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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME)
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260113T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260113T130000
DTSTAMP:20260528T170322
CREATED:20250408T173735Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260105T141321Z
UID:49404-1768305600-1768309200@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Invited Academic Seminar Series - James Patton
DESCRIPTION:Abstract  \n\n\n\nRobotics and displays offer opportunities to distort reality with interventions such as error augmentation\, sensory crossover\, avatars\, and negative viscosity. These techniques lead to training situations that enhance the learning process and can restore movement ability after neural injury. I will trace out clinical studies that have employed such technologies to improve the health and function\, as well as share some leading-edge insights that include deceiving the patient\, moving software into the hardware\, and examining clinical effectiveness.  \n\n\n\nBio:   \n\n\n\nJames L. Patton received BS mechanical engineering & engineering science from University of Michigan (1989)\, MS in theoretical mechanics from Michigan State (1993)\, and PhD biomedical engineering from Northwestern University (1998). He is Richard and Loan Hill Professor of BioMedicalEngineering at the University of Illinois Chicago\, and research scientist at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. He worked in automotive manufacturing and nuclear medicine before discovering control of human movement. His interests include robotic teaching\, controls\, haptics\, modeling\, human-machine interfaces\, and technology-facilitated recovery from a brain injury. Patton was vice president of conferences for the IEEE-EMB society\, and Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering\, and IEEE Transactions Medical Robotics and Bionics.   \n\n\n\nDisclosures  \n\n\n\nThe KineAssist (TM) robotic device (HDT Robotics\, Incorporated) will be discussed as part of a research program on an early model. It was used to test a novel research concept on training with a custom attachment made in our labs.  The Burt robotic device (Barrett Technologies\, Inc) will be mentioned as one of our latest research studies which our group has developed novel custom software for training to perform a preliminary clinical test. This device was developed with the consulting advice with Patton\, who received consulting fees for his time in the past.   \n\n\n\nObjectives:   \n\n\n\nParticipants should gain the ability to Discuss  \n\n\n\n\nHistory and motivation for the field of therapeutic robotics \n\n\n\nBarriers and opportunities this field  \n\n\n\nCritiques of Dr. Patton and others’ approaches to these goals 
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/invited-academic-seminar-series-james-patton/
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-speaker-series-James-Patton.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260116T161000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260116T162500
DTSTAMP:20260528T170322
CREATED:20251119T192232Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260116T170739Z
UID:53733-1768579800-1768580700@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - David Koivisto
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: 2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE) – 550 University Ave\nPresentation Title: Investigating the Extent of Spinal Cord Involvement from Induced Central Sensitization at a Single Cervical Level\nAbstract: Repeated exposure to painful stimuli leads to neuroplastic changes in the central nervous system\, increasing pain sensitivity and separating pain from the original stimulus. Across chronic pain conditions\, these changes are referred to as central sensitization (CS). Current identification of CS is heavily influenced by patient bias and an objective biomarker for CS is needed to refine treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of induced CS on motor units (MUs) across spinal levels through electromyography (EMG) and the sensory changes experienced by participants across dermatomes. This study aimed to recruit 24 (N=24) healthy male participants between 18-35 years of age. EMG and clinical sensory assessment measurements are taken at baseline and after the application of the heat/capsaicin model\, used to induce CS. The intervention is applied to the C3/C4 spinal level\, with subsequent testing at myotome and dermatome locations down to the C7 spinal level. Participants performed isometric ramp contractions of 10%\, 35%\, and 55% of their maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) for each muscle. An additional EMG measurement is taken from the level of intervention at 35% MVC following a brief painful stimulus. All EMG data is decomposed to evaluate firing characteristics from the same population of individual MU spike trains\, identified through MU tracking. Sensory testing showed a significant difference to the control group at the C3/C4 level. Early spike train feature results display a decrease in discharge rate across most muscles groups at each MVC level. The sensory results support the use of the modality used to induce CS. EMG may have the potential to be used as a biomarker for CS but\, further analysis is needed to identify\,EMG differences between healthy\, induced pain and CS conditions.\nSupervisor Name: Dr. Dinesh Kumbhare\nYear of Study: 2\nProgram of Study: MASc\nReschedule Reason: Updating location information\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-david-koivisto-2/
