UHN

Four faculty members from the University of Toronto have been appointed to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

The college recognizes members of the emerging generation of Canadian intellectual leadership who have showcased exceptional accomplishment.

“On behalf of the entire U of T community, I would like to congratulate the faculty members on this most deserved recognition of their excellence,” says Leah Cowen, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“From cutting-edge research on neurological disorders and cancers to advancements in mathematics and leadership in solidarity economies, these scholars are furthering knowledge that stands to impact people and communities in Canada and around the world.”

The new members of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists are:

Stefanos Aretakis of the department of computer and mathematical sciences at U of T Scarborough
Caroline S Hossein of the department of global development studies at U of T Scarborough
Veronique Miron of Unity Health Toronto and the department of immunology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Trevor Pugh of the University Health Network and the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Read the Royal Society of Canada press release

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Thirteen U of T researchers named Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

lanthierj — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 15:47:27 +0000

Thirteen U of T researchers named Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Wed, 09/20/2023 - 11:47

Faculty

St. George

Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Sinai Health

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

UHN

Unity Health

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Thirteen University of Toronto researchers have been named Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) in recognition of their leadership, creativity and commitment to advancing academic health sciences.

One of three national academies that make up the Council of Canadian Academies, the CAHS leverages the expertise of Canada’s leading health sciences researchers to evaluate Canada's most urgent and complex health challenges and recommend strategic, actionable solutions. To be named a CAHS Fellow is considered one of the highest distinctions for academics in the health sciences field in Canada.

“The University of Toronto congratulates these leading researchers on this important recognition of their work,” says Barbara Fallon, U of T’s associate vice-president, research. “This reaffirms what we saw in the recent Nature rankings, which placed U of T second in the world among health sciences research universities, and the recent NTU rankings, which placed U of T second among the world’s top research universities in the category of medicine.

“Across disciplines, fuelled by the collaboration between the 14 research hospitals in the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN), these researchers are making discoveries and advancements that have a real impact on the some of the most complex health challenges facing Canadians.”

The new Fellows are:

Evdokia Anagnostou, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Paediatrics)
Ahmed Bayoumi, Unity Health and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Medicine)
Patricia Brubaker, Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Physiology)
Leah Cowen, Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Molecular Genetics)
Neeru Gupta, Unity Health and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Opthalmology & Vision Sciences)
Mojgan Hodaie, University Health Network (UHN) and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Surgery)
John Kingdom, Sinai Health and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Obstetrics & Gynaecology)
Cheryl Regehr, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
Catherine Sabiston, Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education
Samir Sinha, Sinai Health and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Medicine)
Lillian Siu, UHN and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Medicine)
Yu Sun, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering (Mechanical and Industrial Engineering)
Michael Tymianski, UHN and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Surgery)

See the complete list of new Fellows

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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 U of T faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

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

13 U of T 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 University of Toronto 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 University of Toronto congratulates these extraordinary researchers on this important recognition of their dedication, leadership and impact,” says Leah Cowen, U of T’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 U of T 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 U of T 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 U of T.

Gelareh Zadeh wins a Canada Gairdner Momentum Award

lanthierj — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 14:20:53 +0000

Gelareh Zadeh wins a Canada Gairdner Momentum Award

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Thu, 03/30/2023 - 10:20

Faculty

St. George

UHN

Toronto Western Hospital

Princess Margaret Hospital

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Canada Gairdner Momentum Award

landscape

Gelareh Zadeh (photo courtesy of UHN StRIDe team)

Gelareh Zadeh has been recognized with a 2023 Canada Gairdner Award for her research on the classification and treatment of brain tumours.

She is one of two winners of the inaugural Momentum Awards, created by the Gairdner Foundation to recognize mid-career researchers who have made significant discoveries with the potential to improve human health.

“It is such an honour to receive this award from the Gairdner Foundation,” said Zadeh, a clinician and senior scientist at University Health Network and a professor of surgery at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

“I attribute my success in large part to the highly skilled and integrated research and clinical teams that I work with at University Health Network. My team’s achievements in translational brain research simply would not be possible without the exceptional researchers, trainees, neuro-oncologists, surgical teams and patients that we work with every day,” Zadeh said.

Zadeh was recognized for her contributions to the understanding of brain tumours. Her work has led to a new molecular classification of one of the most common types of brain tumours – meningiomas – an advance that could produce more effective treatments, models for predicting patient outcomes and biomarkers of treatment response.

Zadeh holds the Dan Family Chair in the division of neurosurgery at U of T’s department of surgery and is the first woman in Canada to be named neurosurgery chair. The head of neurosurgery at Toronto Western Hospital and co-director of the Krembil Brain Institute, she leads a 30-member research team at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

Read the U of T News story

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Faculty, alumna recognized with Royal Society of Canada awards

lanthierj — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 14:44:16 +0000

Faculty, alumna recognized with Royal Society of Canada awards

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Fri, 09/16/2022 - 10:44

Faculty

Alumni

St. George

Royal Society of Canada

Alice Wilson Award

Willet G. Miller Medal

McLaughlin Medal

Faculty of Arts & Science

Department of Physics

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

UHN

landscape

Yimu Zhao, Kimberly Strong and John Dick

Two University of Toronto faculty members – atmospheric physicist Kimberly Strong and molecular geneticist John Dick – and Engineering alumna Yimu Zhao have been recognized by the Royal Society of Canada for their outstanding achievements in advancing knowledge.

Strong, who is the chair of the Faculty of Arts & Science’s department of physics and a leading authority in global atmospheric research, received the prestigious 2022 Willet G. Miller Medal for outstanding research in a branch of the Earth sciences.

“As an atmospheric physicist, Kim Strong has established a national and international reputation for research excellence,” said Melanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. “Employing an array of experimental techniques to probe the composition of the atmosphere, she is unraveling the chemical and physical processes that are driving atmospheric change. It is my great pleasure to congratulate her on this important and well-deserved honour.”

A renowned stem cell biologist, Dick is a University Professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and a senior scientist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network. He received the McLaughlin Medal for important research of sustained excellence in medical science. Earlier this year, he received a Gairdner International Award for the discovery of leukemic stem cells and later work on the diagnosis and treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.

Zhao, who earned her PhD studying with Professor Milica Radisic of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and conducted post-doctoral studies with the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network and Columbia University, received the Alice Wilson Award.

Strong said she was delighted to be recognized but emphasized the “highly collaborative” nature of her research.

“When I think of all of my graduate students, postdocs and other group members over the years, this award is a reflection of their cumulative accomplishment.”

Read about the RSC award winners

Read the Faculty of Arts & Science story

Arts & Science

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Sidney Kennedy recognized with President’s Impact Award

lanthierj — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 22:07:09 +0000

Sidney Kennedy recognized with President’s Impact Award

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Wed, 03/31/2021 - 18:07

Faculty

St. George

President's Impact Award

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Department of Psychiatry

St. Michael's Hospital

UHN

landscape

For his contributions to the treatment of people with major mood disorders in Canada and around the world, Sidney Kennedy has received a President’s Impact Award.

“I am extremely grateful to have received the President’s Impact Award,” says Kennedy, a professor in the department of psychiatry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and a physician with St. Michael's Hospital and UHN. “This honour brings greater attention to the burden and adversity faced by people with depression and their families.”

The founding chair of the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatment, Kennedy has focused much of his scholarship on making better treatments available for people with depression and for those with bipolar disorder and has performed world-leading research on the application of deep brain stimulation to treat depression. To ensure research discoveries reach patients, he founded and leads the Canadian Biomarker Integration Network in Depression.

“Although depression remains a leading cause of disability worldwide, there has been a significant shift in public awareness and reduction in stigma associated with depression, suicide and related conditions,” Kennedy says. “For me, the importance of studying the psychosocial and biological underpinnings of depression and working to create new treatment options lies in the translation of these findings to real-world clinical practice.

“The University of Toronto is a global leader in psychiatry research and has provided me with a great opportunity to build and maintain interdisciplinary teams with diverse expertise to achieve these goals.”

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UHN

4 faculty members named to Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists

Read the Royal Society of Canada press release

Thirteen U of T researchers named Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

See the complete list of new Fellows

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

Read the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing story

13 U of T faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Read more about the Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Gelareh Zadeh wins a Canada Gairdner Momentum Award

Read the U of T News story

Faculty, alumna recognized with Royal Society of Canada awards

Read about the RSC award winners

Read the Faculty of Arts & Science story

Sidney Kennedy recognized with President’s Impact Award