Leah Cowen

Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus

Wesley Hall

Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society

Artificial Intelligence

CIFAR

Department of Computer Science

Faculty of Arts & Science

Subheadline

The 2024 co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics - known to many as the "godfather of AI" - was honoured at an event attended by a who's who of the Toronto research community

There were standing ovations, peals of laughter and even a few tears as the University of Toronto welcomed Geoffrey Hinton back to campus after he won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics.

A University Professor Emeritus of computer science, Hinton traded the “cheap hotel room in California,” where he received the life-changing news, for an emotional reception in the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus’s airy event hall.

The Oct. 10 event drew ��˾��ֱ�� leaders, supporters, dignitaries and other luminaries. They included Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, University Professor Emeritus John Polanyi, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1986, and Massey College Principal James Orbinski, who accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Doctors Without Borders in 1999.

Several of Hinton’s many collaborators and proteges also attended the event – not to mention students who were simply eager to catch a glimpse of the “godfather of AI.”

Hinton chats with ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough Professor David Fleet and Google Research Scientists Sara Sabour and Daniel Watson (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Though sleep deprived, Hinton regaled the audience with fond recollections of his early years as an AI researcher, snapshots of his trademark dry humour and warm expressions of gratitude for mentors, collaborators and, of course, his many students.

“I’ve been blessed to have brilliant graduate students and post-docs,” Hinton said.

“I had a principle when selecting graduate students: ‘If they’re not smarter than me, what’s the point?’ And I’ve had quite a number of graduate students who were smarter than me.

“They did things I wouldn’t have been able to do, so I’d like to thank them.”

He said two figures in particular played a huge role in the work that led to his Nobel Prize, which he shared with Princeton University’s John J. Hopfield. The first was Terry Sejnowsky, a computational neuroscientist and former student of Hopfield’s, who worked with Hinton on Boltzmann machines – a period Hinton described as “the most happy research time of my life.”

He also praised the contributions of the late David Rumelhart, a psychologist at Stanford University, who worked with him to develop backpropagation algorithms, a key breakthrough.

“[He] should have won the Nobel Prize,” Hinton said. “But unfortunately, Dave got a horrible brain disease and he died quite young.” (The Nobel organization doesn’t award the honour posthumously).

Hinton poses for a picture with Assistant Professor Chris Maddison, who was one of the last graduate students Hinton supervised (photo by Mac Pattanasuttinont)

Chris Maddison joined Hinton’s research group as an undergraduate and was one of the last students he supervised. Now an assistant professor in ��˾��ֱ��’s departments of computer science and statistical sciences in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Maddison lauded Hinton as “a steadfast mentor and supporter who saw strength in me that I didn’t see” and said one of his greatest attributes was his sheer enthusiasm.

“No matter what’s going on, you can find him in the lab on Sundays at 8 p.m. playing with his MATLAB scripts like a child playing with Legos,” Maddison said. “He never lost that child-like sense of wonder that buoyed him and the group.”

��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler said, via video message from Indonesia, where he was on university business, that Hinton is “one of the great minds of the 21st century” (photo by Johnny Guatto)

��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler, who was in Indonesia on university business when the prize was announced, hailed Hinton in a video message as “one of the great minds of the 21st century” and someone who “literally created new ways of thinking about thinking and learning.”

He noted that Hinton’s AI leadership extends to the pressing question of responsible and safe development of the technology.

“With his Nobel win, he’s now perfectly positioned to amplify this concern on a world stage.” President Gertler said.

Hinton shares a laugh with University Professor Molly Shoichet of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering (photo by Johnny Guatto)

The event’s guest list served as a reminder of Hinton’s outsized influence on the research community in Toronto and beyond, drawing key figures from: the Vector Institute, where Hinton is co-founder and chief scientific adviser; the Schwartz Reisman Institute of Technology and Society, where he sits on the advisory board; and CIFAR (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research), where Hinton is an adviser and longtime fellow.

Hinton poses for a photo with Leah Cowen, ��˾��ֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Leah Cowen, ��˾��ֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, reminded the accomplished audience that Hinton’s historic achievement – both the Nobel Prize and the AI revolution he helped spark – was the result of years toiling in an “unpromising backwater” of AI research.