LOCATION:2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE)
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260116T164000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260116T165500
DTSTAMP:20260528T170322
CREATED:20260102T183733Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260116T170739Z
UID:59851-1768581600-1768582500@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Muhammad Shan Sohail
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: 2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE) – 550 University Ave\nPresentation Title: Opto-DBS multimodal neural manipulation approaches to address Parkinson’s disease\nAbstract:\nParkinson’s disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative movement disorder that impairs a patient’s ability to initiate and control movement. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN)\, delivered at high frequency (~130 Hz)\, is an established and effective therapy for alleviating motor symptoms. Despite its clinical success\, DBS is associated with undesirable side effects and limited opportunities for rational optimization\, largely because its underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood.\nIn our computational modeling and patient electrophysiology studies\, we identified evoked resonant neural activity (ENRA) in the STN as a putative antiparkinsonian electrophysiological marker. Our analyses further suggest that ENRA originates from activity within the globus pallidus externus (GPe). However\, to date\, there is no direct experimental evidence establishing a causal link between GPe activity and STN ENRA during DBS.\nMy thesis addresses this gap using a multimodal approach in mice model integrating optogenetics\, fiber photometry\, single-unit electrophysiology\, and DBS to test whether ERNA depends on GPe activity and mediates therapeutic effects.\nSupervisor Name: Luka Milosevic\nYear of Study: 3\nProgram of Study: PhD\nReschedule Reason: Updating location information\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-muhammad-shan-sohail/
LOCATION:2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE)
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260120T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260120T150000
DTSTAMP:20260528T170322
CREATED:20251223T173420Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260113T161123Z
UID:59833-1768917600-1768921200@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:BME Faculty Member Search: Scott Tyler Albert: Expanding neural resilience to sensorimotor perturbations
DESCRIPTION:Brains are made to withstand disruption. When confronted by an external perturbation\, we seamlessly adapt our movement patterns to remain accurate and precise. Or when neural tissue dies\, our nervous system gradually adjusts to restore motor control. But this resilience is limited; whether in the face of an external disturbance\, or internal disorder\, we can never completely adapt\, sometimes leading to profound chronic impairment. To elucidate the cause of this ceiling on motor adaptation\, we will consider a model that treats adaptation as a balancing of error-based updating and obligatory forgetting. We will use this framework to design strategies that can boost the capacity of subconscious learning systems. Further\, we will explore how the presence of parallel systems for adaptation can alter the point at which learning saturates. Finally\, we will uncover the neural basis for motor recovery in a model of reaching and grasping in the rodent. Optogenetic perturbation to the sensorimotor cortex completely arrests the ability to move the limb\, but with repeated exposure\, a profound functional recovery presumes. To identify its source\, we will examine dynamics in key motor areas using invasive electrode recordings as well as functional MRI. Surprisingly\, we find that the restoration of behavior is supported by a network switching event\, where past centers of motor control are deactivated alongside a simultaneous recruitment of the intact cortex on the other side of the brain. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nAddress: Haultain Building\, (Rear of) 170 College Street*\, Room 410  \n\n\n\n*If entering through the main stairwell of the Mining Building\, there is a bridge that connects to the Haultain building at the 2nd level of the stairwell 
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/bme-faculty-member-search-scott-tyler-albert/
LOCATION:Haultain Building\, Room 410\, 170 College St\, Toronto\, M5S 3E3\, Canada
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260123T161000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260123T162500
DTSTAMP:20260528T170322
CREATED:20251218T180622Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T170749Z
UID:59801-1769184600-1769185500@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Yu Qin
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: 2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE) – 550 University Ave\nPresentation Title: A theory of pain chronification via maladaptive learning\nSupervisor Name: Steven Prescott\nYear of Study: 2\nProgram of Study: PhD\nReschedule Reason: Updating location information\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-yu-qin/
