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
Show your pride – Angelico Obille
Meet Angelico Obille (he/they): a queer, Filipino-Canadian scientist and pianist who is currently pursuing a PhD in biomedical engineering at the University of Toronto. Also known on social media as @ScientistAnjo, Angelico takes any chance to share their insights on nature and the role of humans in the global ecosystem. Born in Mississauga, Ontario from architects who immigrated from the Philippines, Angelico has been uniquely positioned to develop his skills and to build his life with authentic Queer Filipino excellence at the core.
BME student receives 2024 Teaching Assistant Teaching Excellence Award
Shaghayegh (Shay) Chavoshian has won a 2024 TA Teaching Excellence Award from the University of Toronto’s Teaching Assistant Training Program (TATP). Shay, a PhD student at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME), is one of the five recipients this year. This prestigious award acknowledges the remarkable contributions of teaching assistants who inspire and challenge undergraduate students, significantly enhancing their learning experience.
Show your pride – Shivam Chadha
Meet Shivam (they/them): a nonbinary scientist currently pursuing their PhD at BME. They grew up in Mississauga and come from a diverse background of community health, exercise physiology, and occupational health policy, along with doing their MSc work in epigenetics exploring aging and frailty. They love sharing and teaching folks about science and tech in accessible ways to cultivate health, wellness, and natural curiosity in their communities. When not in the lab or crocheting at home, they like to stay active by adventuring through the city in their bike.
Two Institute of Biomedical Engineering graduate students awarded prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships in 2024
The Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) at the University of Toronto is proud to announce that two of its doctoral candidates, David Li and Erica Floreani, have been awarded the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships for the 2024 cycle.
UT BIOME: pioneering innovation at the intersection of biomedical engineering
University of Toronto Biomedical Engineering design team, led by Luka Zigomanis (4th year EngSci) and Rubaina Farin (4th year Life Sci), provided undergraduate students with a unique platform to explore the convergence of medicine and engineering
Enhancing Neurostimulation
Researchers at UHN’s KITE Research Institute have recently leveraged the power of deep learning to improve nerve signalling interpretation, paving the way for more effective neuroprosthetic devices and offering new hope for those with impaired motor function.
New Models for Eye Disease
A research team at UHN’s Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute in collaboration with the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto (U of T) has discovered that transplanted retinal cells can share essential materials with host cells in the lab, offering a promising avenue for delivering therapies directly to damaged areas of the eye.
Celebrating the 40th Student Research Conference (ToBE)
This year’s event featured keynote addresses from Nobel Prize winner Dr. Jennifer Doudna, Dr. John-Ross Rizzo from NYU Langone Health, and Dr. Andrew Pelling from the University of Ottawa, all renowned for their groundbreaking work. The conference showcased student research, fostering academic discourse and networking, and included workshops on communication and entrepreneurship.
U of T Engineering Dean, professor and alumni elected to the Canadian Academy of Engineering
U of T Engineering Dean Christopher Yip and Professor Natalie Enright Jerger (ECE) have been elected fellows of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE). Alumni Benoit Boulet (ElecE PhD 9T6), Susan Doniz (IndE 9T3) and Alfred Yu (BME MASc 0T4, PhD 0T7) are also among the CAE’s 54 new fellows.
U of T Engineering professor and alumni receive 2024 Ontario Professional Engineers Awards
Serena Mandla (EngSci 1T7, BME MASc 1T9) received the Young Engineer Award for an engineer no older than 35 years old who has demonstrated excellence in their career, community and professional service.
Canadian Hub for Health Intelligence and Innovation in Infectious Diseases awarded $72 million to strengthen talent development and health intelligence
One of the CBRF-funded programs is the Biomanufacturing Hub Network, an immersive talent development program based at the University of Toronto led by U of T University Professor Molly Shoichet (ChemE, BME) along with Darius Rackus, an assistant professor of chemistry and biology at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Gilbert Walker, a professor of chemistry at U of T.
From brain-computer interfaces to commercial AI
Dr. Alborz Rezazadeh graduated from Dr. Tom Chau’s lab in 2018 with a specialization in electrical and biomedical engineering. Since then, Alborz delved deep into the AI field and assumed various roles in multinational companies such as Samsung, LG, and Recursion. Now working as a senior applied scientist at Amazon, Alborz reflects on his journey throughout his graduate experience and how his diverse set of experiences shaped his understanding of artificial intelligence (AI).
Computational model unveils dynamics of Deep Brain Stimulation
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has been a longstanding adjunctive therapy for movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease, yet its precise mechanisms of action have remained elusive. In a recent study published in the journal Neuromodulation, Dr. Milad Lankarany and his team have introduced a computational model that accurately predicts the dynamics of neuronal activity during DBS across various frequencies.
Club for Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Awarded the University of Toronto Student Life “Program of the Year” for Promoting Innovation and Collaboration
The Club for Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering (CUBE) at the University of Toronto continues to garner recognition for its exceptional achievements and contributions to the university community. Recently, CUBE was honoured to receive the 2024 “Program of the Year” Award from U of T Student Life for its commitment to excellence and innovation in promoting biomedical engineering at the campus. In 2023 – 2024 academic year, CUBE hosted a total of 10 events and 11 workshops.
New research aimed to improve early childhood music education
Researchers from the University of Toronto have unveiled a new technological breakthrough that promises to transform early childhood music education. The study addresses a critical gap in musical instrument classification, particularly concerning non-pitched percussion instruments. The findings are published in a recent issue of PLOS one.
Accelerate Seed Grant recipient aims to improve delivery of drugs that treat brain diseases using self-driving lab technology
Professor Leo Chou have received Acceleration Consortium Seed Grant funding for his research on building DNA origami as a delivery vehicle for therapeutic agents
Dr. Omar F. Khan honoured with the McCharles Prize for early career research distinction
Professor Omar F. Khan has been awarded the prestigious McCharles Prize for Early Career Research Distinction for his contributions to the fields of biomedical and immune engineering.
Enhancing Balance Rehabilitation
Researchers from UHN’s KITE Research Institute have investigated a new affordable and clinically accessible training system for improving the standing balance of spinal cord injury patients. The team led by Dr. Kei Masani, KITE Senior Scientist and senior author of the study, investigated the integration of low-cost and portable sensors like a depth camera and pressure mat, which use motion tracking and distribution of pressure, respectively, to analyze movement.
Faces of BME – Amy Huang
Meet Amy Huang: a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in biomedical engineering and currently undertaking her thesis work in Professor Cristina Amon’s lab. Amy’s journey into engineering was sparked by her passion for hands-on projects and her innate ability to turn abstract concepts into real-world solutions. Excelling in her academic pursuits, Amy was one of the recipients of the University of Toronto Student Leadership Award in 2024. In her spare time, Amy has been deeply involved in the Club for Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering (CUBE) and has served as its co-president, fostering unity and providing invaluable opportunities for fellow students.
Professor Warren Chan joins Nanyang Technological University of Singapore as Dean of Engineering
Professor Warren Chan, a world-renowned expert in nanobiotechnology, has been recruited as the next Dean of the College of Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. Professor Chan will oversee one of the largest Engineering schools in the world with over 14,000 students and has been ranked among the top 15 Engineering schools in the world according to QS World University Rankings. He will provide leadership for the strategic, academic, intellectual, and administrative endeavours at NTU.
New study reveals insights into extracellular matrix’s influence on regeneration
A study published in the Journal of Cell Science, led by Professor Penney Gilbert (BME) and Jo Nguyen at the University of Toronto, shed light on the impact of culture substrate stiffness and extracellular matrix (ECM) ligands on the contractility, proliferation, and various cellular processes of human myoblasts. The study aims to understand how these factors influence the regenerative activities of muscle stem cells and their progeny, with implications for aging and disease.
Faces of BME – Angelico Obille
As a graduate student navigating the complexities of bioadhesion research, Angelico Obille recognizes the importance of effective communication, both within the scientific community and to the broader public. Beyond his academic endeavors, Angelico’s love for music, cultivated since childhood, serves as both a creative outlet and a metaphorical lens through which he views the scientific process.
Getting LIT: An alumni profile with Professor Jeffrey Karp
Professor Jeffrey Karp earned his PhD in collaboration with BME at the University of Toronto in 2004. Focusing on the philosophy of translation, he has since become a professor at Harvard Medical School, translating many of his research topics into commercially viable products – ranging from nasal sprays for disinfection to bioadhesive tapes used in surgery. Professor Karp recently published his first book, “LIT: Life Ignition Tools,” discussing insights and advice gleaned from conversations with internationally renowned experts on building new habits.
Research utilizes machine learning to improve gait analysis in rehabilitation
The latest research led by Prof. Jan Andrysek published in a peer-reviewed article showcases a pioneering approach to gait analysis, a crucial aspect of rehabilitation and clinical diagnosis. Clinicians have long relied on gait indicators like step length, stride velocity, and joint angles to assess and treat gait issues. However, traditional statistical methods have limitations in analyzing the vast sets of data generated by instrumented gait analysis techniques.