Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy / en Researchers at 91Թ, partner hospitals receive $35 million in provincial support  /news/researchers-u-t-partner-hospitals-receive-35-million-provincial-support <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Researchers at 91Թ, partner hospitals receive $35 million in provincial support&nbsp;</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-12/GettyImages-1449330889-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=sbwKCn0m 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-12/GettyImages-1449330889-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=QFxQAWPq 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-12/GettyImages-1449330889-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=jaarW-pD 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-12/GettyImages-1449330889-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=sbwKCn0m" alt="EV cars charging in an underground lot"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lanthierj</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-12-11T13:57:47-05:00" title="Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - 13:57" class="datetime">Wed, 12/11/2024 - 13:57</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>The performance of lithium ion batteries that power electric vehicles, like the ones plugged into these chargers, can be degraded by temperature fluctuations – a limitation researchers at 91Թ Engineering are working to change (photo by&nbsp;koiguo/Getty Images)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/tyler-irving" hreflang="en">Tyler Irving</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/institute-biomedical-engineering" hreflang="en">Institute of Biomedical Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leah-cowen" hreflang="en">Leah Cowen</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/sinai-health" hreflang="en">Sinai Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6923" hreflang="en">Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/temerty-faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/unity-health" hreflang="en">Unity Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cell-and-systems-biology" hreflang="en">Cell and Systems Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/anthropology" hreflang="en">Anthropology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/astronomy-astrophysics" hreflang="en">Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/biochemistry" hreflang="en">Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/centre-addiction-and-mental-health" hreflang="en">Centre for Addiction and Mental Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/chemistry" hreflang="en">Chemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/computer-science" hreflang="en">Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/dalla-lana-school-public-health" hreflang="en">Dalla Lana School of Public Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ecology-and-evolutionary-biology" hreflang="en">Ecology and Evolutionary Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/hospital-sick-children" hreflang="en">Hospital for Sick Children</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/laboratory-medicine-and-pathobiology" hreflang="en">Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mathematics" hreflang="en">Mathematics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/physics" hreflang="en">Physics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/psychology" hreflang="en">Psychology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-health-network" hreflang="en">University Health Network</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/utias" hreflang="en">UTIAS</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">From better batteries to preventing memory loss, nearly four dozen projects at 91Թ and its partner hospitals are being supported by the&nbsp;Ontario Research Fund </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Researchers in the 91Թ’s&nbsp;Thermal Management Systems (TMS) Laboratory&nbsp;are working to improve the way battery systems handle heat and develop structural battery pack components. &nbsp;</p> <p>“Whether they are being used for electric vehicles or for stationary energy storage systems that reduce strain on the grid, lithium-ion batteries are transforming the way we use electricity,” said <strong>Carlos Da Silva</strong>, senior research associate at the TMS Lab in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering and executive director of 91Թ’s <a href="https://electrification.utoronto.ca/">Electrification Hub</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>“Unfortunately, today’s batteries are still sensitive to temperature: if they get too cold or too hot, it can degrade their performance and even present safety risks. We are working on new technologies that make batteries more resilient to thermal fluctuations.”&nbsp;</p> <p>The battery-related research is among nearly four dozen projects at 91Թ and its partner hospitals that are receiving almost $35 million in support through the&nbsp;<a href="https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1005382/ontario-investing-92-million-to-support-made-in-ontario-research-and-innovation">Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence (ORF-RE) and the Ontario Research Fund – Small Infrastructure (ORF-SIF)</a>. (<a href="#list">See the full list of projects and their principal researchers below</a>).&nbsp;</p> <p>"Research at the 91Թ and at all universities and colleges across Ontario is the foundation of the province’s competitiveness now and in the future,” said&nbsp;<strong>Leah Cowen</strong>, 91Թ’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>“This investment protects and advances cutting-edge, made-in-Ontario research in important economic sectors and helps ensure universities can continue to train, attract and retain the world’s top talent."&nbsp;</p> <p>At 91Թ Engineering’s TMS Lab, researchers led by&nbsp;<strong>Cristina Amon</strong>, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-professors/">University Professor</a>&nbsp;in the department of mechanical and industrial engineering, are working on two funded projects. They are developing advanced computational modelling and digital twin methodologies that predict and optimize how heat flows through battery packs. The methodologies are carefully calibrated and validated through industry-relevant experiments in the lab.&nbsp;</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-12/TMSlab-2--33_crop.jpg?itok=yj7xlK64" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Senior Research Associate Carlos Da Silva, left, and University Professor Cristina Amon, right, chat in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering's Thermal Management Systems Laboratory (photo by Aaron Demeter)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>These methodologies will help battery designers anticipate and prevent thermal management challenges before they arise. It can also enable them to optimize the design and deployment of fire mitigation measures, such as ultra-thin heat barriers, within their battery systems.&nbsp;</p> <p>The team is also collaborating with Ford Canada and several other companies in the energy storage space. For example, they have worked with Jule (powered by eCAMION) on the development of direct current electric vehicle fast chargers with integrated battery energy storage systems, one of which was <a href="/news/battery-powered-ev-chargers-co-developed-u-t-installed-st-george-campus">recently unveiled on the 91Թ campus</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>“We are grateful for this ORF-RE funding, which will accelerate our research and help us further expand our partnerships, ensuring that battery thermal innovations have a seamless transition from the lab to the marketplace,” Amon said.&nbsp;</p> <p>“As a result of this work, the next generation of batteries will be safer and more resilient than ever before, which is especially important in colder climates like ours here in Ontario.” &nbsp;<a id="list" name="list"></a></p> <hr> <h4>Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence:</h4> <ul> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/13404-cristina-amon"><strong>Cristina Amon</strong></a>&nbsp;in the department of mechanical &amp; industrial engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering – <em>Powering Ontario’s grid transformation and electric vehicle fast charging with thermally resilient battery energy storage &amp; Next-gen electric vehicle battery systems: Lightweight, thermally performant and fire safe for all climates</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/23353-morgan-barense"><strong>Morgan Barense</strong></a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;department of psychology in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science – <em>HippoCamera: Digital memory rehabilitation to combat memory loss</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/21538-aimy-bazylak"><strong>Aimy Bazylak</strong></a>&nbsp;in the department of mechanical &amp; industrial engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering – <em>RECYCLEAN: Critical minerals recycling &amp; re-manufacturing for the energy transition</em></li> <li><strong>Ian Connell</strong>&nbsp;at University Health Network and the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – <em>MRI-compatible innovations for neuromodulation</em></li> <li><strong>Simon Graham</strong>&nbsp;at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – <em>Technological innovations for clinical MRI of the brain at 7 tesla</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/19009-clinton-groth"><strong>Clinton Groth</strong></a>&nbsp;in the Institute for Aerospace Studies in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering – <em>Hydrogen as a sustainable aviation fuel – combustion research to remove impediments to adoption in gas turbine engines</em></li> <li><strong>James Kennedy&nbsp;</strong>at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the department of psychiatry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – <em>Clinical utility and enhancements of a pharmacogenomic decision support tool for mental health patients</em></li> <li><strong>Shaf Keshavjee</strong>&nbsp;at University Health Network and the department of surgery in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – <em>Advanced solutions to human lung preservation and assessment using artificial intelligence</em></li> <li><strong>Aviad Levis</strong>&nbsp;in the department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science – <em>AI and quantum enhanced astronomy</em></li> <li><strong>JoAnne McLaurin</strong>&nbsp;at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the department of laboratory medicine &amp; pathobiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – <em>Conversion of astrocytes to neurons to treat neurodegenerative diseases of the brain and the eye</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/21310-r-j-dwayne-miller"><strong>R. J. Dwayne Miller</strong></a>&nbsp;in the department of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science – <em>PicoSecond InfraRed Laser (PIRL) “cancer knife” with complete biodiagnostics via spatial imaging mass spectrometry</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/10412-javad-mostaghimi"><strong>Javad Mostaghimi</strong></a>&nbsp;in the department of mechanical &amp; industrial engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering – <em>A new generation of compact, transportable