adoption by trainees. Our novel approach generates patient-specific 3D models to enhance relevance and integration into competency-based curricula. Spinal stenosis treatment requires decompression procedures that rely on thoroughly understanding spinal anatomy (bone\, ligament\, disc\, and neural elements)\, as neural compression occurs at multiple sites (i.e.\, central\, lateral recess)\, and from many degenerative anatomical changes. Previous work has demonstrated VR’s effectiveness in spinal decompression training\, with participants highlighting its utility for learning spinal stenosis pathoanatomy (88%)\, laminectomy concepts (75%)\, and preoperative planning (96%). Our group has also shown the effectiveness and broad acceptance of VR for spinal decompression surgery simulation. The training was shown to be successful\, with junior (PGY-I and PGY-II) residents exhibiting the strongest improvement in test scores following utilization of the VR simulation module (3).\nObjective & Hypothesis: This study aims to evaluate a VR training platform using patient-specific 3D anatomical models to improve orthopaedic spine surgery education through realistic and clinically relevant simulations. We predict that this approach will significantly enhance trainees’ knowledge\, decision-making\, and long-term competency while increasing confidence and preparedness for live surgeries\, especially among junior residents.\nProposed Methods: The unique nature of our platform is the use of patient specific models. Current workflows for building these models require significant time and multiple software packages\, which is impractical for routine surgical training. We have developed tools for automating this workflow\, using Magnetic Resonance (MR) and Computed Tomography (CT) images to detect and segment relevant anatomical landmarks (4-7). Generated models will include detailed anatomical structures necessary for simulating spinal decompression procedures. The training will involve two modes: multi-player sessions\, where staff surgeons guide trainees through procedures in a collaborative virtual operating room\, and individual practice sessions\, allowing trainees to refine their skills independently. To assess the effectiveness of the training\, pre- and post-session tests will measure knowledge of anatomy\, surgical strategy\, and decision-making\, with statistical analysis using Fisher’s exact test to evaluate short-term improvements (8). Long-term effects will be measured through annual assessments\, correlating cumulative VR exposure tracked by session frequency and duration\, with competency improvements. Learners will be drawn from the University of Toronto’s orthopaedic residency and spine fellowship programs. A sample size of 30 learners will be recruited to detect significant correlations\, assuming a correlation coefficient of 0.5 (9). Usage metrics such as access duration and models loaded will be monitored through the VR platform\, and low-usage participants will be contacted to address potential barriers to access.\nAnticipated Results & Significance: Our novel approach to surgical education could further advance surgical education by providing risk-free\, engaging\, and realistic training. Our platform offers a captivating and authentic environment\, which we expect will maintain trainees’ interest by allowing practice on relevant anatomy and strategies. This integration is only possible through our patient-specific modeling. The completed project will offer a VR simulation fully embedded into surgical education\, improving trainees’ familiarity\, preparedness\, and skills for live surgeries\, leading to heightened surgeon confidence in independent practice.\nReferences: (1) M. Pfandler et al.\, Spine J. 17\, 1352-1363 (2017); (2) A. Feeley et al.\, Injury. 52\, 1715-1720 (2021); (3) T. Chen et al.\, N. Am. Spine Soc. J. 6\, 100063 (2021); (4) G. Klein et al.\, in MICCAI\, Y. Cai et al.\, Eds.\, 2020\, pp. 15-28; (5) V. Sivan et al.\, 2023\, https://arxiv.org/abs/2302.02283v1; (6) C. Caldwell et al.\, World Congr. Med. Phys. & Biomed. Eng.\, 2015\, p. 2401; (7) T. Mahmood et al.\, World J Gastroenterol. 24\, 5439 (2018); (8) J. Harrop et al.\, Neurosurgery. 73\, 94-99 (2013); (9) M. Mahalingam\, E. Fasella\, Eff. Use Technol. Async. Learn.\, 2017.\nSupervisor Name: Michael Hardisty\nYear of Study: 2\nProgram of Study: MASc\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-yuyang-tony-jiao/
LOCATION:MS2158
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250905T162500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250905T164000
DTSTAMP:20250905T200733Z
CREATED:20250905T180504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250905T200733Z
UID:52269-1757089500-1757090400@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Canceled: Graduate Student Seminar Series - Srdjan Sumarac
