Hospital for Sick Children

Fourteen researchers at the UUֱ�� are receiving 2023-24 Connaught Innovation Awards to help accelerate the development and commercialization of technologies with high potential to have a positive impact on society.

“I would like to congratulate this year’s recipients of Connaught Innovation Awards, whose research is fostering solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time,” said Leah Cowen, UUֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “From harnessing machine learning to improve interpretation of lung function tests to developing low-cost and scalable methods to monitor methane at landfills, these scholars are advancing novel ways to utilize technology to have a transformative impact in areas of critical importance in Canada and around the world.”

This year’s recipients are:

Edgar Acosta, department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering: Lecithin-based, self- micro/emulsifying delivery systems (SM/EDS) for drug and nutraceutical delivery
Ana Andreazza, department of pharmacology and toxicology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine: Mitochondrial Isolation Device (MitoDx)
Gisele Azimi, department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering: Supercritical fluid extraction for recycling of critical materials from E-waste
Opher Baron, Rotman School of Management: SiMLQ: Transforming process data into actionable insights
Chung-Wai Chow, University Health Network and Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine: Machine Learning to facilitate accurate interpretation of pulmonary function tests
Maryam Faiz, department of surgery, Temerty Faculty of Medicine: Astrocyte to oligodendrocyte reprogramming (A2O) for repair in chronic multiple sclerosis (MS)
Andrew Fraser, department of molecular genetics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine: Establishing methods for single-cell metabolomics using hydrogel-embedded barcode aptamers
Roman Genov, Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering: Fast Pixel-Programmable Image Sensors for Cost-Effective Imaging without Motion Artifacts
Cynthia Goh, department of chemistry, Faculty of Arts & Science: Harnessing bacterial-surface interactions for rapid pathogen identification
Frank Gu, department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering: Magnesium ion crosslinked hyaluronic acid hydrogels for biomedical applications
Jörg Liebeherr, Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering: Low-cost large-scale methane monitoring at landfills
Xilin Liu, Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering: Energy-Efficient Edge Machine Learning Accelerator for Neuromodulation
Andreas Mandelis, department of mechanical and industrial engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering: Intravascular Differential Photoacoustic Catheter Imager for Quasi-Invasive Detection of Vulnerable Plaques and Calcification in Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis
Hani Naguib, department of mechanical and industrial engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering: Aerogel Film Materials for Thermal Management Systems

The Connaught Innovation Award, which provides one-time seed funding to support the development and commercialization of the researchers’ innovative technologies, is backed by the Connaught Fund – the largest internal university research funding program in Canada. Established 52 years ago through the sale of Connaught Medical Research Laboratories, which is known for the discovery and production of insulin, the fund supports UUֱ�� scholars through programs such as the New Researcher Award, Community Partnership Research Program, Major Research Challenge for Black Researchers, McLean Award and international doctoral scholarships.

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Charlene Chu and Lindsay Jibb awarded AMS Healthcare Compassion and Artificial Intelligence Research Fellowships

lanthierj — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 20:21:13 +0000

Charlene Chu and Lindsay Jibb awarded AMS Healthcare Compassion and Artificial Intelligence Research Fellowships

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Wed, 09/13/2023 - 16:21

Faculty

St. George

Hospital for Sick Children

Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

UHN

landscape

Assistant Professors Lindsay Jibb, left, and Charlene Chu, right, are the 2023 AMS Healthcare Compassion and Artificial Intelligence fellowship recipients (supplied images)

Assistant Professor Charlene Chu and Assistant Professor Lindsay Jibb of the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, have each been awarded a 2023 Research Fellowship in Compassion and Artificial Intelligence from AMS Healthcare.

The one-year fellowship recognizes leaders and innovators addressing health-care challenges and focuses on the integration of digital technology and compassionate care in health-care services.

Chu’s project, in partnership with KITE Research Institute at the University Health Network, involves the use of a multi-modal sensor system to monitor the recovery of older adults discharged from hospital following hip fracture surgery. The goal of the project is to gain a better understand of recovery trajectories for older adults.

“The most exciting aspect of the AMS fellowship for me is the mentorship component and the formalized opportunity it provides to learn from experts in a range of disciplines from Canada and beyond,” Chu says.

Jibb, a prominent researcher in children’s cancer, is co-designing a mobile app with her team at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) to support parents in managing their child’s cancer pain at home. The hope is that artificial intelligence will help create a customizable tool targeted to the specific pain needs of each child.

“We have heard from parents how important it is for them to have an opportunity to stay connected with their child’s care team when not in hospital, and to feel supported in managing their child’s illness,” Jibb says. “We are hopeful that this technological intervention will help meet that need.”

Read the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing story

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13 UUֱ�� faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

lanthierj — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 19:43:09 +0000

13 UUֱ�� faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Tue, 09/05/2023 - 15:43

Department of Biochemistry

Department of Medicine

Department of Philosophy

Department of Psychology

Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Hospital for Sick Children

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

UHN

landscape

Thirteen faculty members from across the UUֱ�� have been appointed Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada – a prestigious distinction given to the country’s most distinguished scholars, artists and scientists.

“The UUֱ�� congratulates these extraordinary researchers on this important recognition of their dedication, leadership and impact,” says Leah Cowen, UUֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “Across a diverse array of disciplines, they are addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges – and their contributions to their respective fields continue to break new ground.”

The new Fellows are:

Ryan Balot of the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Paul Bloom of the department of psychology in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Tom Chau of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Robert Gerlai of the department of psychology at UUֱ�� Mississauga
Alberto Leon-Garcia of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Jason Moffat of the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the department of molecular genetics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Amit Oza of the University Health Network (UHN) and the department of medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Daniela Rotin of SickKids and the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Aaron Schimmer of UHN and the department of medical biophysics in in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
William Seager of the department of philosophy at UUֱ�� Scarborough
Valerie Tarasuk of the department of nutritional sciences in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
R. Paul Thompson of the Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science and Technology in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Daniel Trefler of the Rotman School of Management

They join more than 350 Fellows of the Royal Society affiliated with UUֱ��.

11 UUֱ�� faculty named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

lanthierj — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 14:45:02 +0000

11 UUֱ�� faculty named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Wed, 09/07/2022 - 10:45

Faculty

St. George

Royal Society of Canada

Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Faculty of Arts & Science

Hospital for Sick Children

St. Michael's Hospital

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

landscape

Eleven faculty from across the UUֱ�� have been appointed Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada – a recognition awarded to the country’s most distinguished scholars, artists and scientists.

“These remarkable researchers from an array of disciplines have made extraordinary contributions to their respective fields, helping to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time,” says Leah Cowen, UUֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“The UUֱ�� congratulates them on this important recognition of their research, leadership and impact.”

The new Fellows are:

Laurent Brochard, of the interdepartmental division of critical care in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and St. Michael’s Hospital
Miriam Diamond, of the department of earth sciences in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Joel Kamnitzer, of the department of mathematics in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Yong Baek Kim, of the department of physics in the Faculty of Arts & Science
David Malkin, of the department of paediatrics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
Steven Miller, formerly of the department of paediatrics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
Ue-Li Pen, of the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Ito Peng, of the department of sociology in the Faculty of Arts & Science
David Sinton, of the department of mechanical and industrial engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Janet Smylie, of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and St. Michael’s Hospital
Igor Stagljar, of the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine

They join 405 members of the UUֱ�� community who currently hold the designation.

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Matt Ratto recognized with Minister of College and Universities’ Award of Excellence

lanthierj — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 20:38:10 +0000

Matt Ratto recognized with Minister of College and Universities’ Award of Excellence

Community

lanthierj Wed, 10/14/2020 - 16:38

Faculty

St. George

Faculty of Information

Hospital for Sick Children

Minister of College and Universities' Award of Excellence

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Toronto General Hospital

landscape

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Associate Professor Matt Ratto of the Faculty of Information has received a Minister of College and Universities' Award of Excellence for his extraordinary contributions to the COVID-19 response in Ontario through the Toronto Emergency Device Accelerator (TEDA).

“The UUֱ�� congratulates Professor Ratto on this important recognition,” said Professor Christine Allen, UUֱ��’s associate vice-president and vice-provost, strategic initiatives. “When essential protective health equipment was in short supply this spring, he coordinated a 20-strong team of professionals, using equipment like 3D printers to produce materials such as reusable face shields – and user-friendly guidelines to ensure they would be used safely.”

“Partnering with the Toronto General Hospital, the Hospital for Sick Children and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre among others, they were able to make a real and immediate difference.”

Ratto said TEDA shows “the clear positive impacts” that can happen when people work across disciplines and connect directly to communities in need.

“I was so impressed at the way UUֱ�� faculty, staff, and students worked directly with health-care professionals in hospitals and long-term care facilities to create innovative solutions to the critical supply issues we faced in Canada,” Ratto said. “Some of this work leveraged UUֱ��’s technical expertise and involved new uses of digital fabrication equipment like 3D printers and laser cutters. But much of it involved the study and analysis of social context and workplace organization as part of the process of finding and fitting innovative solutions into actual use.

“I’d like to thank the designers, engineers, scientists, clinicians, and humanities scholars who all lent their knowledge and skills to the project.”

Nine UUֱ�� researchers named fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

lanthierj — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 17:48:04 +0000

Nine UUֱ�� researchers named fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Fri, 10/09/2020 - 13:48

Faculty

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Hospital for Sick Children

Unity Health

St. Michael's Hospital

Toronto Western Hospital

Mount Sinai Hospital

Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

University Health Network

Toronto Rehabilitation Institute

Women in STEM

landscape

Nine UUֱ�� researchers have been named fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in recognition of their “vision, innovation and sustained excellence.”

One of three national academies that make up the Council of Canadian Academies, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences leverages the expertise of Canada’s leading health sciences researchers to examine the most pressing and complex health challenges of the day, share assessments and recommend actionable solutions.

“This honour is one of the highest distinctions for academics in the health sciences field and the UUֱ�� congratulates these faculty members on this important recognition of their research accomplishments, scientific leadership and creativity – and their contributions to the public good,” said University Professor Ted Sargent, vice-president research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“It’s also a testament to the vital importance of our hospital and health-system partners who help make those contributions possible.”

The new fellows are:

David Chitayat, professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and head of the prenatal diagnosis and medical genetics program, Mount Sinai Hospital
Dafna Gladman, professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and senior scientist, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto Western Hospital
Katherine S. McGilton, associate professor in the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and senior scientist, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-University Health Network
Heyu Ni, professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and senior scientist and platform director, Canadian Blood Services Centre for Innovation at St. Michael’s Hospital
Ravi Retnakaran, professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and clinician-scientist, Mount Sinai Hospital, Leadership Sinai Centre for Diabetes
Norman Rosenblum, professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and senior scientist, The Hospital for Sick Children
Janet Smylie, professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Research Chair, St. Michael’s Hospital and staff physician, Unity Health Toronto
Ross Upshur, professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and associate director, Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health
Lu-Yang Wang, professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and senior scientist, The Hospital For Sick Children Research Institute

“Your induction is a reflection of your vision, innovation and sustained excellence in your field,” said Dr. Proton Rahman, the chair of the CAHS fellowship committee. “Undoubtedly, your expertise will further enrich our Academy.”

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10 UUֱ�� researchers named fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

lanthierj — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 20:50:20 +0000

10 UUֱ�� researchers named fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Fri, 09/20/2019 - 16:50

Faculty

St. George

Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

Faculty of Medicine

Hospital for Sick Children

CAMH

St. Michael's Hospital

Women in STEM

landscape

L-R: Christine Allen, Heather Boon and Fang Liu

Ten researchers from the UUֱ�� have been named fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences – one of the most esteemed honours for academics in the field.

“The UUֱ�� would like to congratulate these 10 faculty members from our health sciences community on this most deserved recognition of their scholarship and research accomplishments,” said Vivek Goel, UUֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“Their election to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences is a testament to UUֱ��’s strengths in areas of health sciences that run the gamut from bench to bedside and molecule to population.”

The new fellows are:

Christine Allen of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
Heather Boon of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
Jocalyn Clark of the department of medicine in the Faculty of Medicine and The Lancet
Ronald Cohn of the department of paediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine and president of The Hospital for Sick Children
Linda Johnston of the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
Lawrence Leiter of the department of medicine in the Faculty of Medicine and associate scientist of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael’s Hospital
Fang Liu of the department of psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine and senior scientist of molecular neuroscience in the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Stephen Matthews of the department of physiology in the Faculty of Medicine
Carles Muntaner of the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing
Antonio Strafella of the department of medicine in the Faculty of Medicine and senior scientist of the Research Imaging Centre at the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Read the UUֱ�� News story

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Stephen Scherer awarded 2019 Killam Prize for health sciences

lanthierj — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 20:04:10 +0000

Stephen Scherer awarded 2019 Killam Prize for health sciences

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Thu, 04/25/2019 - 16:04

Faculty

St. George

Faculty of Medicine

Hospital for Sick Children

landscape

(Photo by Perry King)

University Professor Stephen Scherer is the recipient of a 2019 Killam Prize – the top annual award of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Scherer, one of the top genetic researchers in the world, is being awarded the prize in health sciences. A professor in the UUֱ��'s department of molecular genetics, he is also the co-founder and director of the Centre for Applied Genomics at the Hospital for Sick Children and the director of UUֱ��’s McLaughlin Centre.

Scherer founded the Database of Genomic Variants, the world’s most-used database for gene copy number variation (CNV) – repeated or deleted copies of entire genes that vary by individual – that helps facilitate thousands of clinical diagnoses around the world every day. In the early 2000s, Scherer’s team identified the CNV of specific genes involved in brain development that contribute to autism.

Read the UUֱ�� News story

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Hospital for Sick Children

14 UUֱ�� researchers recognized with Connaught Innovation Awards

Charlene Chu and Lindsay Jibb awarded AMS Healthcare Compassion and Artificial Intelligence Research Fellowships

Read the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing story

13 UUֱ�� faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Read more about the Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

11 UUֱ�� faculty named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Matt Ratto recognized with Minister of College and Universities’ Award of Excellence

Read more about TEDA

Nine UUֱ�� researchers named fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

10 UUֱ�� researchers named fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

Read the UUֱ�� News story

Stephen Scherer awarded 2019 Killam Prize for health sciences

Read the UUֱ�� News story