mass spectrometers for rapid, in-field sample analysi</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/12421-shirley-xy-wu"><strong>Xiao Yu (Shirley) Wu</strong></a>&nbsp;in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy – <em>Molecular dynamics modeling and screening of excipients for designing amorphous solid dispersion formulations of poorly–soluble drugs</em></li> </ul> <h4>Ontario Research Fund – Small Infrastructure Fund:</h4> <ul> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/28945-celina-baines"><strong>Celina Baines</strong></a>&nbsp;in the department of ecology &amp; evolutionary biology in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science –&nbsp;<em>Impacts of environmental change on organismal movement</em></li> <li><strong>Sergio de la Barrera</strong>&nbsp;in the department of physics in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science –&nbsp;<em>Facility for quantum materials and device assembly from atomically thin van der Waals layers</em></li> <li><strong>Michelle Bendeck</strong>&nbsp;in the department of laboratory medicine &amp; pathobiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>4D quantitative cardiovascular physiology centre</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/1070-laurent-bozec"><strong>Laurent Bozec</strong></a>&nbsp;in the department of laboratory medicine &amp; pathobiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>21st Century challenge for Dentistry: Breaking the cycle of irreversible dental tissue loss</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/45747-mark-chiew"><strong>Mark Chiew</strong></a>&nbsp;at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>Next generation computational MRI for rapid neuroimaging and image-guided therapy</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/42705-haissi-cui"><strong>Haissi Cui</strong></a>&nbsp;in the department of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science –&nbsp;<em>A molecule to mouse approach to study the intracellular localization of genetic code interpretation in mammalian cells</em></li> <li><strong>Andy Kin On DeVeale</strong>&nbsp;at the University Health Network and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health –&nbsp;<em>Sarcopenia and musculoskeletal interactions (sami) collaborative hub</em></li> <li><strong>Ali Dolatabadi</strong>&nbsp;in the department of mechanical &amp; industrial engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering –&nbsp;<em>Advanced cold spray facility</em></li> <li><strong>Spencer Freeman</strong>&nbsp;at the Hospital for Sick Children and the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>Imaging biophysical determinants of the innate immune response</em></li> <li><strong>Liisa Galea</strong>&nbsp;at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Institute of Medical Science in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>Sex and sex-specific factors influencing brain health across the lifespan</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/5658-maged-goubran"><strong>Maged Goubran</strong></a>&nbsp;at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>AI platform for mapping, tracking and predicting circuit alterations in Alzheimer’s disease</em></li> <li><strong>Eitan Grinspun</strong>&nbsp;in the departments of computer science and department of mathematics in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science –&nbsp;<em>A computer graphics perspective on entanglement of slender structures</em></li> <li><strong>Levon Halabelian</strong>&nbsp;in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>Enabling a high-throughput drug discovery pipeline for targeting disease-related human proteins</em></li> <li><strong>Ziqing Hong</strong>&nbsp;in the department of physics in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science –&nbsp;<em>Ultra-sensitive cryogenic detector development for dark matter and neutrino experiments&nbsp;</em></li> <li><strong>Eno Hysi</strong>&nbsp;at the Unity Health Toronto and the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>Structural and functional assessments of diabetic skin microvasculature using photoacoustic imaging</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/6634-lewis-kay"><strong>Lewis Kay</strong></a>&nbsp;in the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – <em>Helium recovery system for the biomolecular NMR facility</em></li> <li><strong>Xiang Li&nbsp;</strong>in the department of chemistry and the department of physic in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science –&nbsp;<em>Real-time multi-faceted probes of quantum materials</em></li> <li><strong>Qian Lin</strong>&nbsp;in the department of cell &amp; systems biology in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science –&nbsp;<em>2p-RAM for whole-brain single-neuron imaging of behaving zebrafish to study neural mechanisms of cognitive behaviours</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/34676-xilin-liu"><strong>Xilin Liu</strong></a>&nbsp;in the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering –&nbsp;<em>Integrated circuits for wireless brain implants with multi-modal neural interfaces</em></li> <li><strong>Stephen Lye</strong>&nbsp;at the Sinai Health System and the department of physiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative (HeLTI) analytics platform</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/52975-caitlin-maikawa"><strong>Caitlin Maikawa</strong></a>&nbsp;in the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering –&nbsp;<em>Biointerfacing&nbsp;materials for drug delivery lab</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/6448-emma-master"><strong>Emma Master</strong></a>&nbsp;in the department of chemical engineering &amp; applied chemistry in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering –&nbsp;<em>Accelerating biomanufacturing innovation through enhanced capacity for scale-up and downstream bioprocess engineering</em></li> <li><strong>Roman Melnyk</strong>&nbsp;at the Hospital for Sick Children and the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>The H-SCREEN: A platform for high throughput and high content imaging-based small molecule screens for disease modulation</em></li> <li><strong>Juan Mena-Parra</strong>&nbsp;in the department of astronomy &amp; astrophysics in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science –&nbsp;<em>An advanced laboratory to enable novel radio telescopes for cosmology and time-domain astrophysics</em></li> <li><strong>Seyed Mohamad Moosavi</strong>&nbsp;in the department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering –<em>&nbsp;Machine learning for nanoporous materials design</em></li> <li><strong>Enid Montague</strong>&nbsp;in the department of mechanical &amp; industrial engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering –&nbsp;<em>Automation and equity in healthcare laboratory</em></li> <li><strong>Michael Norris</strong>&nbsp;in the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>Infrastructure for structural and functional virology research hub</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/18432-amaya-perezbrumer"><strong>Amaya Perez-Brumer</strong></a>&nbsp;in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health –&nbsp;<em>3P lab: Centering power, privilege and positionality for health equity research</em></li> <li><strong>Monica Ramsey</strong>&nbsp;in the department of anthropology at the 91Թ Mississauga –&nbsp;<em>Ramsey Laboratory for Environmental Archaeology (RLEA): How human-environment interactions shaped plant-food</em></li> <li><strong>Arneet Saltzman</strong>&nbsp;in the department of cell &amp; systems biology in the in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science –&nbsp;<em>Heterochromatin regulation in development and inheritance</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/13279-mina-tadrous"><strong>Mina Tadrous</strong></a>&nbsp;in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy –&nbsp;<em>Developing a centre for real-world evidence to improve the use of medications for Canadians</em></li> <li><a href="https://discover.research.utoronto.ca/25515-shurui-zhou"><strong>Shurui Zhou</strong></a>&nbsp;in the department of electrical &amp; computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering –&nbsp;<em>Improving collaboration efficiency for fork-based software development</em></li> <li><strong>Olena Zhulyn</strong>&nbsp;at the Hospital for Sick Children and the department of molecular genetics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine –&nbsp;<em>Targeting translation for tissue regeneration and repair</em></li> <li><strong>Christoph Zrenner</strong>&nbsp;at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering –&nbsp;<em>Next-generation real-time closed-loop personalized neurostimulation</em></li> </ul> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:57:47 +0000 lanthierj 310908 at PhD student's radiopharmaceutical to play key role in clinical trial for lung cancer treatment /news/phd-student-s-radiopharmaceutical-play-key-role-clinical-trial-lung-cancer-treatment <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">PhD student's radiopharmaceutical to play key role in clinical trial for lung cancer treatment</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/stephanie_borlase_faculty-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=Ws9Kd8ze 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-11/stephanie_borlase_faculty-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=uVQxg2x8 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-11/stephanie_borlase_faculty-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=5HYMeDWJ 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/stephanie_borlase_faculty-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=Ws9Kd8ze" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-11-26T15:59:25-05:00" title="Tuesday, November 26, 2024 - 15:59" class="datetime">Tue, 11/26/2024 - 15:59</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Stephanie Borlase developed a radiopharmaceutical, which will be used during a clinical trial at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, to track delivery of immunotherapy drugs across the blood-brain barrier (photo by Dana Thompson)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/eileen-hoftyzer" hreflang="en">Eileen Hoftyzer</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6923" hreflang="en">Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">The compound developed by 91Թ's Stephanie Borlase will be used to track delivery of immunotherapy drugs to metastases in the brain </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A radiopharmaceutical developed by 91Թ PhD student <strong>Stephanie Borlase</strong> is poised to play a key role in a clinical trial that could inform improvements to lung cancer treatment.</p> <p>The trial at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, planned for 2025, will test whether ultrasound can disrupt the blood-brain barrier and increase uptake of immunotherapy into brain metastases – tumours caused by cancer cells spreading to the brain from elsewhere in the body.</p> <p>Although immunotherapy has shown potential as a treatment for lung cancer, it is not able to cross the blood-brain barrier. Borlase’s radiopharmaceutical, which she developed as part of her doctoral research at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, will be used to track delivery of immunotherapy drugs to brain metastases with a PET (positron emission tomography) scan.