DESCRIPTION:Graduate Student Seminar Series\nPlease ensure you invite your Principal Investigator by adding their email via the ‘Add Guest’ button and they will also be notified of your presentation.\nLocation: MS2158 – 1 King’s College Circle\nPresentation Title: Multimodal physiomarker investigations to optimize deep brain stimulation therapy\nAbstract: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established therapy for Parkinson’s disease when medication no longer controls motor symptoms. Conventional DBS delivers continuous stimulation without accounting for symptom state\, which can lead to overstimulation and stimulation-induced side effects. Since stimulation cannot adapt to symptoms\, patients often require lengthy and repeated reprogramming. These limitations motivate adaptive DBS systems that adjust stimulation in real time using brain-derived physiomarkers. This work examined electrophysiological signals recorded during DBS surgery in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and globus pallidus internus (GPi). Neuronal firing rates showed disease-related changes but did not scale with symptom severity. In contrast\, beta oscillations correlated with motor impairment\, though their suppression during stimulation reduces their utility as control signals. Stimulation-evoked responses provided insight into how DBS engages basal ganglia circuits and suggested restoration of striatal–pallidal synaptic strength. An additional oscillatory response\, evoked recurrent neural activity (ERNA)\, reflected loop activity between STN and pallidum\, and ERNA features were associated with bradykinesia severity. Together\, these findings identify candidate physiomarkers and offer mechanistic insights to guide future adaptive DBS devices.\nSupervisor Name: Luka Milosevic\nYear of Study: 5\nProgram of Study: PhD\nCancellation Reason:\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/canceled-graduate-student-seminar-series-srdjan-sumarac/
LOCATION:MS2158
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250909T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250909T130000
DTSTAMP:20250812T122846Z
CREATED:20250408T173342Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250812T122846Z
UID:49391-1757419200-1757422800@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Invited Academic Seminar Series - Cindy Chestek- Neuroprostheses for Controlling Hand and Finger Movements
DESCRIPTION:Abstract: Brain machine interfaces or neural prosthetics have the potential to restore movement to people with paralysis or amputation\, bridging gaps in the nervous system with an artificial device. Microelectrode arrays can record from up to hundreds of individual neurons in motor cortex\, and machine learning can be used to generate useful control signals from this neural activity. Performance can already surpass the current state of the art in assistive technology in terms of controlling the endpoint of computer cursors or prosthetic hands. The natural next step in this progression is to control more complex movements at the level of individual fingers. Our lab has approached this problem in three different ways. For people with upper limb amputation\, we acquire signals from individual peripheral nerve branches using small muscle grafts to amplify the signal. Human study participants have been able to control individual fingers on a prosthesis using indwelling EMG electrodes within these grafts. For spinal cord injury\, where no peripheral signals are available\, we implant Utah arrays into finger areas of motor cortex\, and have demonstrated the ability to control flexion and extension in multiple fingers simultaneously. Finally\, finger control is ultimately limited by the number of independent electrodes that can be placed within cortex or the nerves\, and this is in turn limited by the extent of glial scarring surrounding an electrode. Therefore\, we developed an electrode array based on 8 um carbon fibers\, no bigger than the neurons themselves to enable chronic recording of single units with minimal scarring. The long-term goal of this work is to make neural interfaces for the restoration of hand movement a clinical reality for everyone who has lost the use of their hands. \nBio: Cynthia A. Chestek received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 2005 and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 2010. She is an associate professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan\, Ann Arbor\, MI\, where she joined the faculty in 2012. She runs the Cortical Neural Prosthetics Lab\, which focuses on brain and nerve signals from implantable electrodes to control precise hand movements. Her lab also develops carbon fiber electrodes smaller than neurons that could enable even higher density interfaces to the nervous system. She is the author of 94 full length manuscripts and has advised 21 PhD students.