“It is tempting to think that it happened almost overnight, but it didn’t,” Cowen said.

University Professors Emeriti – and fellow Nobel Prize-winners – Geoffrey Hinton and John Polanyi have their photo taken together (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Hinton took time to reflect on periods of personal struggle and tragedy – and thank those who helped him in his hour of need.

When his wife had an incurable form of cancer, he recalled how ��˾��ֱ�� President Emeritus David Naylor, a physician, medical researcher and former dean of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, carried out research on a possible alternative treatment that was being explored – incorporating input from top medical experts – and presented him with a report of his findings.

“He’s a tremendous human being,” Hinton said of Naylor, who was in the audience.

Hinton shares a moment with ��˾��ֱ�� President Emeritus David Naylor (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Hinton also recalled how, when his first wife became ill in 1993 – also with cancer – his post-doctoral trainee Peter Dayan, now a director at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, stepped in to advise Hinton’s graduate students, giving him time to care for his ailing spouse.

“At times like this, you remember the people who helped you most when things were very difficult,” Hinton said.

He later pointed out that Dayan went on to supervise one of this year’s winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Demis Hassabis, joking that this made Dayan “the meat in a Nobel sandwich.”

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada was lucky to have Hinton, who was born in the U.K., and thanked his daughter for sharing her father with the country, with science and the world (photo by Johnny Guatto)

For Minister Freeland, Hinton’s award showcased the value of ideas and of fundamental research. She said Hinton’s Nobel Prize sent waves of pride across Canada, which she said was “lucky as a country” that Hinton arrived on its shores back in 1987.

“Geoff shows that you can be a really brilliant intellectual and also a really great human being who cares about his community and his country,” Freeland said. “I am constantly struck by how Geoff thinks about the bigger implications of his ideas and how Geoff thinks about really wanting to make Canada and the world a better place.”

Hinton chats with Melanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, who thanked him for his friendship and mentorship – and his dedication to science and scholarship (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Following the program – which also featured remarks by ��˾��ֱ�� Chancellor Wes Hall, Faculty of Arts & Science Dean Melanie Woodin and Christine Szustaczek, ��˾��ֱ��’s vice-president, communications – Hinton mingled with members of the audience, shook hands with students and caught up with former colleagues and trainees.

Clockwise from top left: Christine Szustaczek, Wes Hall, Chris Maddison, Leah Cowen, Geoffrey Hinton and Melanie Woodin (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Brendan Frey, professor in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and CEO of AI-powered therapeutics startup Deep Genomics, said he was one of many who earned his PhD under Hinton’s supervision.

“I think of Geoff as the father of a community that includes myself, other graduate students and all the people who didn’t believe but then came to believe – and he inspired all of us,” said Frey, who shared a hug with his former supervisor following the event.

“I’m really happy for him.”

��˾��ֱ�� ranked fourth in the world in research-focused NTU World University Rankings

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:51:19 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� ranked fourth in the world in research-focused NTU World University Rankings

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 09/06/2024 - 11:51

Cutline

(photo by Matt Volpe)

Topic

National Taiwan University

Rankings

Institutional Strategic Initiatives

Subheadline

The National Taiwan University ranking evaluates universities based on research output and impact

The University of Toronto climbed one spot to fourth place globally in the latest National Taiwan University ranking, which evaluates universities based on their research output and impact.

��˾��ֱ��’s strong performance in the 2024 edition of the NTU World University Rankings, released this week, puts it in elite global company. The four other schools in the top five were Harvard University, Stanford University, University College London and the University of Oxford.

Among public universities, ��˾��ֱ�� placed second globally and first in North America.

“This ranking is yet another reminder that the research produced at the University of Toronto is truly world-class,” said Leah Cowen, ��˾��ֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“It also reflects our reputation for research excellence and impact across a broad range of fields – from medicine to the social sciences.”

The NTU ranking analyzes scholarly papers and research citations, scoring each institution based on productivity, impact and excellence. The top 1,000 universities were ranked this year with more than 1,500 considered.

In addition to the overall ranking, NTU ranked universities by six broad fields and 27 specific subjects.

