Date: Tuesday April 29, 2025

Time: 10:00am – 11:00am

Location: Donnelly Centre

160 College Street, 2^nd Floor, Red Seminar Room

Speaker: Dr. Gregory De Crescenzo, PhD Polytechnique Montréal

The market of therapeutic recombinant proteins is now dominated by monoclonal antibodies (mAbs); it now exceeds 100 billion dollars. Due to the complexity of mAb molecular structure and mode of production, mAb manufacturing still represent a significant economic burden to the public health care system. On the one hand, in the biopharmaceutical industry, the lack of cost-effective and high-throughput methods to assess mAb critical quality attributes severely impedes the improvement of current manufacturing processes relying on cell culture. First and foremost, the assessment of mAb glycosylation, a post translational modification performed by the cells, is crucial as glycosylation directly influences mAb stability and therapeutic efficacy. On the other hand, in the clinic, the mode of administration of mAbs also needs improvement to achieve maximal therapeutic efficacy, as it forces the use of huge doses, in turn leading to patient inconvenience and high medical treatment costs. Furthermore, the lack of an efficient and versatile approach to promote the sustained local delivery of mAbs, alone or in combination with other drugs, severely impedes the development and implementation of the next-generation therapeutics. In this presentation, I will focus on the versatile and efficient engineering strategies my team has developed to control mAb quality and delivery by spearheading the use of two distinct peptides, the E and K coils, to design better biosensing assays and control the capture of bioactive mAbs in hydrogels.

Biography

Gregory De Crescenzo is full Professor within the Chemical Engineering department at Polytechnique Montréal. De Crescenzo was CRC-Tier 2 in Protein-enhanced Biomaterials Chairholder (2006-2016). His multidisciplinary training in chemical engineering (INSA Toulouse, France) and biochemistry (McGill University) gives him a particularly broad vision of bioprocess and biomedical engineering. He specializes in analytical technologies

applied to biomanufacturing. Notably, he is an authority on Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR)-biosensing, with international recognition in the development of SPR assays to characterize protein-protein interactions. His research translated in the training of over 25 HQPs in bioprocess engineering holding for most of them key position in industry in Europe and North America (Merck, Astra Zeneca, GSK, among others), within the last ten years. These achievements led to De Crescenzo spearheading a large biomanufacturing initiative, RAMP-UP, to boast research and training while providing adequate infrastructure towards the preparation for the next pandemic. RAMP-UP works in close collaboration with key biopharmaceutical companies based in Quebec. Worth mentioning, De Crescenzo is also director of PrEEmiuM since 2018, a NSERC-funded training program (CREATE), focused on co-training students from pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering to optimize their employability in Canada’s biomanufacturing industry. Since 2023, he leads the Biomanufacturing priority axis for the Quebec-based strategic cluster, for research on protein function, engineering, and applications (PROTEO).

Hosted by Dr. Molly Shoichet Snacks and refreshments will be served

The Graduate Centre for Academic Communication (GCAC) is offering free, non-credit Courses, Workshops, Writing Centre consultations, and Boot Camps this Summer.

GCAC Courses

Click any course title for a description:

• Academic Conversation Skills
  • May 7 – Jun 11, 10am – 12pm
• Graduate Writing 1: Establishing Your Foundation
  • May 7 – Jun 4, 2pm – 4pm
  • May 9 – Jun 6, 1pm – 3pm
• Graduate Writing 2: Revising for Clarity
  • May 9 – Jun 6, 10am – 12pm
• Navigating the Publishing Process
  • May 8 – Jun 5, 10am – 12pm
• Oral Presentation Skills
  • May 6 – Jun 10, 10am – 12pm
  • May 9 – Jun 6, 10am – 12pm
  • May 13 – Jun 10, 5pm – 7pm
• Prewriting Strategies for Developing and Organizing Your Ideas
  • May 20 – Jun 10, 10am – 12pm
• Thesis Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences
  • May 13 – Jun 10, 2pm – 4pm
• Writing SSHRC Proposals
  • May 26 – Jun 9, 2pm – 4pm
• Writing NSERC Proposals
  • Jun 2 – Jun 16, 2pm – 4pm
• Writing CIHR Proposals
  • Jun 4 – Jun 18, 5pm – 7pm