</p> <p>“This project provides me with the opportunity to learn different aspects of research and be on the forefront of patient treatments,” says Borlase. “It is such an amazing opportunity to be able to see what is happening in the hospital with current patients and clinical trials and know that my research is actually getting to patients.”</p> <p>Borlase completed her undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Manitoba, before seeking out a PhD program where she could conduct research that could potentially be translated into therapies for patients with hard-to-treat cancers.</p> <p>In 2022, she began her PhD with Professor <strong>Raymond Reilly</strong>, director of the <a href="https://www.pharmacy.utoronto.ca/research/centres-initiatives/centre-pharmaceutical-oncology">Centre for Pharmaceutical Oncology</a> (CPO), whose research focuses on developing radiopharmaceuticals to image and treat cancer.</p> <p>By attaching radioactive isotopes to highly targeted agents, radiopharmaceuticals allow clinicians to image tumours through scans and deliver therapeutic doses of radiation directly to the tumour.</p> <p>Borlase has been working towards pairing the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (also known by the brand name Keytruda) with a radioactive isotope that can be imaged by PET – resulting in a radiopharmaceutical that could allow physicians to determine whether the therapy enters the brain and concentrates better in tumours after the application of focused ultrasound.</p> <p>For the first two years of her PhD, Borlase worked in the CPO’s Good Manufacturing Practices facility to prepare the new radiopharmaceutical for clinical trials, optimizing and formulating the drug in a quality suitable for use in humans, and testing it in pre-clinical models.</p> <p>Reilly says that this is an exceptional experience for a graduate student. “One of the greatest impacts and rewards of pharmaceutical sciences research is to see your work advanced to a clinical trial to make a difference in patient outcomes, which Stephanie has this wonderful opportunity to do,” he says.</p> <p>“Not only is she developing the radiopharmaceutical, but she will be working closely with the oncologists and imaging specialists to design and conduct the trial and will get first-hand experience in seeing the results of her PhD research in the PET images of the patients in the trial.”</p> <p>The trial follows on the heels of another study in which clinicians and scientists at Sunnybrook used a radiopharmaceutical provided by Reilly’s team to track the delivery of a breast cancer drug to brain metastases, resulting in the first evidence that the technique improved uptake of the drug.</p> <p>For her part, Borlase says she hopes the trial will lead to better therapies for a form of cancer that is notoriously difficult to treat.</p> <p>“I always hope that researchers can develop new treatments for cancer because it is such a terrible disease that is never going to disappear. Even if we cannot completely cure the brain metastases, we can work to prolong survival to give these individuals more time with their families and friends,” says Borlase, who recently received a Research Training Award from the Canadian Cancer Society and Brain Canada Foundation.</p> <p>“It's such a rare opportunity for PhD students to be able to work with clinician-scientists or oncologists and actually see their research translate into a clinical setting, so the fact that I am able to do this is incredible.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 26 Nov 2024 20:59:25 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 310694 at Why it's important to get your 2024 flu shot – and how to get it /news/why-it-s-important-get-your-2024-flu-shot-and-how-get-it <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Why it's important to get your 2024 flu shot – and how to get it</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/Influenza%20vaccine_Canva-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=AoFex_nT 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-11/Influenza%20vaccine_Canva-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=7dCxE8u4 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-11/Influenza%20vaccine_Canva-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=pICM5WiQ 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/Influenza%20vaccine_Canva-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=AoFex_nT" alt="older man recieves a flu shot from a doctor"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-11-07T09:23:42-05:00" title="Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 09:23" class="datetime">Thu, 11/07/2024 - 09:23</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>The flu vaccine is especially important for adults aged 65 years or older, pregnant people and individuals who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk of complications from influenza infection, 91Թ experts say (photo by Canva)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/ishani-nath" hreflang="en">Ishani Nath</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/centre-vaccine-preventable-diseases" hreflang="en">Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/dalla-lana-school-public-health" hreflang="en">Dalla Lana School of Public Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">91Թ experts on the flu vaccine, where it's available and when's the best time to get it<br> </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>None of<strong> Jeff Kwong</strong>’s patients has asked him about the influenza vaccine yet this fall – but the family physician wants to make sure that getting vaccinated is on people’s radar.</p> <p>That’s because influenza causes <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/flu-influenza/health-professionals.html" target="_blank">an&nbsp;estimated</a>&nbsp;12,200 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths in Canada each year.</p> <p>Moreover, public health officials are doubly concerned this season because of a strain of influenza circulating in wild birds and some agricultural animals. While the risk of avian influenza&nbsp;to the general population remains low, A&nbsp;H5N1&nbsp;has nevertheless infected some humans who have close contact with sick animals.</p> <p>“While current influenza vaccines don’t protect against avian influenza, they may reduce the risk of infection with human influenza viruses and therefore the possibility of both human and avian influenza viruses infecting someone at the same time,” says Kwong, an associate scientist at Sunnybrook Research Institute and professor at the 91Թ’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health.&nbsp;</p> <p>“These co-infections could create a new ‘version’ of influenza that might spread easily among humans and cause very severe disease.”</p> <h4>What is influenza?</h4> <p>Influenza is a respiratory disease that typically causes fever, cough and body aches. While many people recover from influenza within a week to 10 days, for some, an infection can cause severe illness.</p> <p>“It’s a good idea for everyone aged six months or older to get an influenza vaccine, but it’s especially important for adults aged 65 years or older, pregnant people and individuals who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk of complications from influenza infection,” says Kwong, who is the associate director of 91Թ’s <a href="https://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/institutes/centre-for-vaccine-preventable-diseases/">Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases</a> (CVPD), adding that medical conditions of concern include heart diseases, diabetes and even obesity.</p> <p>The most common reason <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization-vaccines/vaccination-coverage/seasonal-influenza-survey-results-2023-2024.html" target="_blank">Canadians give</a> for not getting a flu shot is because they don’t think it’s necessary – a sentiment <strong>Natalie Crown</strong>, associate professor, teaching stream, in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, has heard before.</p> <p>“Sometimes people will tell me they don’t get vaccinated because they think they don’t need it – for example, they’ll say they are healthy and rarely get sick themselves,” says Crown, who is also a CVPD member. “The reality is getting the flu vaccine is one of most effective ways of protecting ourselves from the flu and its complications, and we are doing our part to protect the more vulnerable people around us who are at higher risk of developing complications from the flu.”</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/DSC04496-crop.jpg?itok=LvFwmJEx" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>91Թ’s Discovery Pharmacy's new location in the atrium of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy building is among the places 91Թ community members can get their shot across the three campuses (photo by Dana Thompson)</em></figcaption> </figure> <h4>When to get the influenza vaccine&nbsp;</h4> <p>The flu season doesn’t have a precise start and end date. <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/national-advisory-committee-immunization-statement-seasonal-influenza-vaccine-2024-2025.html" target="_blank">According to the&nbsp;National Advisory Committee on Immunizations (NACI)</a>, influenza season typically starts in December but can start as early as October or as late as February.</p> <p>Influenza vaccines were first made available for high-risk individuals and then for the public, beginning in late October and early November.</p> <p>Since antibodies generated by influenza vaccines gradually decrease over time, Kwong takes a strategic approach to timing his influenza vaccine – but notes that may not be the best approach for everyone.</p> <p>“I tend to wait until around mid-November to get my influenza vaccine, so I will be protected in December when influenza activity often starts, and I can be fairly confident that the vaccine will still offer some protection up to May,” says Kwong. “However, for those at high risk, getting the influenza vaccine in late October is not a bad idea because occasionally influenza activity can start earlier than December.”</p> <h4>Where to get the influenza vaccine</h4> <p>Influenza vaccines are typically available at local community pharmacies, through primary care providers or at dedicated community clinics offered by public health units across the country.</p> <p>Members of the 91Թ community can also <a href="/utogether#clinics">visit UTogether</a> for more information on where to get influenza, as well as COVID-19, vaccines across the university’s three campuses.