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/invited-academic-seminar-series-cindy-chestek/
LOCATION:Toronto Rehabilitation Institute\, 550 University Ave\, 2nd Floor Auditorium\, 550 University Ave\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5G 2A2\, Canada
CATEGORIES:BME Invited Academic Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://bme.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Invited-Academic-Seminar-Series-Cindy-Chestek-Neuroprostheses-for-Controlling-Hand-and-Finger-Movements.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250912T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250912T120000
DTSTAMP:20250903T145141Z
CREATED:20250903T135611Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250903T145141Z
UID:52249-1757674800-1757678400@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Compatibility 2.0: How molecular HLA compatibility is shaping up the future of organ transplant
DESCRIPTION:Speaker\nDr. Massimo Mangiola\n      Ph.D.\, D(ABHI)\, Clinical Associate Professor\, Pathology\n      Histocompatibility Laboratory Director\, NYU Langone Transplant Institute \n \n\nDate & Time\nFriday\, September 12\, 2025\n      11:00 AM – 12:00 PM \n \n\nLocation\n2nd Floor\, Red Room\, Donnelly Centre\n      160 College St\, Toronto\, ON M5S 3E1 \n \nVirtual Participation\nZoom Link: https://zoom.uss/j/5788426019 \nBiography\nDr. Mangiola is Director of the NYU Langone Immunogenetics Laboratory and Clinical Associate Professor at NYU Langone Health. With over 15 years in transplant immunology\, he has led HLA labs across Boston\, Providence\, and Pittsburgh\, and trained at Tufts Medical Center (Boston\, MA). An Associate of ACHI and Scientific Curator of the HLA Eplet Registry\, Dr. Mangiola is widely published and actively researches the role of molecular HLA mismatch in solid organ transplantation and the immunological barriers to porcine xenotransplantation.
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/compatibility-2-0-how-molecular-hla-compatibility-is-shaping-up-the-future-of-organ-transplant/
CATEGORIES:External Speaker Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250912T161000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250912T162500
DTSTAMP:20250912T160728Z
CREATED:20250905T180504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250912T160728Z
UID:52272-1757693400-1757694300@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Jonathan Wu
DESCRIPTION:Graduate Student Seminar Series\nPlease ensure you invite your Principal Investigator by adding their email via the ‘Add Guest’ button and they will also be notified of your presentation.\nLocation: MS2158 – 1 King’s College Circle\nPresentation Title: A multiwavelength ring device platform for mitigating the impact of skin tone in pulse oximetry\nSupervisor Name: Daniel Franklin\nYear of Study: 5\nProgram of Study: PhD\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-jonathan-wu-2/
LOCATION:MS2158
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250912T162500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250912T164000
DTSTAMP:20250912T160728Z
CREATED:20250905T180504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250912T160728Z
UID:52273-1757694300-1757695200@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Srdjan Sumarac
DESCRIPTION:Graduate Student Seminar Series\nPlease ensure you invite your Principal Investigator by adding their email via the ‘Add Guest’ button and they will also be notified of your presentation.\nLocation: MS2158 – 1 King’s College Circle\nPresentation Title: Multimodal physiomarker investigations to optimize deep brain stimulation therapy\nAbstract: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established therapy for Parkinson’s disease when medication no longer controls motor symptoms. Conventional DBS delivers continuous stimulation without accounting for symptom state\, which can lead to overstimulation and stimulation-induced side effects. Since stimulation cannot adapt to symptoms\, patients often require lengthy and repeated reprogramming. These limitations motivate adaptive DBS systems that adjust stimulation in real time using brain-derived physiomarkers. This work examined electrophysiological signals recorded during DBS surgery in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and globus pallidus internus (GPi). Neuronal firing rates showed disease-related changes but did not scale with symptom severity. In contrast\, beta oscillations correlated with motor impairment\, though their suppression during stimulation reduces their utility as control signals. Stimulation-evoked responses provided insight into how DBS engages basal ganglia circuits and suggested restoration of striatal–pallidal synaptic strength. An additional oscillatory response\, evoked recurrent neural activity (ERNA)\, reflected loop activity between STN and pallidum\, and ERNA features were associated with bradykinesia severity. Together\, these findings identify candidate physiomarkers and offer mechanistic insights to guide future adaptive DBS devices.\nSupervisor Name: Luka Milosevic\nYear of Study: 5\nProgram of Study: PhD\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-srdjan-sumarac/