Course Selection Form – click here to register for up to two Summer 2025 courses

GCAC Live Online Workshops

• May 15: How to Give Engaging Conference Presentations
• May 20: Writing a Literature Review that Demonstrates the Need for your Research
• May 21: Becoming a Productive Writer
• May 22: Finding Additional Granting Sources
• May 29: Using Online Language Tools for Academic Writing
• Jun 3: Diagramming Strategies for Clarifying Your Thinking Before You Write
• Jun 17: Writing a Thesis or Grant Proposal
• Jun 19: Writing Field Notes for Qualitative Research
• Jun 24: Considering the Use of Generative AI in Academic Writing
• Jun 26: Conducting Interviews in Social Science Research

Click here for live workshop details and registration links.

On-demand workshops are always available.

40-minute Writing Centre consultations are available every week.

The GCAC is hosting a Dissertation Boot Camp and a Research Article Boot Camp in June. Click here for more information.

Many graduate students apply for research scholarships and awards in their first few weeks/months in graduate school. The material below will help you familiarize yourself with scholarship-writing opportunities, the awards students usually apply for in our graduate unit, and the supports available through the U of T’s School of Graduate Studies.

Common terms:

OGS: the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, funded by the provincial government and universities 

Tri-agency funding programs: The federal government runs annual competitions for graduate scholarships through the following three agencies:

SSHRC: The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

NSERC: The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

CIHR: The Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Graduate unit deadlines to apply for Tri-agency funding are usually in mid-late September (for doctoral scholarships) and on December 1 (for Master’s scholarships), so we are providing the information below to help you learn how to get started early on preparing a scholarship application.

Additional Information: More information on specific awards is available on the agency websites and through the School of Graduate Studies’ Awards Office at https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/awards/

Training in Writing Research Proposals:

The School of Graduate Studies’ Graduate Centre for Academic Communication (GCAC) offers free 6- hour courses for U of T graduate students on Writing SSHRC Proposals, Writing NSERC Proposals, and Writing CIHR Proposals. These courses are offered twice a year (May/June and August), and in addition to class time, they include tutorials and chances to submit your draft proposal for written and oral feedback. As an incoming U of T graduate student, you are eligible to register for one of these courses in May/June or in August. Dates for the August courses will be posted on the GCAC website in June. Registration for the May/June online courses listed below is now open. You should register only for the course focused on the award for which you will be applying in Fall 2025.

Writing SSHRC Proposals	Writing NSERC Proposals	Writing CIHR Proposals
May 26 – Jun 9 inclusive Mondays 2pm – 4pm	Jun 2 – Jun 16 inclusive Mondays 2pm – 4pm	Jun 4 – Jun 18 inclusive Wednesdays 5pm – 7pm

Click here to register: https://folio.utoronto.ca/students/Workflows/Detail/129

Speaker: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Stieglitz Thomas Stieglitz

Head of Laboratory for Biomedical Microtechnology

Managing Director Dept. Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK)

Spokesperson BrainLinks-BrainTools Center

When: Friday, May 30, 2025 1:00 PM-2:00 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
Where: Bahen Centre Room 2135

Abstract: Neural interfaces need to provide stable and reliable functional interfaces to the target structure in chronic implantations both in neuroscience experiments and especially in human clinical applications. Proper selection of substrate, insulation, and electrode materials is of paramount importance as well as the knowledge how process parameters in device manufacturing influence material longevity. Aspects such as size, thickness, and shape contribute significantly to structural biocompatibility and modulate post-implantation foreign body reaction. Our work focused on polyimide as the substrate and insulating material with integrated thin film metallization as the conductor in our flexible neural interface approach. Platinum, iridium oxide, glassy carbon, and PEDOT serve as interconnect lines and electrode coatings, respectively, depending on the intended electrode size and application. We have investigated different metal-polyimide compounds after in vitro stimulation but also devices after explantation. Optical imaging during electrical stimulation of platinum in vitro showed actuation of thin-films during Implantation as potential origin of adhesion loss. In addition, accelerated aging led to changes in grain structures in these platinum layers. Post explantation analysis of platinum recording arrays from studies up to two years in ferrets proved these initial observations and showed signs of hydrogen embrittlement. In addition, dimpling of arrays into brain tissue, secondary dura and bone growths showed limitations in structural biocompatibility in exemplary cases. Peripheral nerve electrodes from stimulation in human clinical studies over a period of up to six months has demonstrated the stability of iridium oxide sites and the integrity of the metal-polymer multilayer film using silicon carbide as an adhesion promoter. Analysis of explanted fragments, however, showed the necessity to be able to image the device-tissue interface in one stage without separating devices from biological material. The layer composition and tissue contact to the surface might help to better assess the interface compatibility and the influence of surface roughness and coatings on the foreign body reaction and device functionality and longevity. So far, results are encouraging to continue the translational research path from basic studies to the first human clinical trials, which are necessary to prove that new materials, technologies and devices are applicable in clinical applications and can eventually be translated into an approved medical device.t