</p> <h3><a href="/utogether#clinics">Learn more about vaccines at UTogether</a></h3> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:23:42 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 310463 at 91Թ receives $25-million gift from Myron and Berna Garron for Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health /news/u-t-receives-25-million-gift-myron-and-berna-garron-scarborough-academy-medicine-and <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">91Թ receives $25-million gift from Myron and Berna Garron for Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-09/Garron-web-story-crop.jpg?h=e7cc91f6&amp;itok=w-IuqHO6 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-09/Garron-web-story-crop.jpg?h=e7cc91f6&amp;itok=qv4Hbufp 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-09/Garron-web-story-crop.jpg?h=e7cc91f6&amp;itok=--8Jdg88 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-09/Garron-web-story-crop.jpg?h=e7cc91f6&amp;itok=w-IuqHO6" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-09-23T09:58:19-04:00" title="Monday, September 23, 2024 - 09:58" class="datetime">Mon, 09/23/2024 - 09:58</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>(Image supplied)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/advancement-staff" hreflang="en">Advancement Staff</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/david-palmer" hreflang="en">David Palmer</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/lawrence-bloomberg-faculty-nursing" hreflang="en">Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/scarborough-academy-medicine-and-integrated-health" hreflang="en">Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/temerty-faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">91Թ Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">The donation supports the much-needed training of health professionals in the underserved Scarborough and Eastern GTA region</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A $25-million gift from <strong>Myron</strong> and <strong>Berna Garron</strong> will contribute significantly to the construction of a new state-of-the-art facility at 91Թ Scarborough that will house the <a href="https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/samih/">Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health</a> (SAMIH). The gift will also support programming and faculty development –&nbsp;in collaboration with hospital partners such as Scarborough Health Network and Michael Garron Hospital – helping to ensure that SAMIH learners have access to a world-class education right in Scarborough and the Eastern GTA.</p> <p>The 91Թ will name the new building the Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex, in honour of the Garrons’ exceptional generosity.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>“Myron and Berna Garron’s extraordinary benefaction will help us to realize our vision for the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health – to educate health-care professionals from the region, in the region and for the region,” said&nbsp;<strong>Meric Gertler</strong>, president of 91Թ. “On behalf of the 91Թ, I thank them for their leadership in the advancement of this crucial mission.”</p> <h4>Helping to revitalize the health-care landscape</h4> <p>SAMIH, the first hub for educating health professionals in Scarborough and the Eastern GTA and the only medical school in the region, was established to address the critical shortage of&nbsp;family physicians and specialists&nbsp;in the fast-growing area&nbsp;by&nbsp;training health providers who reflect the community. The training will take place in partnership with local hospitals,&nbsp;primary care centres and community agencies.</p> <p>Once the program is fully up and running, SAMIH will have 160 medical students and a combined total of 252 physician assistants, physical therapists and nurse practitioners enrolled.&nbsp;Three top-ranked 91Թ faculties – the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, the&nbsp;Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy – will expand educational programming to this hub.&nbsp;These students will be based at&nbsp;the new Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex, which will also serve as a base for 91Թ Scarborough undergraduates studying health sciences.</p> <p>The Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex, currently under construction, will feature an anatomy lab for medical students, two large classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology, a 25-bed clinical skills lab and 10 instructional labs.&nbsp;To provide hands-on learning and serve the community directly, the facility will&nbsp;house three teaching clinics offering public services: a clinical psychology clinic, a nurse practitioner clinic and a satellite of 91Թ’s Discovery Pharmacy.</p> <p>SAMIH medical trainees will undertake clinical rotations at several area hospitals, including&nbsp;Scarborough Health Network, Lakeridge Health, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences and&nbsp;Michael Garron Hospital – named in memory of Myron and Berna Garron’s late son, who was born there and later died of cancer at the age of 13. The Garrons’ $50-million donation in 2015 to what was then Toronto East General Hospital has resulted in remarkable benefits for people in the region.</p> <p>"We envision SAMIH as closing the circle on providing for total patient care, from educating professionals to delivering care bedside,” said&nbsp;<strong>Myron</strong> and <strong>Berna Garron</strong>. “In an era of extensive shortages of vital health practitioners, we are proud to help fill this educational and training gap, especially for the underserved area of Scarborough and the Eastern GTA."</p> <p>SAMIH&nbsp;is expected to provide numerous benefits for the area.&nbsp;By increasing the number of health providers who will have received 91Թ’s top-tier education, SAMIH will help improve access and care for patients who live in the region, extend the availability of various health-care services via its public clinics, provide opportunities for local students from diverse backgrounds to consider becoming a health professional and increase the likelihood of health professionals trained in Scarborough to practice locally.&nbsp;</p> <p>Furthermore, the partnerships with Scarborough Health Network and Michael Garron Hospital will strengthen research and teaching links between the university and the hospitals.&nbsp;</p> <p>“This generous investment from Myron and Berna Garron is a commitment to the future of health care; through their support of SAMIH and their partnership with Michael Garron Hospital, they’re enabling knowledge creation and sharing that will benefit our communities locally and more broadly,” said&nbsp;<strong>Melanie&nbsp;Kohn</strong>, president and CEO of Michael Garron Hospital. “The Garrons’ gift to our hospital will establish our first chair in education, in partnership with the 91Թ, which will advance our ability to train tomorrow’s outstanding health-care leaders.”</p> <h4>A community of support</h4> <p>SAMIH was made possible by&nbsp;the Government of Ontario’s commitment to fund the expansion of medical education&nbsp;as part of its strategy to address the critical shortage of health professionals in the province.</p> <p>“On behalf of Premier Doug Ford and our government, I want to thank Myron and Berna Garron for their generous donation to the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health,” said&nbsp;<strong>Sylvia Jones</strong>, Ontario’s deputy premier and minister of health. “Your support builds on the largest expansion of medical education that our government has undertaken in 15 years, training more doctors in the GTA than ever before to ensure people can access care in their communities for years to come.”</p> <p>In a further boost for funding the building’s construction, Myron and Berna Garron’s donation triggers $10 million in matching funds from a $25-million gift to SAMIH from Orlando Corporation in 2022.&nbsp;</p> <p>The five-storey, purpose-built Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex is located at U&nbsp;of&nbsp;T Scarborough at the intersection of Military Trail and Morningside Avenue, across from the Toronto Pan Am Centre, and is expected to open in the fall of 2026.&nbsp;</p> <p>“This gift speaks to Myron and Berna Garron’s appreciation of how health-care education enables healthy lives – a key priority of Defy Gravity: The Campaign for the 91Թ,” said&nbsp;<strong>David Palmer</strong>, vice-president of advancement at 91Թ. “We are deeply grateful for this generous donation and the impact it will have on the health of those in Scarborough and the Eastern GTA. The Garron family’s generosity exemplifies how philanthropy can help address inequities and help shape the future of health care in our communities.”</p> <hr> <h3>91Թ leaders react</h3> <p>“As home to the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health, the 91Թ Scarborough is delighted for this opportunity to increase our impact on the community. SAMIH will attract a diverse pool of local talent and afford graduates the ability to&nbsp;establish their careers in Scarborough and the Eastern GTA – an asset for students with personal ties to the region and for a population in great need of more accessible health care.”</p> <p><em>—<strong>Linda Johnston</strong>, 91Թ vice-president and principal of 91Թ Scarborough</em></p> <p>“Building a new health sciences complex to house this region’s first medical academy is a historic undertaking. Creating an academy that is advancing health equity as a key priority is even more exceptional. This is a unique opportunity for Temerty Faculty of Medicine to expand the reach of our world-class programs, innovate teaching models and play a critical role in a pipeline that will infuse the health-care system with a steady stream of much-needed physicians and other health-care professionals.”</p> <p>—<em><strong>Lisa Robinson</strong>, dean, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and vice-provost, relations with health-care institutions</em></p> <p>“Thanks to the Garrons’ substantial support of the new Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex, students from the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing will have the opportunity to advance their nursing expertise in a clinic that is embedded within the community. This unique interprofessional environment will ensure graduates of our nurse practitioner program are well-equipped to meet the urgent need for primary health care in the region.”</p> <p>—<em><strong>Robyn Stremler</strong>, dean, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing</em></p> <p>“We’re thrilled that 91Թ pharmacy students will train on rotation at the Discovery Pharmacy within the new Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex. This additional location offering clinical training in an interdisciplinary setting&nbsp;will be a boon to the profession, given how the scope of practice for pharmacists continues to expand and evolve to better support the people and communities we serve.”</p> <p>—<em><strong>Lisa Dolovich</strong>, dean, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><br> <br> &nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:58:19 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 309504 at 91Թ community members recognized with Order of Canada /news/u-t-community-members-recognized-order-canada-1 <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">91Թ community members recognized with Order of Canada</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-07/GG05-2016-0448-002-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=jYW8P-by 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-07/GG05-2016-0448-002-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=ZxNzYrl8 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-07/GG05-2016-0448-002-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=Y37ZameF 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-07/GG05-2016-0448-002-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=jYW8P-by" alt="order of canada medals on a black background"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>bresgead</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-07-04T12:49:13-04:00" title="Thursday, July 4, 2024 - 12:49" class="datetime">Thu, 07/04/2024 - 12:49</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>(photo by Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall, OSGG-BSGG)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/adina-bresge" hreflang="en">Adina Bresge</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/temerty-faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/unity-health" hreflang="en">Unity Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/institute-health-policy-management-and-evaluation" hreflang="en">Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/chemistry" hreflang="en">Chemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/dalla-lana-school-public-health" hreflang="en">Dalla Lana School of Public Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-music" hreflang="en">Faculty of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/hospital-sick-children" hreflang="en">Hospital for Sick Children</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/order-canada" hreflang="en">Order of Canada</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/political-science" hreflang="en">Political Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-michael-s-college" hreflang="en">St. Michael's College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-college" hreflang="en">University College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-health-network" hreflang="en">University Health Network</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/victoria-college" hreflang="en">Victoria College</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">"The Order of Canada recognizes individuals who have made positive and lasting impacts on communities here in Canada or who have brought honour to our country abroad"</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>An innovator in chemical catalyst development. A global leader in cardiac surgery and care. And a public health expert who led the rollout of Canada’s first colon cancer screening program.