Human Biology

Convocation 2023

Graduate Stories

Artificial Intelligence

Immunology

machine learning

Medical Research

Subheadline

Even while undertaking complex research, the human biology and immunology student took the time to help her peers

While studying for her honours bachelor of science degree, new University of Toronto graduate Irene Fang capitalized on opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.

Majoring in human biology and immunology in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Fang researched innovative methods in ultrasound detection driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. She’s also working on research into cells and proteins in humans that could lead to new treatments and therapies for immunocompromised patients.

Even amid that busy schedule, Fang was determined to help others succeed. As a senior academic peer advisor with Trinity College, she was admired for her dedication to learning and the U of T community.

“I want to keep giving back because I am so appreciative of the upper-year mentors I connected with, starting in first year,” Fang says. “They continue to serve as an inspiration, motivating me to further develop personal and professional skills.”

Fang spoke with Faculty of Arts & Science writer David Goldberg about what she learned during her undergraduate studies, the importance of peer support and her post-graduation plans.

Why was U of T the right place for you to earn your undergraduate degree?

U of T provided a plethora of academic, research and experiential learning opportunities alongside a world-class faculty to help cultivate my curiosity and consolidate my knowledge. In conjunction with an unparalleled classroom experience, I gained a real-world perspective with international considerations through the Research Opportunities Program.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention how extracurricular activities enhanced and enriched my university experience. The many clubs at U of T helped me focus on my passions and make meaningful connections with like-minded peers who became my support network, enabling me to reach my full potential.

How is your area of study going to improve the life of the average person?

It is absolutely fascinating that AI has already revolutionized the medical field. Specifically, AI possesses the potential to aid in the classification of ultrasound images, enhancing early detection and diagnosis of internal bleeding because of injuries or hemophilia. Overall, AI may lead to more efficient care for patients, thereby improving health outcomes.

In terms of my immunology research, since the memory B cells expressing the specific receptor are dysregulated in people suffering from some autoimmune disorders and infectious diseases, a better understanding of how memory B cells are regulated could provide valuable insight into the underlying mechanisms of such diseases so we can enable scientists to develop new therapies that alleviate patients’ symptoms.

What are you hoping to do after graduation?

I aspire to pursue a career in the medical field, conduct more research and nurture my profound enthusiasm for science while interacting with a diverse group of people. I hope to devote my career to improving human health outcomes while engaging in knowledge translation to make science more accessible to everyone.

Why was working as a peer advisor at U of T important to you?

I remember feeling overwhelmed as a first-year student until I reached out to my academic peer advisors. Had I not chatted with them, I would not have known about – let alone applied for – my first research program. Looking back, it opened the door to many more new, incredible possibilities and opportunities.

This experience made me realize the significance and power of mentorship, inspiring me to become an academic peer advisor. Seeing my mentees thrive and achieve their goals has made this role so rewarding – so much so that I am determined to engage in mentorship throughout my career after graduation.

What advice do you have for current and incoming students to get the most out of their U of T experience?

Ask all questions – because there are no silly questions. Get involved, whether it be volunteering, partaking in work-study programs, sports or joining a club. Meeting new people and talking to strangers can be daunting, but the undergraduate career is a journey of exploration, learning and growth.

Be open-minded and don’t be afraid to try something new. Immersing yourself in distinct fields enables you to discover your interests and passions, which can lead you to an unexpected but meaningful path.

Also, be kind to yourself because failures are a normal part of the learning process – what’s important is that you take it as an opportunity to learn, grow and bolster your resilience.

And finally, although academia and work can keep you busy, remember to allocate time for self-care. Exercise, sleep and pursue hobbies because mental health is integral for success in life.

'People need to take care of themselves': With new website, U of T prof seeks to create a path to well-being

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 15:58:10 +0000

'People need to take care of themselves': With new website, U of T prof seeks to create a path to well-being

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 03/24/2022 - 11:58

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Frances Garrett, an associate professor of Buddhist and Tibetan studies, gave students assignments that promoted well-being throughout the pandemic and later turned the approach into a larger project called Windvane (photo courtesy of Frances Garrett)

Topic

Religion

Trinity College

“As we are blown by waves of grief or fires of rage, a global pandemic, climate disaster and social injustice, can we channel our energies into strengths?” The University of Toronto’s Frances Garrett hopes the answer will be “yes.”