��˾��ֱ�� ranked among the top 50 institutions worldwide – and first in Canada – in four of the six broad fields. Notably, that includes a rank of second globally in medicine, the same as last year, and third globally in social sciences – up three spots.

��˾��ֱ�� also ranked among the top 10 universities globally in five subject categories: clinical medicine (second), neurosciences and behaviour (third), social sciences (third), psychiatry and psychology (fourth) and biology and biochemistry (sixth).

Two other Canadian universities made the top 100 in the main NTU ranking: University of British Columbia (37th) and McGill University (57th).

Overall, ��˾��ֱ�� continues to be the highest-ranked Canadian university and one of the top-ranked public universities in the five most closely watched international rankings: Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, QS World University Rankings, ShanghaiRanking Consultancy’s Academic Ranking of World Universities, U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities and National Taiwan University World University Rankings.

��˾��ֱ��’s Grid Modernization Centre receives $10 million in federal funding to advance energy transition

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 14:52:38 +0000

��˾��ֱ��’s Grid Modernization Centre receives $10 million in federal funding to advance energy transition

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 07/29/2024 - 10:52

Cutline

(Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

Sayyeda Masood

Topic

City & Culture

Climate Positive Energy

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Institutional Strategic Initiatives

Sustainability

Subheadline

Founded by the Climate Positive Energy institutional strategic initiative, the Grid Modernization Centre will help accelerate integration of novel green technologies

The University of Toronto has received $10-million in federal funding in support of the Grid Modernization Centre, a state-of-the-art facility in Toronto’s Downsview area that aims to accelerate progress towards a decarbonized, decentralized and digitalized power system for Canada.

Founded by Climate Positive Energy, a ��˾��ֱ�� institutional strategic initiative, the centre will serve as a hub that provides utilities, regulators, municipalities and enterprises with the equipment and expertise needed to test, develop and commercialize a range of green technologies.

The Government of Canada announced the investment – which includes $5 million apiece from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and Natural Resources Canada – at ��˾��ֱ��'s Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship on Friday, July 26.

“On behalf of the University of Toronto, we thank FedDev Ontario and Natural Resources Canada for their $10-million investment in the Grid Modernization Centre,” said Leah Cowen, ��˾��ֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “By convening stakeholders across the electricity ecosystem, Climate Positive Energy and their partners will help ensure the electrical grid remains safe and reliable, while supporting the development of clean technologies and jobs.”

Leah Cowen (left), ��˾��ֱ��'s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, was joined by Ya'ara Saks (centre), minister of mental health and addictions, and Julie Dabrusin (right), parliamentary secretary to the minister of the environment, at the $10-million funding announcement for ��˾��ֱ��'s Grid Modernization Centre (photo by Liz Beddall)

The first facility of its kind in Canada, the Grid Modernization Centre will foster innovations pertinent to electricity demand, which is estimated to double in the next 30 years according to Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator.

“Through initiatives such as the Grid Modernization Centre here at ��˾��ֱ��, we are collaborating to unlock a brighter future for our energy systems on the path to net-zero,” said Julie Dabrusin, parliamentary secretary to the minister for environment and climate change and the minister of energy and natural resources.

“By supporting advancements in clean energy technologies, we are not only protecting our environment but also positioning Canada at the forefront of the clean energy revolution,” said Ya’ara Saks, minister of mental health and addictions and MP for York Centre, who attended the announcement on behalf of Filomena Tassi, the minister responsible for FedDev Ontario.

Ya'ara Saks and Julie Dabrusin speak with Associate Professor Ali Hooshyar during a tour of the Centre for Applied Power Electronics (photo by Liz Beddall)

Ontario’s existing grid faces a number of challenges, including extreme weather events, the increasing popularity of electric vehicles and concerns around capacity, reliability, and security.

To address these challenges, the Grid Modernization Centre will enable an array of green technologies – from electric vehicle charging stations to battery energy storage systems – to be tested and refined before they are integrated with the grid.

It will also provide training opportunities for students and thought leadership on policy, regulatory and climate financing models.