LOCATION:2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE)
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260123T162500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260123T164000
DTSTAMP:20260528T170322
CREATED:20251218T180622Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T170749Z
UID:59800-1769185500-1769186400@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Vrushali Guruji
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: 2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE) – 550 University Ave\nPresentation Title: Analyzing the Impact of Hemodynamics in Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease Associated Ascending Aortic Dilatation\nAbstract: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease is characterized by two functioning leaflets instead of the normal three in a tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). Most BAV patients develop ascending aortic dilation (AAD)\, increasing their risk of fatal aortic dissection or rupture. We hypothesize that the elevated risk of developing AAD in BAV disease is a consequence of aberrant hemodynamics inducing gene perturbations in the aorta. To facilitate this investigation\, a novel mouse model with a mutation in the natriuretic peptide 2 receptor (Npr2) was employed\, enabling the isolation and evaluation of consequences accompanying aberrant blood flow. Notably\, though genetically identical\, 10% of Npr2+/- mice develop BAVs\, whereas the remaining 90% have TAVs. To expedite the progression of BAV-AAD\, mice are fed a high-fat western diet starting at 6 weeks of age. A novel echocardiogram protocol was developed to identify mice with BAVs or TAVs at 4 weeks of age\, prior to diet introduction (Guruji et al.\, 2024). Next\, the same echocardiogram protocol was performed on Npr2+/- mice at 6-weeks\, 4-months and 5-months of age. Echo-particle image velocimetry (echo-PIV) was also done to track the patterns of blood flow more accurately and identify flow impingement zones. At 5 months of age\, Npr2+/− mice with BAVs exhibited significantly elevated peak systolic velocities compared to TAV controls (2643 ± 392 vs. 1111 ± 146 mm/s\, P < 0.05). Consistent with pathological remodeling\, ascending aortic diameters were approximately 1.5-fold larger in Npr2+/−;BAV mice (1.75 ± 0.13 mm) compared to Npr2+/−;TAV mice (1.27 ± 0.01 mm)\, confirming BAV-associated AAD development. Aortic tissues from BAV and TAV mice were processed for spatial transcriptomic analysis using the Visium HD platform. Although data processing is ongoing\, preliminary analyses indicate differential expression of canonical dilation-associated genes in dilated Npr2+/−;BAV aortas relative to non-dilated Npr2+/−;TAV controls. Specifically\, COL1A1 expression was reduced in dilated aortas\, whereas ELN and ACTA2 expression was increased. Next steps involve integrating spatial transcriptomic data with echo-PIV-defined flow impingement maps to identify hemodynamically regulated gene expression signatures. Candidate genes will be validated by immunohistochemical staining in 5-month-old Npr2+/− BAV and TAV aortas. Together\, these studies aim to identify novel flow-dependent molecular drivers of AAD in BAV disease.\nSupervisor Name: Craig A. Simmons\nYear of Study: 4\nProgram of Study: PhD\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-vrushali-guruji-2/
LOCATION:2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE)
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260123T164000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260123T165500
DTSTAMP:20260528T170322
CREATED:20260107T185251Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T170749Z
UID:59926-1769186400-1769187300@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Yongzhi Guo
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: 2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE) – 550 University Ave\nPresentation Title: An Image-Based Quantitative Platform to Study Metformin-Driven Adipocyte Metabolic Remodeling\nSupervisor Name: Alison McGuigan\nYear of Study: 2\nProgram of Study: MASc\nReschedule Reason: Updating location information\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-yongzhi-guo-2/
LOCATION:2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE)
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260127T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260127T130000
DTSTAMP:20260528T170322
CREATED:20251223T173634Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260119T135730Z
UID:59836-1769515200-1769518800@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:BME Faculty Member Search: Victor Zhao: Tissue-like soft bioelectronics for continuous biomarker monitoring