LOCATION:MS2158
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250912T164000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250912T165500
DTSTAMP:20250912T160728Z
CREATED:20250905T180504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250912T160728Z
UID:52274-1757695200-1757696100@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Mahwish Khan
DESCRIPTION:Graduate Student Seminar Series\nPlease ensure you invite your Principal Investigator by adding their email via the ‘Add Guest’ button and they will also be notified of your presentation.\nLocation: MS2158 – 1 King’s College Circle\nPresentation Title: Word-Level American Sign Language Translation Using Deep Learning Leveraging Hand\, Face and Body Key Points\nAbstract: Sign language is the primary form of communication used in Deaf and hard-of-hearing populations. Unlike verbal languages relying on voice and sound\, sign languages are visual modes of communication\, relying on movements of the hands\, face\, and body. Training machine/deep learning models to assess and produce translations from signs has been an emerging area of work. This study aims to evaluate whether incorporating facial and body key point data alongside hand data improves the classification accuracy of American Sign Language (ASL) word-level translation. A temporal graph convolutional network (TGCN)  is trained with human joint key points that are extracted from video files of ASL signs representing an English word. The dataset contains 21\,095 video samples covering 2\,000 unique ASL signs. From these\, 136 key points are extracted from each frame using AlphaPose \, of which there are 21 points for each hand (42 total for both hands)\, 68 points for the face\, and 26 other points for the body (e.g. shoulders\, elbows\, wrists\, etc.). The current evaluation involves training models on different combinations of key points\, comparing hand-only data with combined hand and face key points. Preliminary findings indicate improved classification accuracy when facial key points are included.\nSupervisor Name: Tom Chau\nYear of Study: 2\nProgram of Study: MASc\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-mahwish-khan/
LOCATION:MS2158
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250919T161000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250919T162500
DTSTAMP:20250919T160731Z
CREATED:20250905T180504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250919T160731Z
UID:52275-1758298200-1758299100@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Sebastian Silva
DESCRIPTION:Graduate Student Seminar Series\nPlease ensure you invite your Principal Investigator by adding their email via the ‘Add Guest’ button and they will also be notified of your presentation.\nLocation: MS2158 – 1 King’s College Circle\nPresentation Title: Development of a Music-Based Wearable Biofeedback System to Improve Lower Limb Amputee Gait Symmetry\nAbstract:\nLower-limb amputees (LLAs) can exhibit asymmetric gait\, which may contribute to the development of secondary conditions. Access to conventional gait training is often impeded by factors such as healthcare funding\, long travel times\, or occupational obligations. This has created a growing interest in technology-based alternatives for in-community gait rehabilitation. One such promising technique is the use of wearable biofeedback systems (WBSs) for gait training\, with multiple studies utilizing various feedback modalities (visual\, auditory\, and vibrotactile) to attain positive outcomes for LLA participants\, including a more normal gait pattern and improved gait symmetry. Within the realm of auditory stimuli\, rhythmic auditory stimulus (RAS)\, and more specifically music\, may provide distinct advantages when applied to LLA gait. The entrainment of walking cadence and music tempo is a well-documented phenomenon\, with studies having shown that music stimulus can improve the gait symmetry of hemiparetic stroke patients. However\, to date\, there are no gait training systems that have applied music-based feedback to correct gait asymmetry of LLAs. To address this gap\, the goal of this project is to design and validate a wearable biofeedback system that employs a music-based strategy to improve the temporal gait symmetry of LLAs.\nThe physical WBS consists of two inertial sensors to measure cadence and gait symmetry\, an Android phone to run the feedback algorithm\, and headphones. Participants will first complete a baseline assessment without RAS\, to determine their average gait symmetry and cadence. They will then perform RAS walking trials with three different closed-loop feedback strategies\, as well as with open-loop RAS. The music used in walking trials will be of a constant tempo matching the participant’s average cadence\, and rhythmically enhanced via metronome tones using beat detection algorithms. Participants will complete questionnaires to assess system usability\, as well as the enjoyment\, and task load of each strategy.\nSupervisor Name: Dr. Jan Andrysek\nYear of Study: 2\nProgram of Study: MASc\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-sebastian-silva/