</p> <p>These are a few members of the 91Թ community who were recently honoured with appointments or promotions within the Order of Canada.</p> <p>The Governor General <a href="http://www.gg.ca/en/media/news/2024/order-canada-june">recently announced 83 new appointments</a> to the Order of Canada, including two promotions within the Order.</p> <p>They include <strong>Doug Stephan</strong>, a<a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-professors/"> University Professor</a>&nbsp;of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science; <strong>Lee Errett</strong>, a professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine’s department of surgery, and&nbsp;<strong>Linda Rabeneck</strong>, a health executive and&nbsp;professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.</p> <p>Established in 1967, the Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest honours, recognizing extraordinary contributions across all sectors of society.</p> <p>“The Order of Canada recognizes individuals who have made positive and lasting impacts on communities here in Canada or who have brought honour to our country abroad,” Gov. Gen. <strong>Mary Simon</strong> said in a statement.</p> <p>Here is a list of 91Թ faculty, alumni and supporters who were appointed to, or promoted within, the Order of Canada in the latest round of honourees.</p> <hr> <h4>Current and former faculty</h4> <p><strong>Edward Cole</strong>, a staff nephrologist at Toronto General Hospital and professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine’s department of medicine, was named a Member of the Order for his dedication to advancing and delivering care to people living with kidney disease, his instrumental role in establishing a globally impactful kidney-paired donation program and his leadership as former physician-in-chief at the University Health Network.</p> <p><strong>Lee Errett</strong>, a&nbsp;professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine’s department of surgery, was appointed a Member of the Order for his transformative leadership in cardiac research and care, including his role in establishing St. Michael’s Hospital as a world-class centre for cardiac surgery, his dedication to educating future medical leaders and providing care in underserved areas worldwide.</p> <p><strong>Franklyn Griffiths</strong>, a professor emeritus and George Ignatieff Chair Emeritus of Peace and Conflict Studies in the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science, was appointed a Member of the Order for his scholarship on Russian affairs which has advanced the Western world’s understanding of Soviet politics. An expert in Arctic international relations, Griffiths helped create the Arctic Council and pushed for Indigenous voices to play a central role in the council’s workings.</p> <p><strong>Beverley Johnston</strong>, an internationally renowned percussionist who is an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Music, was appointed an Officer of the Order for her work developing and promoting Canadian music to audiences around the world. Working in a male-dominated field, Johnston’s unconventional performances combine classical transcriptions, contemporary music and an element of theatre.</p> <p><strong>Daphne Maurer</strong>, a professor emeritus of psychology, neuroscience and behaviour at McMaster University who holds a status appointment at 91Թ’s Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, was appointed an Officer of the Order for her research on visual and cognitive development in early childhood.</p> <p><strong>Linda Rabeneck</strong>, a gastroenterologist, health executive and&nbsp;professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, was named a Member of the Order for her leadership in colorectal cancer screening and prevention. Formerly the director of the Division of Gastroenterology at 91Թ, she led the rollout of ColonCancerCheck, Canada’s first province-wide screening program.</p> <p><strong>Stephen Randall</strong>, who earned his master's degree and doctorate at 91Թ and taught at the university from 1971 to 1974, was named a Member of the Order for his academic contributions and advisory role in international relations. A professor emeritus at the University of Calgary, Randall’s expertise in myriad issues affecting the United States and Latin America, notably Colombia, has informed Canada’s foreign policy.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Bibudhendra Sarkar</strong>, senior scientist emeritus at the Research Institute of the Hospital for Sick Children and professor emeritus at 91Թ’s department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, was named a Member of the Order for his achievements in advancing medical research in Canada and abroad. He discovered a novel treatment for patients with Menkes disease, a rare genetic condition, and led international efforts in South and Southeast Asia to address public health crises from contaminated groundwater.</p> <p><strong>Jonathan Scott Rose</strong>, a professor in the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering, was named a Member of the Order for his pioneering work in architecture and software used in field-programmable gate arrays. Rose served as the chair of the department from 2004 to 2009 and received his PhD degree in electrical engineering from 91Թ in 1986.</p> <p><strong>Doug Stephan</strong>, a <a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-professors/">University Professor</a> in the department of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science, was named an Officer of the Order in recognition his world-leading research in inorganic and organometallic chemistry. His many achievements include discovering – and commercializing – a new class of catalysts that is now used in one of the largest chemical manufacturing facilities in the world. He also achieved global renown for founding the field of “Frustrated Lewis Pair” chemistry.</p> <h4>Alumni and friends</h4> <p>Sleight-of-hand artist <strong>David Ben</strong>, who graduated from University College in 1983, was named a Member of the Order for his four decades of dedication to the exploration, development and preservation of magic, including penning several books on the subject and co-founding the Magicana organization.</p> <p><strong>William Fox</strong>, a research fellow and adjunct professor at Trent University who earned his honours bachelor of arts and master of arts in archeology at 91Թ, was named a Member of the Order for his distinguished contributions to Canadian archeology, his leadership in the Ontario Archaeological Society, and his steadfast advocacy for the involvement of Indigenous communities in preserving their material heritage.</p> <p><strong>Martha Friendly</strong>, who founded the Childcare Resource and Research Unit at 91Թ’s Centre for Urban and Community Studies in the early 1980s, was appointed an Officer of the Order for her work with the now-independent non-profit and her advocacy for accessible, publicly funded early childhood education and care, and women’s equality.</p> <p><strong>Rosemary Ganley</strong>, a writer, activist, teacher and an alumna of St. Michael’s College, was named a Member of the Order for her lifelong advocacy for human rights, gender equity, and social justice, including co-founding Jamaican Self Help, an organization of Canadians working to support the development of healthy Jamaican communities.</p> <p><strong>Arnie Gelbart</strong>, a member of the Chancellors’ Circle of Benefactors, was named a Member of the Order for his decades-long leadership in independent film and television in his role as founder, executive producer and CEO of Galafilm Productions Inc.</p> <p><strong>Judy Kent</strong> was named a Member of the Order for championing sport as a catalyst for social change, her advocacy for gender equality and inclusion and her leadership in international support. Among her achievements: She was the first woman to serve as both president of Commonwealth Sport Canada and Canada’s chef de mission for the Commonwealth Games, and her paper on sport for international development laid the foundation for the SportWORKS program.</p> <p><strong>James David Meekison</strong>, with a 45-year career spanning investment banking, cable television and private equity, was named a Member of the Order for his extensive philanthropy. The Jim Meekison and Carolyn Keystone Foundation supported 91Թ’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy’s efforts to launch the Discovery Pharmacy on the St. George campus.</p> <p><strong>Michael Perley</strong>, a 91Թ alumnus who completed a master’s degree in French language and literature, was named a Member of the Order for his lifelong dedication to tackling environmental and health challenges. He has been an advocate for tighter tobacco control laws, reducing second-hand smoke exposure and has led coalitions on acid rain and air pollution.</p> <p><strong>Dan Poenaru</strong>, a pediatric surgeon and professor at McGill University who earned two degrees at 91Թ, was named a Member of the Order for his contributions to pediatric surgery in Africa, including establishing a surgical unit and training program in Kenya, co-founding three medical schools and leading initiatives for children's surgery globally.</p> <p><strong>Vaira Vike-Freiberga</strong>, an alumna of Victoria College and the first woman to serve as Latvia’s president, was named an honorary Officer of the Order for her work enriching Canada-Latvia relations and for reflecting Canadian values abroad.</p> <p><em>– with files from Mariam Matti and Rahul Kalvapalle</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 04 Jul 2024 16:49:13 +0000 bresgead 308380 at ‘Give yourself grace’: Pharmacy grad from Nigeria reflects on 91Թ journey /news/give-yourself-grace-pharmacy-grad-nigeria-reflects-u-t-journey <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">‘Give yourself grace’: Pharmacy grad from Nigeria reflects on 91Թ journey</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-06/Udounwa-5.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=ch_yHul3 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-06/Udounwa-5.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=QIph15z3 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-06/Udounwa-5.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=YCtEmthR 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-06/Udounwa-5.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=ch_yHul3" alt="Theodora Udounwa stands outside the Pharmacy building signage"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-06-13T09:46:18-04:00" title="Thursday, June 13, 2024 - 09:46" class="datetime">Thu, 06/13/2024 - 09:46</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><i>Theodora Udounwa completed her 91Թ undergraduate degree in just two years before studying to be a pharmacist at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (photo by Steve Southon)</i></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/eileen-hoftyzer" hreflang="en">Eileen Hoftyzer</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2024" hreflang="en">Convocation 2024</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-michael-s-college" hreflang="en">St. Michael's College</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">At age 21, Theodora Udounwa is graduating with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Theodora Udounwa</strong>&nbsp;was 15 years old when she left her family in Nigeria and traveled to Canada to begin a bachelor of science at the 91Թ.</p> <p>Born and raised in Abuja, Udounwa graduated from high school at an unusually young age due to a combination of an early start to kindergarten and skipping a grade due to outstanding academic performance.</p> <p>It was a trend that would continue at 91Թ. After only two years as an undergraduate, specializing in pharmacology and biomedical toxicology with a minor in physiology, Udounwa began her doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy.</p> <p>“Pharmacy was always the plan. I enjoyed pharmacology greatly, but I was also interested in patient care, and I saw pharmacy as a bridge between applying those theoretical principles to patient care,” says Udounwa, who graduated with her PharmD last week at only 21 years old. “There are also a lot of career options in addition to patient care, like academic and research, that I thought would be a good fit for me.”</p> <p>Like many youths in Nigeria, Udouwna attended boarding school during middle school and high school – an experience that stood her in good stead when she moved into St. Michael’s College residence, where she was younger than her peers. The proximity to her older sister – who attended university in nearby Hamilton – and an aunt in Ajax meant she was able to spend holidays with family members in the area.</p> <p>Udouwna also took it upon herself to get involved with student groups such as the Nigerian Students’ Association, where she was able to meet students from her home country and share her culture.</p> <p>Starting the PharmD program during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Udounwa grasped the opportunity to contribute to the public health response and strengthen her training, delivering<span style="font-size: 1rem;">&nbsp;more than 1,600 COVID-19 vaccinations as well as numerous flu shots at Discovery Pharmacy pop-up clinics.</span></p> <p>She also completed rotations at Shoppers Drug Mart, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto General Hospital, St. Michael’s Hospital (Unity Health Toronto), the outpatient pharmacy at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the Canadian Armed Forces.</p> <p>All along, she stayed involved with student groups, holding several positions with the Black Pharmacy Students’ Association and the 91Թ chapter of the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns (CAPSI).</p> <p>She says one of the highlights of her time at 91Թ was attending CAPSI’s 2023 professional development week in Saskatoon, where she supported 16 91Թ delegates and took advantage of several educational and networking opportunities.&nbsp;“It was great to connect with students from other pharmacy schools, and I appreciated the opportunity to expand my professional skills and clinical knowledge,” she says. “We also had the chance to visit an Indigenous heritage site, Wanuskewin, and learn about Indigenous history and culture, which was very enriching.”</p> <p>Udounwa’s involvement in extracurricular activities earned her numerous accolades including a <a href="http://www.pharmacy.utoronto.ca/news-announcements/four-students-leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy-recognized-leadership-and-service">91Թ Student Leadership Award</a> and a <a href="http://www.pharmacists.ca/about-cpha/awards-recognition/cpha-award-winners/cpha-centennial-leadership-award/#UofT">Canadian Pharmacists’ Association Centennial Leadership Award</a>.&nbsp;“Devoting time to volunteering and participating in student groups has enabled me to facilitate macro-level changes that directly impact the pharmacy student community. It has also fostered my personal and professional growth through forming connections with and learning from students and practice leaders," Udounwa said upon receiving her Student Leadership Award earlier this year.</p> <p>Looking ahead, Udounwa says she’s keeping her options open but envisions working directly with patients in some capacity. Her next step: an industry residency at pharma giant Novo Nordisk's medical affairs and strategic operations department.</p> <p>Having navigated the challenges of moving to a new country for university and experiencing a new culture, Udounwa says she would advise incoming university students to be kind to themselves as they forge their journey.</p> <p>“This is a pivotal moment in our careers; be patient and give yourself grace as you go through the process and navigate through that uncertainty to the next great opportunity.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:46:18 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 308155 at 91Թ researchers' approach to producing neural cells could yield new treatments for Parkinson’s /news/u-t-researchers-approach-producing-neural-cells-could-yield-new-treatments-parkinson-s <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">91Թ researchers' approach to producing neural cells could yield new treatments for Parkinson’s</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-05/Andy-Yang-and-Stephane-Angers-crop.jpg?h=062762c7&amp;itok=LwN6tW3B 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-05/Andy-Yang-and-Stephane-Angers-crop.jpg?h=062762c7&amp;itok=0VrvqorZ 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-05/Andy-Yang-and-Stephane-Angers-crop.jpg?h=062762c7&amp;itok=6JaZuBzT 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-05/Andy-Yang-and-Stephane-Angers-crop.jpg?h=062762c7&amp;itok=LwN6tW3B" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-05-13T09:03:19-04:00" title="Monday, May 13, 2024 - 09:03" class="datetime">Mon, 05/13/2024 - 09:03</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>PhD Student Andy Yang, left, and Professor Stephane Angers, right, at the&nbsp;Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology are advancing a novel approach to developing dopaminergic neurons (supplied images)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/anika-hazra" hreflang="en">Anika Hazra</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/institutional-strategic-initiatives" hreflang="en">Institutional Strategic Initiatives</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/temerty-faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/donnelly-centre-cellular-biomolecular-research" hreflang="en">Donnelly Centre for Cellular &amp; Biomolecular Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine-design" hreflang="en">Medicine by Design</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/parkinson-s" hreflang="en">Parkinson's</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">An antibody was used to selectively activate a receptor in a molecular signalling pathway to develop dopaminergic neurons </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Researchers at the 91Թ&nbsp;believe they’ve found a way to better control the generation of key neurons depleted in Parkinson’s disease – suggesting a potentially new approach to addressing a disease with no cure and few effective treatments.</p> <p>In preclinical studies, the researchers used an antibody to selectively activate a receptor in a molecular signalling pathway to develop dopaminergic neurons. These neurons produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter critical to brain health.</p> <p>While researchers around the world have been working to coax stem cells to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons to replace those lost in patients living with Parkinson’s disease, the efforts have so far been hindered in part by an inability to target specific receptors and areas of the brain.</p> <p>“We used synthetic antibodies that we had previously developed to target the Wnt signaling pathway,” said principal investigator&nbsp;<strong>Stephane Angers</strong>, who is director of 91Թ’s Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology and a professor in the&nbsp;Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy&nbsp;and the&nbsp;Temerty Faculty of Medicine.</p> <p>“We can selectively activate this pathway to direct stem cells in the midbrain to develop into neurons by targeting specific receptors in the pathway. This activation method has not been explored before.”</p> <p>Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurological disorder after Alzheimer’s, affecting over 100,000 Canadians. It particularly impacts older men, progressively impairing movement and causing pain as well as sleep and mental health issues.</p> <p>Most previous research efforts to activate the Wnt signaling pathway relied on a GSK3 enzyme inhibitor. This method involves multiple signaling pathways for stem cell proliferation and differentiation, which can have an unintended effect on the newly produced neurons and activate off-target cells.</p> <p>“We developed an efficient method for stimulating stem cell differentiation to produce neural cells in the midbrain,” said&nbsp;<strong>Andy&nbsp;Yang</strong>, first author on the study and a PhD student at the Donnelly Centre. “Moreover, cells activated via the FZD5 receptor closely resemble dopaminergic neurons of natural origin.”</p> <p>Another promising finding of the study, <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/dev/article/151/5/dev202545/344080/Exploiting-spatiotemporal-regulation-of-FZD5">published recently in the journal&nbsp;</a><em><a href="https://journals.biologists.com/dev/article/151/5/dev202545/344080/Exploiting-spatiotemporal-regulation-of-FZD5" target="_blank">Development</a>,</em>&nbsp;is that implanting the artificially-produced neurons in a rodent model with Parkinson’s disease led to improvement of the rodent’s locomotive impairment.</p> <p>“Our next step would be to continue using rodent or other suitable models to compare the outcomes of activating the FZD5 receptor and inhibiting GSK3,” said Yang. “These experiments will confirm which method is more effective in improving symptoms of Parkinson’s disease ahead of clinical trials.”</p> <p>The research was supported by 91Թ’s Medicine by Design program, an <a href="https://isi.utoronto.ca">institutional strategic initiative</a> that receives funding from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 13 May 2024 13:03:19 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 307839 at 91Թ, hospitals launch pilot program to boost commercialization of medical innovations /news/u-t-hospitals-launch-pilot-program-boost-commercialization-medical-innovations <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">91Թ, hospitals launch pilot program to boost commercialization of medical innovations</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-04/UofT84617_u-of-t-engineering-artificial-skin-3d-printer_crop.jpg?h=b5967229&amp;itok=9qImMz4G 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-04/UofT84617_u-of-t-engineering-artificial-skin-3d-printer_crop.jpg?h=b5967229&amp;itok=8_1yH6uj 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-04/UofT84617_u-of-t-engineering-artificial-skin-3d-printer_crop.jpg?h=b5967229&amp;itok=DjeSv2ck 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-04/UofT84617_u-of-t-engineering-artificial-skin-3d-printer_crop.jpg?h=b5967229&amp;itok=9qImMz4G" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-04-24T10:19:19-04:00" title="Wednesday, April 24, 2024 - 10:19" class="datetime">Wed, 04/24/2024 - 10:19</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>(photo by Daria&nbsp;Perevezentsev)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/rahul-kalvapalle" hreflang="en">Rahul Kalvapalle</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/acceleration-consortium" hreflang="en">Acceleration Consortium</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/institutional-strategic-initiatives" hreflang="en">Institutional Strategic Initiatives</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6923" hreflang="en">Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/department-chemistry" hreflang="en">Department of Chemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/department-computer-science" hreflang="en">Department of Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-art-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Art &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/hospital-sick-children" hreflang="en">Hospital for Sick Children</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/startups" hreflang="en">Startups</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-health-network" hreflang="en">University Health Network</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The 91Թ is collaborating with the University Health Network, the Hospital for Sick Children and Sunnybrook Research Institute on a new program that aims to leverage the expertise of entrepreneurs and business leaders to advance commercialization of emerging medical technologies and regenerative medicine research.</p> <p>Funded by the Government of Ontario, the Entrepreneur-In-Residence program will support projects that display high potential for clinical impact and spin-off company formation, spanning areas ranging from regenerative therapies and medical devices to AI-powered clinical tools and apps for patient care.</p> <p>The one-year pilot program is being launched with the help of a $300,000 grant from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ontario.ca/page/intellectual-property-ontario" target="_blank">Intellectual Property Ontario</a> (IPON), a provincial agency that was established in 2022 to provide IP resources and supports to researchers and businesses.</p> <p>“The Entrepreneur-in-Residence program will help take medical innovations developed in academic and hospital environments and translate them into the commercial arena, generating economic opportunity for the region and expanding clinical impact globally,” said&nbsp;<strong>Leah Cowen</strong>, 91Թ’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.</p> <p>“The 91Թ is grateful to IPON for its support of this initiative, which stands to strengthen existing networks of knowledge exchange and collaboration between the university and its partner hospitals.”</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-04/1712597781040-crop.jpg?itok=m5KpLqHM" width="750" height="500" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>&nbsp;Jill Dunlop, left,Ontario’s minister of colleges and universities, said post-secondary institutions are critical incubators of innovation and commercialization&nbsp;(photo courtesy of IPON)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>The program will see Entrepreneurs-in-Residence – individuals with a track record of launching science-based ventures and shepherding projects from proof-of-concept to incubation, acceleration and seed funding – liaise with 91Թ’s Innovations &amp; Partnerships Office and IPON to generate and protect IP.&nbsp;It is designed to add capacity and scope to 91Թ’s thriving entrepreneurship and commercialization ecosystem, including existing Entrepreneur-in-Residence initiatives such as those offered by the&nbsp;<a href="https://rhse.temertymedicine.utoronto.ca/entrepreneur-residence-eir#:~:text=The%20Temerty%20Faculty%20of%20Medicine,stages%20of%20their%20entrepreneurial%20journey.">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://mbd.utoronto.ca/news/expands-eir-program/">Medicine By Design</a>, an&nbsp;<a href="https://isi.utoronto.ca/">institutional strategic initiative</a>&nbsp;(ISI).</p> <p>“In today’s global knowledge-based economy, Ontario’s post-secondary institutions are critical –&nbsp;&nbsp;not just as centres of learning, but as incubators for innovation and commercialization,” said&nbsp;<strong>Jill Dunlop</strong>, minister of colleges and universities, in a recent announcement of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ip-ontario.ca/media/ontario-investing-46-million-to-fuel-made-in-ontario-innovations-at-colleges-and-universities">new IPON-funded initiatives</a>.</p> <p>“Through the province’s support of IPON, our government is ensuring the social and economic benefits of publicly funded research stay in our province, so that Ontarians and the Ontario economy benefit from these new discoveries and innovations.”</p> <p>Dunlop also spoke at an April 8 event with&nbsp;<strong>Christine Allen</strong>, a professor in 91Թ’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy who has an extensive track record of translating and commercializing lab discoveries.&nbsp;</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-04/Junction-38---Panel-%281%29-crop.jpg?itok=hsDEv8Tt" width="750" height="434" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Christine Allen, far right, is a professor in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and the founder and CEO of Intrepid Labs (photo courtesy of IPON)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>At the event, Allen highlighted the growth of her startup,&nbsp;<a href="https://intrepidlabs.tech/" target="_blank">Intrepid Labs Inc.</a>, which she co-founded with&nbsp;<strong>Alán Aspuru-Guzik</strong>, a professor in the departments of chemistry and computer science in 91Թ’s Faculty of Arts &amp; Science and director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://acceleration.utoronto.ca/">Acceleration Consortium</a>. The company marries Allen’s prowess in drug formulation and development with Aspuru-Guzik’s expertise in AI and advanced computing in order to accelerate the development of next-generation medicines. In the fall, the company closed a pre-seed round of US$4 million.</p> <p>“The availability of top-notch talent in AI and life sciences made Toronto a great place to launch our company,” says Allen, who is Intrepid’s CEO, noting all four of the startup’s co-founders are from 91Թ.</p> <p>She added that 91Թ is a powerhouse for entrepreneurship and intellectual property, ranked second in North America for university-based startups, and that companies with founders or co-founders from 91Թ make up a significant percentage of some of the fastest-growing companies in Ontario.</p> <p>“This is the beauty of being at the 91Թ and having the MaRS Discovery District across the street and all the hospitals around us. It’s such a rich environment,” she says.&nbsp;</p> <p>“We can do this in Toronto.”</p> <p>Allen stressed that a thriving lab-to-market ecosystem is critical to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.&nbsp;</p> <p>“Students are increasingly seeking out roles in the private sector,” she says. “For them to see other students and faculty members [found startups] helps them realize that it’s possible for them to start companies, too.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 24 Apr 2024 14:19:19 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 307620 at What Now? AI, Episode 3: Innovation for Good /news/what-now-ai-episode-3-innovation-good <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">What Now? AI, Episode 3: Innovation for Good</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-04-18T16:47:11-04:00" title="Thursday, April 18, 2024 - 16:47" class="datetime">Thu, 04/18/2024 - 16:47</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-youtube field--type-youtube field--label-hidden field__item"><figure class="youtube-container"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pq8hrKLBIjM?wmode=opaque" width="450" height="315" id="youtube-field-player" class="youtube-field-player" title="Embedded video for What Now? AI, Episode 3: Innovation for Good" aria-label="Embedded video for What Now? AI, Episode 3: Innovation for Good: https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pq8hrKLBIjM?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </figure> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/temerty-faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/unity-health" hreflang="en">Unity Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/what-now-ai" hreflang="en">What Now? AI</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-institute-technology-and-society" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/computer-science" hreflang="en">Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-information" hreflang="en">Faculty of Information</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/startups" hreflang="en">Startups</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">91Թ Mississauga</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>While the news headlines about&nbsp;AI often focus on dangers and risks, the potential for life-saving innovation in fields such as health care is huge.</p> <p>In the third episode of&nbsp;What Now? AI, co-hosts&nbsp;<strong>Beth Coleman</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Rahul Krishnan</strong>&nbsp;of the 91Թ are joined by experts&nbsp;<strong>Christine Allen</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Andrew Pinto</strong>&nbsp;to discuss AI’s potential to advance drug development and dramatically improve primary care.&nbsp;</p> <p>Listen to episode three on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-now-ai/id1635579922" target="_blank">Apple</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6E0YlC5Sw59q7Al5UAWOP8?si=795f1fa38c2b4812" target="_blank">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://soundcloud.com/universityoftoronto" target="_blank">SoundCloud</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-what-now-ai-99641114/" target="_blank">iHeartRadio</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://music.amazon.ca/podcasts/60a0653e-3cd0-410e-b270-2582480b991a/what-now-ai" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. Watch <a href="https://youtu.be/Pq8hrKLBIjM?si=ds5TrkR8DMc5VZq_" target="_blank">episode three on YouTube</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Allen, a professor in 91Թ’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and an expert in drug formulation and development,&nbsp;co-founded<a href="https://intrepidlabs.tech/" target="_blank"> Intrepid Labs Inc.</a>&nbsp;with&nbsp;<strong>Alán Aspuru-Guzik</strong>, a professor in the departments of chemistry and computer science in 91Թ’s Faculty of Arts &amp; Science.&nbsp;</p> <p>One of the first startups to emerge from the&nbsp;<a href="https://acceleration.utoronto.ca/">Acceleration Consortium</a>&nbsp;at 91Թ, Intrepid Labs&nbsp;is accelerating pharmaceutical drug development through the integration of AI, automation and advanced computing.</p> <p>“It’s this concept of using AI to explore the unexplored,” Allen says.&nbsp;</p> <p>“What if that formulation could really transform the properties and performance of your drug is one of those unexplored formulations. That will then take that drug through clinical development smoothly and get it to patients faster, which is really the goal.”</p> <p>Meanwhile, Pinto, a family physician at St. Michael’s Hospital and director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://upstreamlab.org/" target="_blank">Upstream Lab</a>, Unity Health Toronto, focuses his research on addressing the social determinants of health by running clinical trials of interventions and using AI tools for surveillance of respiratory illness.&nbsp;</p> <p>“When we started to do this work around AI in primary care, we wanted to be directed by primary care providers and patients,” says Pinto, an&nbsp;associate professor in the department of family and community medicine in 91Թ’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine and at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.&nbsp;</p> <p>Reducing health-care inequities is top of mind for Pinto. His lab focuses on implementing AI to prioritize community engagement and bridge socioeconomic gaps to mitigate biases.&nbsp;</p> <p>“We’re using these tools to look at all of the patients in a population and then focus our attention on the people who need it most.”&nbsp;</p> <h4>About the hosts:&nbsp;</h4> <p><strong>Beth Coleman</strong> is an associate professor at 91Թ Mississauga’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/iccit/" target="_blank">Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology</a>&nbsp;and the Faculty of Information. She is also a&nbsp;research lead on AI policy and praxis&nbsp;at the<a href="http://srinstitute.utoronto.ca/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a>. Coleman authored&nbsp;<a href="https://k-verlag.org/books/beth-coleman-reality-was-whatever-happened/" target="_blank"><em>Reality Was Whatever Happened: Octavia Butler AI&nbsp;and Other Possible Worlds</em></a>&nbsp;using art and generative AI.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Rahul Krishnan</strong>&nbsp;is an&nbsp;assistant professor in 91Թ’s department&nbsp;of computer science in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science&nbsp;and&nbsp;department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. He is a Canada CIFAR Chair at the Vector Institute, a faculty affiliate at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society and a faculty member at the&nbsp;<a href="https://tcairem.utoronto.ca/" target="_blank">Temerty Centre for AI Research and Education in Medicine</a>&nbsp;(T-CAIREM).&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 18 Apr 2024 20:47:11 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 307507 at Heart-on-a-chip model used to glean insights into COVID-19-induced heart inflammation /news/heart-chip-model-used-glean-insights-covid-19-induced-heart-inflammation <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Heart-on-a-chip model used to glean insights into COVID-19-induced heart inflammation</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-04/UofT88202_085A2553-crop.jpg?h=f8f43332&amp;itok=A3PeF_fh 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-04/UofT88202_085A2553-crop.jpg?h=f8f43332&amp;itok=o10tRJKs 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-04/UofT88202_085A2553-crop.jpg?h=f8f43332&amp;itok=qixWlgS0 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-04/UofT88202_085A2553-crop.jpg?h=f8f43332&amp;itok=A3PeF_fh" alt="Person working under a fume hood at 91Թs Toronto High Containment Facility"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-04-08T15:06:23-04:00" title="Monday, April 8, 2024 - 15:06" class="datetime">Mon, 04/08/2024 - 15:06</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Researchers worked in the&nbsp;Toronto High Containment Facility at 91Թ&nbsp;to examine the effects of COVID-19 on heart inflammation (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/betty-zou" hreflang="en">Betty Zou</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/institute-biomedical-engineering" hreflang="en">Institute of Biomedical Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/temerty-faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/unity-health" hreflang="en">Unity Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-health-network" hreflang="en">University Health Network</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Researcher dedicates study to her late grandmother, who died from COVID-19-induced heart failure</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Researchers at the 91Թ and its partner hospitals have created a unique heart-on-a-chip model that is helping untangle the causes of COVID-19-induced heart inflammation and uncover strategies to reduce its impact.</p> <p>While COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory infection, clinicians and researchers are increasingly aware of the virus’s effects on other organs –&nbsp;including the heart. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between March 2020 and January 2021 had 15 times higher risk for developing myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, compared to patients without COVID-19.</p> <p>But the biology behind the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and heart inflammation&nbsp;had remained unclear – in part&nbsp;because there have not been good models with which to study infection-related heart inflammation.</p> <p>“Conventionally, people grow heart cells in a 2D setting and then expose it to SARS-CoV-2 to see how the virus damages the heart. But that’s not actually what happens in our body,” says&nbsp;<strong>Rick Lu</strong>, a PhD graduate from 91Թ’s&nbsp;Institute for Biomedical Engineering who is currently a postdoctoral researcher at 91Թ’s&nbsp;Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy.&nbsp;</p> <p>Lu is the first author of a new&nbsp;study <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adk0164">published in&nbsp;<em>Science Advances</em></a>&nbsp;that describes a miniature 3D heart-on-a-chip model that more accurately captures the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its associated immune response on cardiac dysfunction.</p> <p>The first-of-its-kind model builds on previous work led by&nbsp;<strong>Milica Radisic</strong>, Lu’s PhD adviser, a senior scientist at&nbsp;University Health Network&nbsp;and a 91Թ professor of biomedical engineering. The approach uses a lab-made network of blood vessels surrounded by heart tissues grown from stem cells to mimic a real human heart with its tangle of vessels going in and out.&nbsp;</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-04/Milica-Science-Advances-paper_banner.png?itok=WbRG6ccJ" width="750" height="422" alt="&quot;&quot;" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>From left to right: Researchers Milica Radisic, Rick Lu and Claudia dos Santos (supplied images)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>To examine the effects of COVID-19 on heart inflammation, Lu and his colleagues first had to adapt their model to work in the&nbsp;<a href="https://epic.utoronto.ca/high-containment-laboratory-c-cl3/">Toronto High Containment Facility</a>, a specialized lab that allows researchers to study high-risk pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 in a safe and secure way.&nbsp;</p> <p>“This work would simply not be possible without the Toronto High Containment Facility,” says Radisic, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Organ-on-a-Chip Engineering.</p> <p>In the high containment lab, the researchers added live virus and immune cells to the blood vessels and allowed them to flow through their mini hearts-on-a-chip, replicating the immune response that happens after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. They found that the combination of SARS-CoV-2 and immune cells reduced the heart’s ability to contract and pump. To understand why, the researchers turned to mitochondria, the tiny energy storehouses that power the muscle’s beating movements. They showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection led to loss of mitochondria and a release of mitochondrial DNA from the heart cells into the nutrient broth used to grow the organoids.</p> <p>Working with&nbsp;<strong>Claudia dos Santos</strong>, a scientist and critical care doctor at&nbsp;Unity Health Toronto, associate professor of&nbsp;medicine&nbsp;and Pitts Research Chair in Acute Care and Emergency Medicine at 91Թ’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, the researchers then asked whether the presence of freely circulating mitochondrial DNA is also seen in patients experiencing COVID-19-induced heart complications.</p> <p>They analyzed blood samples from patients with and without COVID-19 and found nearly two-and-a-half times higher levels of mitochondrial DNA in patients who were COVID-19-positive. Their findings point to mitochondrial DNA levels as a powerful predictor of a person’s risk of experiencing cardiac problems after SARS-CoV-2 infection.</p> <p>The team also showed that a new type of cell-based therapy called exosomes – little cargo vessels that bubble off cells – could reduce inflammation and mitochondria loss, as well as improve heart function, after SARS-CoV-2 infection, highlighting their potential to repair COVID-19-associated heart damage.</p> <p>By integrating blood vessels and immune cells, Lu hopes that the innovative heart-on-a-chip model can help researchers and clinicians understand and identify treatment strategies for other infection-related heart conditions.&nbsp;</p> <p>“The good thing about our system is that it’s readily adaptable to any kind of infectious disease,” says Lu. “The other benefit is that we don’t have to rely as much on animal models. Since we’re already using human-derived cells, the clinical translatability is much higher.”</p> <p>As a next step, Radisic’s group plans to use the miniature organs to uncover why males are more likely than females to experience COVID-19-associated heart complications and to examine the cardiac issues commonly seen in people with long COVID-19.</p> <p>Radisic says the motivation for this work was deeply personal. She dedicated the study to her late grandmother who died from COVID-19-induced heart failure after six weeks in the intensive care unit.</p> <p>“The feeling of helplessness is rather profound when a loved one is dying,” she says. “As scientists, we can take small steps toward new cures so that other people do not meet the same fate. For me, this work meant overcoming the feeling of helplessness.”</p> <p>The work was supported by investments from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the creation of the&nbsp;91Թ COVID-19 biobank&nbsp;and the Precision Medicine in Critical Care (PREDICT) Biobank at Unity Health Toronto – and by the contributions of patients and families that donated biological samples, making significant advances in research possible.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 08 Apr 2024 19:06:23 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 307166 at