Garrett, an associate professor of Buddhist and Tibetan studies in the University of Toronto’s department for the study of religion in the Faculty of Arts & Science, posed the question on her recently launched website Windvane, which gathers resources designed to help students understand and attend to their well-being.

“During the pandemic, all of my online classes included assignments aimed at promoting student well-being because, I thought, people need to take care of themselves during this stressful time more than ever,” says Garrett, who is also director of the Buddhism, psychology and mental health program at New College.

“Many of the students were appreciative of these assignments and said, ‘I never thought I should or could take care of myself.’ They found it very beneficial, and I decided I should make this self-care work into a bigger project.”

Windvane is a collection of reflections, insights, exercises and practical resources to help students and other members of the U of T community “put student flourishing at the centre of post-secondary course design.”

It builds on knowledge Garrett has accumulated over the course of a career that has included studying the relationships between Buddhism and medicine, Buddhist travelogues and nature writing in Himalayan mountain cultures. She also practises experiential learning and outdoor education, and has a special interest in supporting students’ well-being.

Among the resources are video interviews featuring faculty, students, alumni and staff from the U of T community reflecting on and giving guidance about a myriad of topics.

For example, Alistair Dias is an associate professor, teaching stream, in the human biology program. In a series of videos, he talks about how a strong mind-body connection is beneficial for healing both physical and mental conditions – and that by strengthening the mind-body connection through mindfulness, we can strengthen the brain’s ability to adapt and change.

Marsha Hewitt is a professor in the department for the study of religion and the Faculty of Divinity at Trinity College. Among a variety of topics, she talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic has traumatized us on a global scale, and how “now more than ever, it is important for educators to show deep care for their students.”

The site describes the practice of using movement and physical activity – not simply to become fit or make our bodies look a certain way – but as “one avenue towards learning how to be deeply present.”

In the section describing the practice of meditation, students learn about the mindfulness exercise of focused attention and how learning to focus is important in “quieting our minds, calming our anxieties, and strengthening our ability to choose presence.”

There is also guidance on “putting Windvane into practice” by developing a personal plan for well-being.

Windvane reflects Garrett’s view that the popular “wellness movement” neglects the understanding that an individual’s well-being often depends on their social, political and cultural circumstances. What it means to “be well” depends on factors that are particular to individuals.

In other words, well-being is different for everyone.

Windvane also provides practical help for achieving well-being with guidance in practices such as creativity, breathing, eating well and listening to music.

“If we are experiencing racism, or living in poverty, or experiencing sexism or homophobia, or something else that has an impact on our well-being,” she says, “we can't just go and meditate on a cushion or take a yoga class and make those things go away.

“We have to think about what well-being means for each of us as individuals. It might be different for you and me, and for people in different cultures. We have to consider what’s within our own power, and what requires a more collective action with support from other people and institutions.”

The project is supported by eCampus Ontario's Virtual Learning Strategies program, which provides funding for improved access and innovation to digital resources for Ontario students.

“Windvane is for students,” says Garrett. “But it's also for instructors, because I’d like this project to be used by all instructors in all disciplines in the classroom. Many of them think: ‘I'm not a psychologist; I'm not qualified to teach about well-being.’ Windvane is an attempt to give instructors the tools and the confidence to include something like this in their courses, no matter what subject they teach.

“As university professors, it’s our responsibility to address well-being in our classes. It just doesn't make sense anymore to have a class where you're not addressing the current reality of students’ lives.”

'Hidden hunger': U of T course examines global impacts of diets lacking key micronutrients

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 20:23:21 +0000

'Hidden hunger': U of T course examines global impacts of diets lacking key micronutrients

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 01/03/2022 - 15:23

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Micronutrient deficiencies can occur because food is not prepared properly or is not combined with other foods in an optimal way – such as eating a fortified breakfast cereal with a morning coffee (photo by Adene Sanchez/Getty Images)

Topic

For both instructor and students, the University of Toronto’s “Global Hidden Hunger” course holds special meaning because of their own personal experiences.

The course, offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science’s human biology program (HMB), looks at the causes and impact around the world of diets lacking in micronutrients like vitamin A, folate, iodine, zinc, iron and vitamin D.

In contrast to the hunger and malnutrition caused by a lack of macronutrients like protein and carbohydrates – which many associate with the Global South – hidden hunger caused by a lack of micronutrients is found in both the Global South and North. And while it may not make the same types of headlines as famine, hidden hunger still affects half the world’s population.

