Posts Tagged: Graduate Life
Sarah is a 5th‑year Engineering Science student majoring in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto, where she also competes on the Varsity Cross Country and Track & Field teams. A USports Academic All‑Canadian and recipient of both the OUA and USports Cross Country Community Service Awards, she is recognized for her excellence in athletics, academics, and community impact. She is completing her senior thesis in Professor Leo Chou’s lab, developing chemical strategies to attach antigens to DNA-based nanostructures to enhance their stability and immunogenicity, contributing to the advancement of next‑generation DNA-based immunotherapies.
The Last Breath (2025), a digital artwork created in Adobe Fresco by biomedical engineering Master of Engineering student Dinuri Punchihewa, was selected as the cover image for this year’s annual Biomedical Engineering magazine.
The Biomedical Engineering Students’ Association (BESA) is led by a passionate and diverse group of students committed to building community, advocating for student interests, and creating meaningful academic, professional, and social opportunities. We are excited to introduce the BESA 2025-2026 team.
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.
Ammara Faiyaz moved from Canada to Saudi Arabia at age five, where limited opportunities for women and personal challenges shaped her determination to pursue science. She is now a second-year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto, researching neurotechnology to improve rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy.
Vrushali Guruji is a fourth-year PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto, where she studies how aortic valve disease influences blood flow and molecular changes in the aorta. Her work spans fundamental research and collaborations aimed at developing new treatments, while her commitment to STEM outreach supports programs that mentor and inspire future scientists. Discover how her research and advocacy are contributing to a more inclusive and innovative scientific community.
Meet Abigail Cave, a 2025 graduate of the Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering program at the University of Toronto. She recently participated in the Medventions fellowship at Sunnybrook Research Institute, where her multidisciplinary team focused on improving code blue response in interventional cardiology. Their solution integrates real-time guidance and data-driven insights to enhance clinical workflows and documentation. Currently, Abigail is a Fulbright Student at Georgia Tech, pursuing a thesis-based master’s in biomedical engineering. She continues her research at Emory University’s Candace Fleischer Lab, studying brain temperature in healthy individuals to support future neurological studies.
Meet Alex Schneider, a recent graduate of the University of Toronto’s Biomedical Engineering MEng program, now working full-time as a biomedical applications scientist. Here, Alex shares how the program helped her pivot from academic research to industry, build a broader skill set, and discover a passion for optomechanics and biomodulation.
Wummy Meng shares her journey through the Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering program. From a formative research experience at the KITE Rehabilitation Institute to an internship at a medical device start-up, Wummy highlights the program’s academic strengths and hands-on opportunities. She also offers advice to future students on making the most of their time in the program.
Meet members of the leadership team from the Biomedical Engineering Student Association (BESA) at the University of Toronto. BESA oversees student engagement within the graduate biomedical engineering community, organizing extracurricular activities, professional development opportunities, and events that support academic and career growth.
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