DESCRIPTION:Biomarkers from the human body can provide dynamic\, powerful insights into a broad spectrum of health conditions. Real-time monitoring of biomarkers in bodily fluids will enable earlier disease detection and personalized treatment strategies. At present\, the ability to continuously track molecular biomarkers remains limited due to barriers in sensing capability and device rigidity. \n\n\n\nThis talk focuses on our development of tissue-like soft bioelectronic devices that address these challenges. Our approach integrates innovations across sensors\, materials\, and circuits. I developed aptamer-functionalized field-effect transistor biosensors to overcome fundamental Debye length limitations for highly sensitive and selective biomarker detection. To create a seamless interface with the body\, we engineered intrinsically stretchable semiconducting polymers with tissue-like mechanical properties and biological functionality through covalent grafting strategies. I also developed integrated\, stretchable polymer-based circuits for on-chip signal conditioning and amplification\, enabling robust biosignal acquisition in physiologically relevant environments. \n\n\n\nThese innovations enabled platform technologies targeting mental health monitoring. I developed implantable neural probes for serotonin monitoring in the brain\, towards fundamental studies of anxiety and depression. We also developed skin-like wearable sensors to monitor the stress biomarker cortisol in sweat and interstitial fluid. These technologies advance our understanding of mental disorders and provide critical tools for the quantification of mental health conditions. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nBio: Chuanzhen Zhao is an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University\, working with Professor Zhenan Bao. His research focuses on materials engineering and circuit design to create tissue-like soft electronic devices. He developed intrinsically stretchable conducting polymers and biomolecule-grafting strategies for tissue-like interfaces\, enabling seamless body-machine integration. He also advanced integrated polymer circuits for on-chip signal conditioning and neuromorphic computing. \n\n\n\nDr. Zhao earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from UCLA under Professors Paul S. Weiss and Anne M. Andrews\, where he developed aptamer-based biosensing platforms and nanofabrication techniques. His doctoral work established fundamental approaches to overcoming the Debye length limitation in electrochemical sensing. He demonstrated the first implantable aptamer field-effect transistor neuroprobes for real-time neurotransmitter detection in freely moving animals. \n\n\n\nDr. Zhao has authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications\, including 13 first-author papers in leading journals such as Nature Electronics\, Science Advances\, Nature Reviews Bioengineering\, and ACS Nano. Dr. Zhao was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in science in 2023 for his contributions to biosensing technologies for mental health monitoring. He has also received the MRS Gold Graduate Student Award\, the NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship\, and the IEEE Best PhD Thesis in Nanotechnology Award.
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/bme-faculty-member-search-victor-zhao/
LOCATION:Health Science Building\, Room 106\, 155 College St\, Toronto\, M5S3E3\, Canada
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260130T161000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260130T162500
DTSTAMP:20260528T170322
CREATED:20251218T180622Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260130T170731Z
UID:59802-1769789400-1769790300@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Alexandra Korolov
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: 2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE) – 550 University Ave\nPresentation Title: The cellular and biophysical mechanisms of Drosophila heart tube formation\nSupervisor Name: Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez\nYear of Study: 2\nProgram of Study: PhD\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-alexandra-korolov/
LOCATION:2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE)
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260130T162500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260130T164000
DTSTAMP:20260528T170322
CREATED:20251218T180622Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260130T170731Z
UID:59803-1769790300-1769791200@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Willow Peterson
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: 2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE) – 550 University Ave\nPresentation Title: Investigating the interplay of cytoskeletal networks in embryonic wound repair\nSupervisor Name: Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez\nYear of Study: 2\nProgram of Study: PhD\nReschedule Reason: Updating location information\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-willow-peterson/
LOCATION:2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE)
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260130T164000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260130T165500
DTSTAMP:20260528T170322
CREATED:20251218T180622Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260130T170731Z
UID:59804-1769791200-1769792100@bme.utoronto.ca
SUMMARY:Graduate Student Seminar Series - Madhumitha Ramamurthy
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: 2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE) – 550 University Ave\nPresentation Title: Developing a transgenic mouse model to understand the roles of macrophages in osteoarthritis progression\nSupervisor Name: Sowmya Viswanathan\nYear of Study: 2\nProgram of Study: MASc\nReschedule Reason: Updating seminar location\nPowered by Calendly.com
URL:https://bme.utoronto.ca/event/graduate-student-seminar-series-madhumitha-ramamurthy-3/
LOCATION:2nd Floor Auditorium (TRI/KITE)
CATEGORIES:Graduate Seminar Series
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