LOCATION:MS2158
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250919T162500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250919T164000
DTSTAMP:20250919T160731Z
CREATED:20250905T200731Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250919T160731Z
UID:52309-1758299100-1758300000@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Yat Ching Valerie Kwong
DESCRIPTION:Graduate Student Seminar Series\nPlease ensure you invite your Principal Investigator by adding their email via the ‘Add Guest’ button and they will also be notified of your presentation.\nLocation: MS2158 – 1 King’s College Circle\nPresentation Title: Multimodal Neuroprosthesis System for Home-Based Upper Extremity Rehabilitation\nAbstract: The loss of voluntary motor function reduces independence and quality of life. Rehabilitation relies on neuroplasticity and task-specific training\, but conventional therapy is labor-intensive\, costly\, and often inaccessible during the critical recovery period. Functional Electrical Stimulation Therapy (FEST) enhances motor recovery\, yet current devices remain inflexible and dependent on manual adjustments. This project describes the development of a multimodal neuroprosthesis system integrating FEST\, speech recognition\, and computer vision. The system will enable multiple grasp types through a universal stimulation program\, allow discrete-vocabulary voice commands for control\, and use real-time object recognition to adjust stimulation according to task demands. Usability and interface design will be evaluated with healthy and stroke participants\, focusing on latency\, recognition accuracy\, and user preferences across manual\, speech\, and vision inputs. The expected contributions include increased autonomy for individuals\, support for home-based rehabilitation\, reduced healthcare burden\, and promotion of independence and quality of life.\nSupervisor Name: Dr. Cesar Marquez-Chin\, Dr. Milos R. Popovic\nYear of Study: 2\nProgram of Study: PhD\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-yat-ching-valerie-kwong/
LOCATION:MS2158
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250926T161000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250926T162500
DTSTAMP:20250926T162233Z
CREATED:20250905T180505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250926T162233Z
UID:52277-1758903000-1758903900@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Filip Miscevic
DESCRIPTION:Graduate Student Seminar Series\nPlease ensure you invite your Principal Investigator by adding their email via the ‘Add Guest’ button and they will also be notified of your presentation.\nLocation: MS2158 – 1 King’s College Circle\nPresentation Title: A Novel Naturalistic Dual-Task Ear Training Paradigm with Real-time Multimodal Gamified Neurofeedback for Cochlear Implant Users\nAbstract: Cochlear implants (CIs) are the oldest and most widely used neural prosthetic\, but CI users experience listening fatigue more readily than normal-hearing individuals. This can discourage consistent CI usage and lead to a reduced quality of life. Previous work has shown that ear-training tasks can improve real-world listening outcomes\, but have relied on tedious\, contrived stimuli such as strings of numbers or words. Our aim is to develop a fun\, engaging listening task that simulates the demands of a real-world listening environment using episodes of a TV show\, and to provide game-like rewards for good listening performance derived from real-time electroencephalography (EEG). In the task we have developed\, subjects must follow a target audiovisual stimulus (an episode from a TV show) while ignoring a distractor as it alternates between their left and right sides at cued intervals. A multivariate temporal response function (mTRF) is used to generate a reconstruction of the perceived stimulus from the EEG signal\, which can then be compared with the ground-truth attend stimulus. If the two are highly correlated\, the participant is rewarded with a star animation\, encouraging further progress. A pilot study of ten participants demonstrated greater neural tracking of the target stimulus (mean Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.13 vs. 0.09\, p<0.01) and better suppression of the ignored stimulus\, suggesting that our novel task is better suited for ear-training than the traditional version of the task. Our task may help train CI listening ability in a fun\, engaging way\, which may translate to better real-world listening abilities and an improved quality of life.\nSupervisor Name: Luka Milosevic\nYear of Study: 3\nProgram of Study: PhD\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-filip-miscevic/