Bio: Thomas Stieglitz was born in Goslar in 1965. He received a Diploma degree in electrical Engineering from Technische Hochschule Karlsruhe, Germany, in 1993, and a PhD and habilitation degree in 1998 and 2002 from the University of Saarland, Germany, respectively. In 1993, he joined the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering in St. Ingbert, Germany, where he established the Neural Prosthetics Group. Since 2004, he is a full professor for Biomedical Microtechnology at the Albert-Ludwig-University Freiburg, Germany, currently acting as managing director of the Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) at the Faculty of Engineering and serves as deputy spokesperson of the Cluster BrainLinks-BrainTools, board member of the Intelligent Machine Brain Interfacing Technology (IMBIT) Center and spokesperson of the research profile “signals of life” of the university. His research interests include neural interfaces and implants, biocompatible assembling and packaging and brain machine interfaces.

Dr. Stieglitz has co-authored about 200 peer reviewed journal publications, 350 conference proceedings and holds 35 patents. He is co-founder and scientific consultant of CorTec GmbH and neuroloop GmbH, two spin-off companies which focus on neural implant technology and neuromodulation, respectively. Dr. Stieglitz is member of the Materials Research Society, the Society for Neuroscience, Fellow of the IEEE and serves the EMBS in the technical committee of neural engineering. He is with the German Biomedical Engineering Society (DGBMT im VDE) where he is chair of the Neural Prostheses and Intelligent Implants section as well as delegate in the standardization committee DKE. He is also founding member of the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society (IFESS

Looking for a summer job? Considering applying for Summer 2025 Work Study positions? Clubs & Leadership Development, Mentorship & Peer Programs, Orientation, Transition & Engagement and the Multi-Faith Centre are hiring various Work Study roles for the period from May 2025 to August 2025. These roles will be available to apply for on the CLNx Job Boards beginning on April 4,2025, at noon and will close on April 13, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Additionally, we will be hosting an online information session to provide more information about the roles, as well as the application timeline and tips on how to boost your application.

Date: April 4, 2025

Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Registration via Folio: https://folio.utoronto.ca/students/events/detail/5128912

Dear Final-Year Engineering PhD Students, 

My name is Cony Qin (MEng, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering), and I am the student project lead for “Understanding Key Factors Impacting Doctoral Education in Engineering Fields”, supervised by Professor Ariel Chan, Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry. 

We are conducting a survey to explore the key factors that influence doctoral education experiences and academic success among Engineering PhD students at U of T. The survey is open to all final-year PhD students in Engineering, and we would greatly appreciate your participation! The survey will remain open until April 18. 

This survey is anonymous, and no personally identifiable information will be collected. Participation is voluntary, and you may withdraw consent at any time simply by choosing not to complete the survey. 

Survey Link: https://forms.office.com/r/h14JSpHHqw

Thank you for your time and support! 

Note: This project has been approved by the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, the University of Toronto’s Research Ethics Board, and the Office of the Vice-President & Provost (Human Research Protocol #47855). It adheres to ethical guidelines for data collection, storage, and privacy protection. 

Your participation in this survey is greatly appreciated. Please direct any questions or concerns to cony.qin@mail.utoronto.ca or ariel.chan@utoronto.ca.