Leanne De Souza Kenney (photo courtesy of Kenney)

“When my family immigrated to Canada, we had to make some difficult choices about what kinds of food we could eat,” says Leanne De Souza-Kenney, assistant professor, teaching stream, the HMB program. “I remember that it was a big deal when we could put meat on the table and a luxury when we were able to have fresh vegetables.”

The course, originally created by HMB associate professor Alistair Dias, was taught by De Souza-Kenney in the summer of 2021 and again in the fall. U of T Mississauga’s Eve Hammed took the course in the summer and says she realized she herself suffered from micronutrient deficiencies.

“The problem of hidden hunger is not exclusively a socioeconomic or geographical problem,” says Hammed. “It’s more widespread than I realized, but it’s less visible and, as a result, rarely addressed. It’s not part of the conversation we usually have about food security and poverty. That was eye-opening.”

Micronutrient deficiencies occur for a variety of often intersecting reasons including inadequate access to food, either because it’s not physically available or is not affordable. This happens in regions like Canada’s North but so-called “food deserts” also exist in cities like Toronto.

Another factor contributing to hidden hunger is a lack of knowledge. For example, micronutrient deficiencies can also occur because food is not prepared properly or is not combined with other foods in an optimal way.

For example, spinach is a good source of iron but if it’s not prepared properly, that iron remains locked up in the cells of the plant, providing us with no nutrition. Plus, when you consume iron-rich food like a fortified breakfast cereal, the micronutrient is less available to you because you’re combining it with the caffeine in your morning coffee.

In both the summer and fall, the course had a significant community-engagement component involving the Vancouver-based Unique Get Together Society (UGTS). Founded and run by Debra Abraham, the society provides a wide range of services, including nutritional support, as well as resources for Black, Indigenous and other underserved communities and families.

“I’ve never heard from someone with quite the knowledge and life experiences of Debra,” says Matisse Blundell, a member of Woodsworth College who took the course in the summer. “She shared some very sobering personal stories with us which exposed the impact of systemic trauma on Indigenous Canadians. It was a powerful experience.”

Students took the information they gained through the course and their own research about specific micronutrients and shared it with UGTS and members of the society’s community. The students looked at the foods available to the people in the community and provided shopping and menu recommendations for avoiding micronutrient deficiencies.

They also developed projects designed to help UGTS and organizations like it fight hidden hunger.

U of T Mississauga student Pooja Dey and her team proposed a project that harnessed “mobile health” (mHealth) technology to provide health-care support via mobile apps, text messages or voice messages to at risk populations. For example, the technology would help women who – because they are pregnant or who in the past year have given birth – may be iron deficient by providing them with dietary guidance, as well as daily prompts to take their supplements.

“As science students, we see the power of research and knowledge,” says Dey. “But often this knowledge isn’t accessible to the general population – and certainly not to vulnerable groups. Being able to translate this information about iron deficiency and by taking advantage of mHealth interventions, we hope to empower women and support their agency and decision-making.”

With the success of the summer course, De Souza-Kenney expanded the scope in the fall by adding a global community engagement partnership to the existing relationship with UGTS. Supported by U of T Global Classroom funding, that collaboration is with Landmark University and Covenant University in Nigeria – both of which focus on agriculture and food security.

In the fall course, Canadian and Nigerian students developed proposals to fight global hidden hunger and food security.

Trinity College student Alexander Nassar and his team are working on a project to fortify tea with vitamin B12. Their target population are the elderly, a demographic that can suffer from vitamin B deficiency and that consumes large amounts of tea.

“Since we are collaborating with Nigerian universities, we also wanted the idea to be accessible for rural populations in Nigeria,” says Nassar. “Informal medicine vendors travel to those areas to distribute standard pharmaceutical products, and we thought tea could be easily distributed this way. Tea is also inexpensive and is a relatively stable product to carry around.”

The projects aren’t just for marks. They will be evaluated and three will receive funding to make them a reality.

In addition to turning student proposals into projects, De Souza-Kenney is hopeful that the course will have a lasting effect on students.

“I really hope they will be inspired to look at careers where they get to use this information and affect change in meaningful ways,” she says.

“I hope that this gives them some direction in addressing the human right for food and nutrition, and direction in fighting inequities that stem from the color of your skin, low income, the fact you are a new immigrant or are from a single parent family.”

COVID-19: After studying elder care, U of T students form group to support seniors and front-line staff

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 15:44:16 +0000

COVID-19: After studying elder care, U of T students form group to support seniors and front-line staff

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 08/20/2020 - 11:44

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Recent graduate Vanessa Rezai-Stevens delivers coffee to long-term care facility staff (photo courtesy of SAGE)

Topic

St. Michael's College

Trinity College

Undergraduate Students

A group of students and recent graduates from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts & Science are pitching in to help support long-term care workers and seniors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seven students who are taking a course that covers topics such as Alzheimer’s, aging and elder care created the Student Association for Geriatric Empowerment (SAGE) earlier this spring.

Co-founder Rowaida Hussein, who just graduated with an honours bachelor of science degree with a double major in neuroscience and cell and molecular biology, says SAGE’s mission is to support front-line workers and elderly people during the COVID-19 crisis.

“As a former volunteer at a long-term care facility, I can't imagine how residents are feeling. I can't imagine how staff are feeling,” says Hussein, who was a member of Trinity College. “We’re in a position right now as students to do something and help out, so why not?”

SAGE is currently working on four projects to help senior residents and staff during the ongoing pandemic, focusing on supporting three long-term care facilities in the GTA.

The first initiative, dubbed the “Community Care Project,” involves partnering with businesses and restaurants to provide long-term care staff with coffee, baked goods, meals, energy drinks and self-care products.

The second project, called “Companion Calls,” involves volunteer students reaching out to residents in senior homes to combat isolation and loneliness.

Rowaida Hussein, co-founder of SAGE, in Amsterdam during a class trip to tour senior care facilities (photo courtesy of SAGE)

The second project is led by Vanessa Rezai-Stevens, who also graduated in June with an honours bachelor of science degree and a major in neuroscience and minor in immunology and forest conservation. She was a member of St. Michael’s College.

“These are video chats between student volunteers and residents,” says Rezai-Stevens, who is working at the O’Neill Centre for long-term care in Toronto this summer. “Even just a short conversation with a friendly person can make all the difference in their day.”

Upcoming projects include “Encouragement Notes,” which involves volunteers sending personal letters to front-line workers expressing how much their efforts and commitment are appreciated.

“These are the people who have devoted their careers to caring for one of the most vulnerable populations, despite dangerous working conditions,” says Rezai-Stevens. “I saw first-hand how hard nursing and care staff were working to keep residents healthy and safe. They really deserve everyone’s utmost gratitude and appreciation.”

Vanessa Rezai-Stevens is leading SAGE’s Companion Calls project, with volunteers reaching out to seniors through video calls (photo courtesy of SAGE)

Later this summer SAGE also plans to unveil its “Bloom Together” gardening project, giving residents the chance to boost their emotional and mental well-being.

“Gardening is really helpful at nursing homes – it increases social engagement and the feeling of community,” says Hussein. “We thought, ‘It's summer, let's try and sponsor some tools, flowers and soil. We're getting packages together very soon.’”

In addition to their U of T lectures and course materials, Hussein, Rezai-Stevens and other SAGE members say they were motivated to act after joining their professor on a class trip to Amsterdam to learn about new strategies and social innovations for caring for seniors in Europe.

“We visited long-term care facilities to see the kinds of social and structural systems that they have in place to enhance the quality of life for their elderly,” says Franco Taverna, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the Faculty of Arts & Science’s human biology program who taught the class that inspired the student group. “That trip really inspired them to explore opportunities here.

“I’m very impressed with what they’ve been able to accomplish.”

Hussein says the class coupled with the pandemic’s devastating impact on Canada’s long-term care sector caused a light bulb to go off.

“Something clicked in my mind,” says Hussein. “I can't just sit there with all the knowledge that we've gained.”

SAGE is looking for more volunteers for all of their projects and encourages students to follow their activities on social media.

“The message that has come across the most to me from our efforts is: ‘Thank you for thinking of us’, which tells me we haven't been doing enough as a community,” says Hussein. “It's really touching to hear but this means there’s more work to do.”

Firm founded by U of T alumnus to supply Ontario with nearly one million portable COVID-19 test kits

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 16:26:30 +0000

Firm founded by U of T alumnus to supply Ontario with nearly one million portable COVID-19 test kits

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 04/03/2020 - 12:26

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(photo courtesy of Spartan Bioscience)

Topic

Startups

University College

Update May 4, 2020: Health Canada has said it wants to run additional testing on Spartan Bioscience's test kit

The Government of Ontario is purchasing nearly one million portable COVID-19 test kits from Spartan Bioscience, a biotech firm led by a University of Toronto alumnus.

The portable Spartan Cubes, which drew the attention of the federal government last month, can provide results in as little as 30 minutes.

“We think portable, rapid COVID-19 testing will be important to help control the pandemic,” says Paul Lem, CEO of Spartan Bioscience. “It is gratifying to see a made-in-Canada solution helping Canadians.”

Spartan’s announcement of its plan to provide more than 900,000 kits to Ontario follows news of a $9.5-million contract between Spartan and Alberta Health Services for 250 handheld devices and 100,000 test kits. Both purchases are pending Health Canada approval, with the first shipments expected to arrive next month.

“We think it’s a game changer,” says Lem, who earned his bachelor of science in human biology from U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science in 1998 as a member of University College. He received his medical degree from the University of Ottawa in 2002 before returning to U of T’s medical microbiology residency program.

By adapting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 DNA test to its own Spartan Cube, Spartan Bioscience is bringing portable testing to remote locations across the country – and ultimately around the world.

The Cube is a small box-like device that collects and analyzes DNA without the need to send samples to a traditional lab, making it ideal for in-field diagnostic testing.

“This is our whole reason for existing,” says Lem. “Our mission has always been to bring DNA testing out of the lab and into these portable personal DNA analyzers.”

Firm led by U of T alumnus joins fight against COVID-19 with portable test kit

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 15:18:39 +0000

Firm led by U of T alumnus joins fight against COVID-19 with portable test kit

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 03/25/2020 - 11:18

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Paul Lem, a U of T alumnus and the CEO of Spartan Bioscience, holds up his company's Spartan Cube, a handheld diagnostic kit that Spartan is adapting so it can be used to test for COVID-19 (photo by Alex Collier/Spartan Bioscience)

Topic

University College

A University of Toronto alumnus is behind a biotech firm that could soon be bringing portable COVID-19 tests to communities across the country — and ultimately around the world.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced the federal government is working with Spartan Bioscience — led by CEO Paul Lem — to adapt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 DNA test to its own Spartan Cube. Lem predicts the mobile, hand-held diagnostic kit, which provides test results in just 30 minutes, could be ready for this use in as few as eight weeks.

“We think it’s a game changer,” says Lem, who earned his bachelor’s degree in human biology from U of T in 1998 as a member of University College. He received his medical degree from the University of Ottawa in 2002 before returning to U of T’s medical microbiology residency program.

“We’re seeing headlines about how there’s a global shortage in testing," Lem adds. "Canada is no exception; we have a huge shortage across the entire country. We also have remote towns and northern communities where they collect swabs and sometimes can’t get results back for nine or 10 days, and the virus is spreading in the meantime. Especially in a country like ours that’s so spread out, we’re going to need these portable testing devices to control COVID-19.”

The cube collects and analyzes DNA without the need to send samples to a traditional lab, making it ideal for in-field diagnostic testing.

Spartan’s technology already has regulatory approvals worldwide, including from Health Canada, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and in Europe. Spartan’s customers include leading organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, the CDC and the New York State Department of Health, as well as Fortune 500 companies.

Lem says the pandemic has created an all-hands-on-deck situation, with all of Spartan’s 70 staff devoted to adapting the CDC’s test to the cube

“This is our whole reason for existing,” explains Lem. “Our mission has always been to bring DNA testing out of the lab and into these portable, personal DNA analyzers. It’s like home pregnancy tests or home glucose tests that gave everyone access to their test results.

“We’re seeing in real time how powerful it would be to have portable COVID-19 tests: Imagine every school, community centre, town, small hospital having access to these rapid results. We have a huge responsibility to get these tests in the hands of Canadians as fast as possible.”

In addition to adapting the CDC's test for the disease and getting Health Canada's emergency approval, Spartan Bioscience will have to ramp up production to build what is likely to be hundreds of thousands of devices.

Spartan got closer to securing the funding it will need when Navdeep Bains, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry, announced the government is leveraging its purchasing power to ensure Canadian innovations, such as the Spartan Cube, can start saving lives sooner. As confirmed by Trudeau the same day, the federal government has signed a letter of intent with Spartan Bioscience and two other Canadian companies, including one co-founded by U of T's Joe Fisher, to fight the pandemic. 

“We know Canadian companies are among the most innovative and agile in the world, and we are very confident that we’re going to be able to work with them to respond to the pressing needs in our health-care system,” Trudeau said at a news conference.

Lem said that announcement was validation for the hard work he and his team put into Spartan Bioscience since its founding 14 years ago.

“We all felt really honoured,” says Lem. “This reminds us why we come into work each day. People’s lives are at stake. The work we do is important.”

U of T researcher’s active-learning app bridges gap between students and instructors

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 16:28:30 +0000

U of T researcher’s active-learning app bridges gap between students and instructors

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 02/03/2020 - 11:28

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The app – called Team Up! – allows students to work together on problems in real time while providing immediate feedback to both instructors and students (photo by Diana Tyszko)

Topic

Cell and Systems Biology

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Faculty of Medicine

Teaching

A class of 1,500 students in the University of Toronto’s Convocation Hall presents a number of challenges for instructors.

How do you make lectures engaging and interactive? How do you know if students understand a concept and are ready to move on to the next? How do you get students to learn together?

To cope with these challenges, Melody Neumann, an associate professor, teaching stream in the department of cell and systems biology in the Faculty of Arts & Science, developed an active-learning tool called Team Up! that was made available to classes across the university earlier this year.

The secure browser-based app,which works on a phone, iPad or laptop, allows students to work together on problems in real time while providing immediate feedback to both instructors and students. The software, supported by U of T’s learning management system Quercus, also enables partial marks for approximate answers and is free to use, unlike classroom response tools such as Top Hat.

Team Up! is not just for Con Hall-sized classes, but for any class – including online – where the opportunity for interaction between instructors and students is limited.

Neumann’s research focuses on many aspects of undergraduate teaching, including the development of innovative and evidence-based practices.

“I love teaching,” Neumann says. “I love empowering students. I've always been interested in using technology to teach and technology has now advanced to the point where Team Up! is possible.

“Plus, it’s based on evidence that shows us the best way to teach.”

Megan Frederickson, an associate professor in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology, uses Team Up! in her adaptation and biodiversity (BIO120) course, which she teaches in Convocation Hall to more than 1,700 students.

“Team Up! helps make a big course like BIO120 more interactive,” says Frederickson, “especially because it allows students to answer questions about the lecture material in small groups, in real time. This is a great way to learn new concepts.”

Brian Wilson is a sessional lecturer in the department of physics who has used Team Up! in two different courses.

“With Team Up!, I take a standard physics problem and break it down into three to five steps,” says Wilson. “Each of these is its own question, which students keep working on until they get it correct. That means they learn what they need to before going on to the next step. They work in groups for 10 to 15 minutes while I walk around and help anyone who still needs help.”

Even in a class with hundreds of students, Team Up! lets instructors know how their students are doing.

“It helps me understand what aspects of the lecture material are clear and what aspects students are still confused about,” says Frederickson.

“In a large classroom, getting audience feedback about whether something we discussed makes sense is a challenge,” says Wilson. “Any audience response system helps with this, but Team Up! is better because students instantly find out if they’re wrong and have an opportunity for discussion with each other before trying a second time.”

“Also, the default is that they work in teams. And the team gets to give only one answer, so they should be trying to convince each other that they are correct. This helps foster active, peer-based learning.”

The app has also garnered praise from the wider academic community. In 2016, Team Up! won the annual IMS Global Learning Consortium’s Connected Learning Innovation App Challenge. More recently, it placed second in the e-Learning Excellence Awards at the 18th European Conference on e-Learning in Copenhagen.

Neumann developed Team Up! with the help of her faculty partners, Michelle French, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the Faculty of Medicine’s department of physiology, and Franco Taverna, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the human biology program.

The collaboration also included U of T’s Academic & Collaborative Technologies (ACT), Online Learning Strategies (OLS) and Information Technology Services (ITS).

Team Up! was used in 10 courses by some 6,000 students in 2018-2019 before being rolled out university-wide.

Now, Neumann is looking to enhance Team Up! by adding further functionality and encouraging more of her colleagues to adopt it.

“It's important that these homegrown tools continue to evolve and I’m looking forward to seeing people use it in ways that I never expected,” she says.

U of T faculty recognized for enhancing student experience at annual Excellence in Teaching Reception

perry.king — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 20:56:29 +0000

U of T faculty recognized for enhancing student experience at annual Excellence in Teaching Reception

perry.king Mon, 10/21/2019 - 16:56

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From left to right: Cheryl Regehr, vice-president and provost, Matthew Sergi with daughter Clio Glenn-Sergi, Anne McGuire and Toula Kourgiantakis (all photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Perry King

Topic

Early Career Teaching Award

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Inside a crowded Hart House Gallery Grill, the University of Toronto recognized some of its best and brightest teachers – and asked them to help further improve the U of T student experience.

The reception, held every year, recognizes faculty members who have won teaching-related awards from U of T and external institutions.

Cheryl Regehr, U of T’s vice-president and provost, praised the dozens of teachers in attendence and congratulated them on their honours, noting that their work in the classroom plays a key role in helping U of T achieve a top global ranking and high marks in graduate employability.

“The work that you do is incredible,” said Regehr, “and you have a profound impact on our students and the way in which they experience learning and are prepared for the world.”

Regehr asked those in attendance to go further in their work. In addition to taking on more leadership and mentorship opportunities, she encouraged faculty to help U of T better connect with its students and suggested the award-winners lend their insights to departments and faculties to help enhance student and classroom spaces.

“By changing policies, changing space and creating opportunities for connection, we can improve the lives of our students,” Regehr said.

The reception formally presented plaques to winners of this year’s Early Career Teaching Award, which are given to faculty in the early stages of their career who go above and beyond to help students learn. Three of the four winners – Anne McGuire, Matthew Sergi and Toula Kourgiantakis – were in attendance to accepted their plaques.

U of T News asked the early-career award winners and three other faculty members at the event what they can do to continue enhancing the student experience at U of T. Here’s what they said:

Toula Kourgiantakis

Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
Early Career Teaching Award

“I want to continue being curious, I don’t want to stop. I continue reminding myself that even when you have been doing this for 10, 20, 30 years, I am still a learner myself. Yes, I am bringing in some of my knowledge, but I am also really interested and curious about [students’] knowledge and experiences.

“I think that makes for a nice partnership and, hopefully, a springboard for students. It pulls out their strengths and helps them to actualize some of heir own strengths as they move forward in their own educational and professional careers.”

Matthew Sergi

Assistant Professor, Department of English, Faculty of Arts & Science
Early Career Teaching Award

“I believe that, for the humanities, there’s a number of crises where the humanities are asking itself what it’s for in new ways. I think that the primary growth edge of that conversation happens around accommodations of accessibility and disability in the classroom.

“Given all the new media that we’re facing off with, it makes us start to pay attention to how to read and what it means to read. I am a professor of dramatic literature, so there’s questions about how the body reads, how the voice works, how the senses are involved in an active performance. Those correspond to questions that students with accommodation needs, their advocates and I have been working on – trying to figure out how to accommodate diverse students, with diverse modes of learning, in ways that are fundamentally part of the course.

“In doing it, it makes it stronger for everyone. I’ve learned that in a new way this year.”

Anne McGuire

Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, New College
Early Career Teaching Award

“I have been trying to build my courses around the principle of collective access, which is a practice in disability studies that really complicates the idea of individual accommodations by saying ‘Hey, we’re in this together, so how can instructors, TAs and students make and share a classroom that works for us, where we all can learn and be comfortable?

“Collective access could be as simple as making a conscious effort to learn and use each other's names – even in the bigger courses – so that as a group we can feel more connected to each other and more invested in each other’s learning and perspectives."

Tania Watts

Professor, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine
JJ Berry Smith Doctoral Supervision Award (co-winner)

“In the classroom, it’s really important to not just give [students] the facts, but to really give context. Also, trying to teach them the way to think about science and how to look at things. In the lab, I think it’s really important to teach them critical thinking, how you can be critical yet supportive at the same time. It’s not about a right or wrong answer, but doing the work well and trying to get the truth as opposed to what we think it should be.”

Shay Fuchs

Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, U of T Mississauga
University of Toronto Mississauga Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Fellowship

“Enhancing the student experience – that really never ends. There’s always new things: The students are changing, the environment is changing, so the way I learned and the way people in my cohort were learning, in terms of pedagogy, doesn’t necessarily work for many of our students.

“Keeping up to date and making changes and updates to our courses, the way we teach, how we use technology and being up to date about learning habits are key. This is something that really never ends and part of it is keeping up with changes in your clients and updating your methods and tools to make them more suitable for your students.”

Franco Taverna

Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Arts & Science
Faculty of Arts & Science Outstanding Teaching Award

“My focus, currently, has been on experiential learning in the community-engaged space and providing students more opportunities to learn in the community – to apply what they learn, apply their discipline knowledge in the community, to apply their passion and motivation to make a difference in other people’s lives.

“Helping [students] build professional, community engagement, communication skills – these are all very important career development skills so they’re better prepared to move into careers and progress in their careers and be successful after graduation.”

Undergraduate students hone research skills at human biology lab 'boot camp'

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 17:33:40 +0000

Undergraduate students hone research skills at human biology lab 'boot camp'

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 08/21/2019 - 13:33

Cutline

U of T undergraduate students conducted a simulated research project over the course of a two-week human biology lab boot camp designed to provide hands-on research experience in a wet lab (photo by Diana Tyszko)

Topic

Cell and Systems Biology

Faculty of Arts & Science Staff

Faculty of Medicine

Immunology

Undergraduate Students

University College

Woodsworth College

After an intensive two weeks, the 49 undergraduate students enrolled in a human biology lab boot camp achieved the program’s primary goal: acquiring the “wet lab” skills and research experience that students often aren’t exposed to until graduate school.

The students – who come from a variety of life science programs – learned lab techniques and how to work with lab equipment, chemicals and biological materials as they designed and carried out a research project in molecular biology.

The undergraduate students also gained valuable insight into what a career in research is like.

“For students who don’t know what they want to do yet but think they might want to pursue a career in research, the hands-on experience helps them decide,” says Colleen Dockstader, an assistant professor, teaching stream, in the department of human biology and a co-creator of the program.

The boot camp was the brainchild of Colleen Dockstader (above) and Melanie Woodin, who is the dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science (photo by Chris Sasaki)

At the boot camp, students designed their own study to investigate the role of a particular protein in the function of neuronal cells and looked at the abundance of the same protein in healthy and diseased brain tissue.

Yet, for many attendees, the confidence gained from the two weeks was even more important than acquiring lab skills and research experience.

“I’m now confident I can apply the techniques I learned in a wide range of situations – in research, academia or a non-academic setting,” says Elisa Cohen, a fourth-year University College student working on a double major in immunology and health and disease.

“Students told us they applied for jobs they wouldn’t otherwise have applied for because of the confidence they got from the program," Dockstader says. “One student said she applied for a job and got an interview, and the confidence she had in her interview was because she understood the research experience and felt good about herself. And, in the end, she got the job.”

The boot camp, first run last year, was the brainchild of Dockstader and Melanie Woodin, a neuroscientist in the department of cell and systems biology who is now dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. The idea was sparked by the pair’s observation that undergraduates were not getting the experiential research and lab training they needed based on reports by recent graduates that they weren’t prepared for research – an assessment echoed by their supervisors.

With an Ontario government grant, Woodin and Dockstader turned their idea into reality.

“We came up with the concept of a boot camp,” Dockstader says, “because we wanted it to be like an exercise boot camp where you work really hard. You plow through it and you go, go, go for two weeks straight.”

In addition to the lab and research experience they gained, students also received valuable career guidance from lab instructors and facilitators including Dockstader and Jasty Singh, an assistant professor, teaching stream, in the department of immunology, as well as post-doctoral ressearchers and senior graduate students.

Martin Mak, a fourth-year Woodsworth College student majoring in immunology and human biology, says that while learning lab techniques was important, “even more helpful was the guidance I received from the facilitators about my academic career path.

“They gave exceptional advice that’s really helping me plan my future.”

Describing the dynamic between students and instructors, Dockstader says, “The students would pick their brains and ask them: How did you get to where you are now? What do you think I should do?

“The students found it extremely valuable.”

Guidance also came during career development sessions with speakers from industry and from U of T’s Career Centre.

“I was very thankful that we got to hear from career advisers as well as professionals from outside research regarding what our possible next steps could be,” says Cohen.

“Yes, we’re an academic institution – we have a great med school and a great graduate school,” says Dockstader. “But we also want students to realize there are many different paths to take.

“There are so many other ways to apply your science degree.”

As spring convocation wraps up, six U of T graduates offer advice to future students

geoff.vendeville — Fri, 21 Jun 2019 15:35:31 +0000

As spring convocation wraps up, six U of T graduates offer advice to future students

geoff.vendeville Fri, 06/21/2019 - 11:35

Topic

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Convocation 2019

Cell and Systems Biology

English

Ethics