LOCATION:MS2158
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250926T162500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250926T164000
DTSTAMP:20250926T162233Z
CREATED:20250905T180505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250926T162233Z
UID:52280-1758903900-1758904800@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Alice Feng
DESCRIPTION:Graduate Student Seminar Series\nPlease ensure you invite your Principal Investigator by adding their email via the ‘Add Guest’ button and they will also be notified of your presentation.\nLocation: MS2158 – 1 King’s College Circle\nPresentation Title: Discovery of Cell Culture Media Formulations through a Hybrid Active Learning Algorithm\nAbstract: Optimizing xeno-free and chemically defined (XFCD) cell culture media is essential for producing safe and contaminant-free stem and progenitor cells. This work describes HiDiNeu\, a hybrid optimization algorithm that combines differential evolution and various machine learning models to address the complexity of optimizing 14-100 supplement factors during an active learning process. Based on the High Dimensional Differential Evolution (HDDE) framework\, HiDiNeu has previously discovered serum equivalent formulations more efficiently during in silico (computer based) testing. In this study\, we extend validation to in vitro (direct in laboratory) experiments\, integrate and compare additional machine learning models\, and benchmark HiDiNeu against existing optimization algorithms to evaluate comparative performance. These efforts move towards a more reliable and scalable platform to develop XFCD media that better supports stem cell growth.\nSupervisor Name: Julie Audet\nYear of Study: 3\nProgram of Study: MASc\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-alice-feng/
LOCATION:MS2158
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250926T164000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250926T165500
DTSTAMP:20250926T162233Z
CREATED:20250905T180505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250926T162233Z
UID:52279-1758904800-1758905700@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Mohammad Nazeri
DESCRIPTION:Graduate Student Seminar Series\nPlease ensure you invite your Principal Investigator by adding their email via the ‘Add Guest’ button and they will also be notified of your presentation.\nLocation: MS2158 – 1 King’s College Circle\nPresentation Title: Robotic Autonomous Imaging Surface Evaluator (RAISE): A Closed-Loop System for Accelerating Material and Formulation Discovery\nAbstract: Surface wettability is a critical design parameter for biomedical devices\, coatings\, and textiles. Contact angle measurements quantify liquid-surface interactions\, which depend strongly on liquid formulation. Herein\, we present the Robotic Autonomous Imaging Surface Evaluator (RAISE)\, a closed-loop\, self-driving system capable of linking liquid formulation optimization with surface wettability assessment. RAISE comprises a full experimental orchestrator capable of mixing liquid ingredients to create varying formulation cocktails\, transferring droplets of prepared formulations to a high-throughput stage\, and using a pick-and-place camera tool for automated droplet image capture. It also includes automated image processing to measure contact angles. This closed loop experiment orchestrator is integrated with a Bayesian Optimization (BO) client\, which enables iterative exploration of new formulations based on previous contact angle measurements to meet user-defined objectives.\nSupervisor Name: Frank Gu\nYear of Study: 2\nProgram of Study: PhD\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-mohammad-nazeri-3/
LOCATION:MS2158
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250926T165500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250926T171000
DTSTAMP:20250926T162233Z
CREATED:20250905T180505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250926T162233Z
UID:52282-1758905700-1758906600@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Fateme Eskandary
DESCRIPTION:Graduate Student Seminar Series\nPlease ensure you invite your Principal Investigator by adding their email via the ‘Add Guest’ button and they will also be notified of your presentation.\nLocation: MS2158 – 1 King’s College Circle\nPresentation Title: Polymeric Glucose-Responsive Nanoparticles for Smart Delivery of Amylin for the Treatment of Type I Diabetes\nSupervisor Name: Caitlin Maikawa\nYear of Study: 3\nProgram of Study: PhD\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-fateme-eskandary/
LOCATION:MS2158
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR