Research News and 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.
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Professor Freeman Lan Awarded Federal NFRF Grant to Advance Rapid Infection Diagnostics
Professor Freeman Lan has been awarded a $250,000 grant through the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) to support a project aimed at transforming how infectious diseases are diagnosed and treated.
U of T Engineering professor honoured nationally for excellence in training Canada’s next generation of regenerative medicine leaders
Professor Milica Radisic has been named a recipient of the Talent Builder Award as part of the Stem Cell Network’s 25 for 25 Silver Anniversary Awards, a national initiative recognizing 25 individuals and organizations whose contributions have shaped Canada’s regenerative medicine ecosystem over the past 25 years.
Two BME professors receive 2026 Connaught Innovation Awards
Two professors from the University of Toronto Institute of Biomedical Engineering have received 2026 Connaught Innovation Awards, a competitive internal research funding program. Professors Paul Yoo and Daniel Franklin are among 14 award recipients selected this year for innovations with strong potential for societal impact.
Improving rehabilitation through neurotechnology | José Zariffa Lab
At the Adaptive Neurorehabilitation Systems Lab, Professor Jose Zariffa and his team are developing technologies to support recovery after spinal cord injury and stroke. Using wearable sensors, neural interfaces, deep learning, and computer vision, the lab studies movement and nervous system activity to improve rehabilitation therapies and assistive technologies.
Professor Luka Milosevic awarded $1.65 million NSERC CREATE grant to advance neuromodulation training
Professor Luka Milosevic awarded $1.65 million NSERC CREATE grant to advance neuromodulation training Professor Luka Milosevic has received a $1.65 million award from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) […]
Tiny immune cell particles help blood vessels grow in lab-made human heart tissue
University of Toronto researchers (left: Karl Wagner, right: Milica Radisic) found that tiny particles released by immune cells help blood vessels form in lab grown human heart tissue, offering new insights into heart repair and tissue engineering.
Professor Leo Chou awarded the 2026 McCharles Prize for Early Career Research Distinction
Professor Leo Chou awarded the 2026 McCharles Prize for Early Career Research Distinction Professor Leo Chou of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering has been named the recipient of the 2026 […]
U of T researchers improve maturity of lab-grown heart cells for disease modelling
Professor Craig Simmons and his collaborators have developed a new way to mature lab-grown heart cells so they more closely mimic adult human heart tissue, improving their structure, electrical signaling, and contraction for better heart disease research and drug testing.
Professor Elaine Biddiss Awarded Kids Brain Health Network Funding to Advance Innovative Supports for Children and Youth with Neurodisabilities
Professor Elaine Biddiss, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Senior Scientist at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, is among the project leads for one of 14 initiatives receiving national funding from Kids Brain Health to improve outcomes for children and youth with neurodisabilities and their families across Canada.
Rebuilding the injured brain | Cindi Morshead Lab
The human brain has only a limited ability to repair itself after injury, but scientists are working to change that. In Professor Cindi Morshead’s lab, researchers study neural stem cells: the rare cells capable of generating new neurons and support cells in the brain. Her team investigates how these stem cells grow, migrate, and specialize, and how they can be guided to help repair damage caused by stroke, spinal cord injury, and childhood brain injuries.
Advancing musculoskeletal research at the Holland Bone and Joint Research Program
The Holland Bone and Joint Research Program at Sunnybrook Research Institute continues to drive progress in musculoskeletal science through collaborative, translational research. Drs. Cari Whyne and Michael Hardisty are contributing to meaningful advancements in patient care.
Quagga mussel protein offers new source of inspiration for medical-grade adhesives that work in wet conditions
Researchers at the University of Toronto have identified a protein from the quagga mussel that can stick to surfaces underwater, even though it lacks a chemical feature long thought to be essential for this kind of adhesion. The protein, called Dbfp7, is the first freshwater mussel adhesive protein to be functionally characterized.
Mining the dark transcriptome: U of T Engineering researchers create the first potential drug molecules from long noncoding RNA
A team from U of T Engineering is the first to synthesize long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) outside the cell — a new approach to drug discovery that has already yielded some promising anti-inflammatory molecules.
Improving mobility after spinal cord injury | Kei Masani Lab
In the Motion and Adaptation Science Laboratory at the University of Toronto, Professor Kei Masani and his team study new ways to improve balance and movement for people with neurological impairments. By combining functional electrical stimulation with real-time visual feedback and motion tracking tools such as depth cameras, the lab is developing better ways to assess and support standing, walking, and adapted exercise.
MRI technique enables long-term tracking of transplanted stem cell–derived heart cells
Dr. Keyu Zhuang (left, currently a Specially Appointed Research Fellow at Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute at Shanghai University School of Medicine ) and Professor Hai-Ling Margaret Cheng (right) at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto have developed an MRI method to track transplanted stem-cell-derived heart cells over time, enabling scientists to monitor their survival and improve therapies for heart damage such as that caused by heart attacks (Photo: KITE Studio, Tim Fraser).
Advancing pediatric rehabilitation through technology | Elaine Biddiss Lab
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.
Multiple BME faculty secure CIHR project grant funding in fall 2025 competition
Several core faculty members from the Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) have received Project Grant funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) in the Fall 2025 competition. These awards support research across all areas of health, from early‑stage discovery to clinical application.
Engineering RNA nanotechnology for better health | Omar F. Khan Lab
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.
Designing smarter drug delivery for precision medicine | Caitlin Maikawa Lab
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.
Researchers highlight “regenerative healing” as a holistic framework for future health innovations
A new paper by Professors Michael V. Sefton (University of Toronto) and Malcolm King and Alexandra King (University of Saskatchewan) introduces the term “regenerative healing” as a complementary, more holistic concept to regenerative medicine. The authors suggest the framework may better reflect Indigenous perspectives on health and wellness and support more inclusive conversations about emerging biomedical therapies.
Inaugural BESA 3-Minute Thesis Competition Highlights Research Excellence and Communication
The Biomedical Engineering Students Association (BESA) proudly hosted its inaugural 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition, celebrating graduate research excellence and the ability to communicate complex scientific ideas to a broad audience. The competition was held over two stages, with the semi-final round taking place on November 14, 2025, followed by the final round on November 28, 2025, bringing together graduate students from across the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
U of T researchers show that fractal geometry can help kidney cells grow in a more mature form
Researchers at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto have developed a new way to grow specialized kidney cells in the lab so that they look and behave more like they do in the body.
Imaging, Microfluidics, and Diabetes Studies | Jonathan Rocheleau Lab
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.
Decoding the brain’s hidden rhythms | Berj Bardakjian Lab
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.