News & Stories
Explore the latest news, stories, and groundbreaking research happening at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering. Stay updated on innovative projects, impactful discoveries, and the achievements of our talented students, faculty, and alumni shaping the future of biomedical science and engineering.
Quick Navigation
Abdullah Syed Wins 2020 Donnelly Thesis Prize
Syed is the latest winner of the Donnelly Centre Research Thesis Prize, awarded annually for the best doctoral research completed at the Centre. An engineer by training, he studied how tiny nano-scale particles travel through the body to deliver drugs directly to tumours under the supervision of Warren Chan, a principal investigator at the Centre and the director of U of T’s Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering.
Omar F. Khan joins IBBME as assistant professor
Dr. Omar F. Khan officially joined the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) on May 1st, 2020.
New ‘rock candy’ approach could lead to simpler, faster tests for COVID-19
Testing for viruses is not a new science, but the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the bottlenecks in established methods. Now, a team led by Professor Leo Chou (IBBME) is pursuing a non-traditional approach that, if successful, could lead to simpler, faster tests.
U of T researchers develop ‘piggyback’ vehicle to escape the endosomal trap and deliver RNA therapeutics
U of T researchers develop ‘piggyback’ vehicle to escape the endosomal trap and deliver RNA therapeutics
Meet Donnelly Centre Team Developing on-the-go Test for COVID-19
While most people are sheltering at home, for a team led by Professor Warren Chan it’s business as usual as they continue to develop an automated, more sensitive and rapid test for COVID-19 to help curb the pandemic.
U of T precision medicine initiative launches task force to fight COVID-19
The PRiME Task Force on Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics for COVID-19 brings together U of T researchers with expertise in a variety of fields to develop new diagnostic tools and therapeutics
COVID-19: ECE team programs single-board computers to remotely monitor patients and protect health care workers
A U of T Engineering team, led by Professor Willy Wong (ECE/IBBME) has created a simple, scalable solution to remotely monitor the vital signs of COVID-19 patients. This technology could help preserve vital personal protective equipment (PPE) for health-care workers.
U of T startup develops technology that encourages hand hygiene to prevent the spread of COVID19
Dr. Geoff Fernie is developing a wearable technology that reminds first-line responders to wash their hands despite their busy schedules. This technology could significantly reduce the spread of Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIs) including COVID19.
How does COVID-19 invade our bodies so easily? U of T Engineering team uses ‘organ-on-a-chip’ model to find out
Milica Radisic (ChemE, IBBME) is working with Axel Guenther and Edmond Young (both MIE) to create tiny models of the nose, mouth, eyes and lungs to better understand how COVID-19 infects organs
Review paper summarizes diagnostic tools and surveillance for COVID19
Prof. Warren Chan, Dr. Samira Mubareka, Dr. Jonathan Gubbay and their trainees have summarized current diagnostic tools for detecting and surveilling COVID-19 in the journal ACS Nano. This article aims to guide researchers in developing COVID19 diagnostics by discussing current and emerging diagnostic tools.
As COVID-19 protective supplies dwindle, U of T Engineering grad students are stitching face masks for Toronto
U of T Engineering graduate students Kramay Patel (IBBME MD/PhD candidate) and Chaim Katz (IBBME PhD candidate) are temporarily trading in their electrodes and amplifiers for sewing machines and cotton threads.
Engineering alumni startup Nanoleaf to source more than one million masks amid COVID-19 shortages
Engineering alumni startup Nanoleaf to source more than one million masks amid COVID-19 shortages
Paul Santerre receives lifetime achievement award from Canadian Biomaterials Society
Paul Santerre receives lifetime achievement award from Canadian Biomaterials Society
Celebrating the Life of Robert M. Nerem
Celebrating the Life of Robert M. Nerem
Smart finger pads for robots among six U of T Engineering projects awarded with Connaught Innovation funding
Smart finger pads for robots among six U of T Engineering projects awarded with Connaught Innovation funding
Donnelly Centre Investigators Win Inaugural Canada-UK Funding to Develop Microrobots for Brain Surgery and Cell Manipulation
Donnelly Centre Investigators Win Inaugural Canada-UK Funding to Develop Microrobots for Brain Surgery and Cell Manipulation
IBBME professor Tom Chau receives U of T President’s Impact Award
IBBME professor Tom Chau receives U of T President’s Impact Award
2020 Dorrington Awards Recognize Graduate Research in Rare Diseases, Computer Vision and 3D Cancer Modelling
2020 Dorrington Awards Recognize Graduate Research in Rare Diseases, Computer Vision and 3D Cancer Modelling
IBBME researchers develop pill-sized heating device for diagnostic testing
IBBME researchers develop pill-sized heating device for diagnostic testing
Rodrigo-Fernandez Gonzalez Lab
Dr. Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez is interested in understanding how cells coordinate with one another during wound repair and embryogenesis.
Engineering Professor and Alumnus Elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering
Engineering Professor and Alumnus Elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering
Handheld 3D skin printer demonstrates accelerated healing of large, severe burns
A new handheld 3D printer can deposit sheets of skin to cover large burn wounds – and its “bio ink” can accelerate the healing process.
Researchers develop method to improve artificial islet transplantation success rate
Researchers from IBBME developed a method to improve the transplantation success rate of artificial islets.
Most Engineered Nanoparticles Enter Tumours Through Cells, Not Between them, U of T Researchers Find
University of Toronto researchers have discovered that an active rather than passive process dictates which nanoparticles enter solid tumours, upending decades of thinking in the field of cancer nanomedicine and pointing toward more effective nanotherapies.