Prior to Friday’s announcement, MP Saks and Parliamentary Secretary Dabrusin enjoyed a tour of the Centre for Applied Power Electronics led by Ali Hooshyar, associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Electric Power Systems in the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. The centre specializes in research and development around electric power systems in areas such as integration of renewable resources into power grids and energy storage and distribution in microgrids.

(L-R) Chris Yip, dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, and Deepa Kundur, chair of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering, said the Grid Modernization Centre will help address crucial challenges around sustainable energy (photo by Liz Beddall)

Professor and chair of the department Deepa Kundur hailed the Grid Modernization Centre as a “crucial step” toward a safer and more sustainable society. "At ECE, we actively contribute to the technological landscape by addressing challenges in vehicle electrification, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. This new centre represents ��˾��ֱ��'s proactive response to society's energy needs, and I'm thrilled about its potential impact,” Kundur said.

Professor Christopher Yip, dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, described the clean energy transition as arguably the most important shift facing companies and communities today. “��˾��ֱ�� has responded to this challenge by developing the Grid Modernization Centre," Yip said.

"Today’s investment is key in supporting the centre and propelling us towards a reliable, resilient and sustainable electricity grid that will power a clean energy future for generations.”

Read the Climate Positive Energy story

Canadian Hub for Health Intelligence and Innovation in Infectious Diseases awarded $72 million

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 06 May 2024 16:07:51 +0000

Canadian Hub for Health Intelligence and Innovation in Infectious Diseases awarded $72 million

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 05/06/2024 - 12:07

Cutline

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

PRiME

Sinai Health

Unity Health

Chemistry

Faculty of Arts & Science

Institutional Strategic Initiatives

Subheadline

Federal funding will be used to strengthen talent development and health intelligence in order to respond to emerging health threats

Four research programs in the Canadian Hub for Health Intelligence and Innovation in Infectious Diseases (HI³) have received $72 million in federal funding from the Canada Biomedical Research Fund (CBRF) and Biomedical Research Infrastructure Fund (BRIF), bolstering the country’s biomanufacturing capacity and readiness to respond to emerging health threats.

Support for HI³ and the four funded research programs through the CBRF and BRIF is part of a larger investment in Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy. The strategy aims to grow a strong, competitive domestic life sciences sector with cutting-edge biomanufacturing capabilities and to improve the country’s ability to respond to future health challenges.

HI³ – a coalition of 87 academic, hospital, research networks, industry, government, not-for-profit and community partners – was one of five national hubs established in March 2023 with CBRF funding.

Together, the four awarded programs will provide critical health intelligence data to guide the co-development of health threat surveillance platforms and next-generation precision interventions by the hub’s academic and industry partners, while building a highly skilled workforce to support Canada’s growing biomanufacturing and life sciences sector.

“Congratulations to HI³ and the collaborative teams behind these CBRF-funded programs. These four programs leverage the tremendous expertise of the University of Toronto's researchers and our partners in academia, hospitals, industry and other sectors to develop the talent, tools and data required to be at the forefront of emerging health threats,” said Leah Cowen, ��˾��ֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“On behalf of the University of Toronto and HI³, I thank the government of Canada for its investment in building a strong domestic life sciences sector ready to take on the health challenges of today and tomorrow.”

One of the CBRF-funded programs is the Biomanufacturing Hub Network (BioHubNet), an immersive talent development program based at ��˾��ֱ�� and led by University Professor Molly Shoichet along with Darius Rackus, an assistant professor of chemistry and biology at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Gilbert Walker, a professor of chemistry at ��˾��ֱ��.

“With world-leading scientists and researchers established across Canadian leading research institutions, Canada is home to a competitive and robust biomanufacturing and life sciences sector. We made a promise to Canadians that we would rebuild the domestic sector,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry. “With this investment, our government is delivering on this promise by supporting the excellent innovations, collaborations and infrastructures necessary to rapidly respond to future public health threats and keep Canadians safe.”

The predicted supply of biomanufacturing workers is only enough to fill one-quarter of the positions that will be needed in the sector by 2029, according to a 2021 report from BioTalent Canada.

To address the shortage, BioHubNet will leverage its 26 industry and training partners – which include multinational and homegrown biotechnology companies, as well as five Ontario colleges and nearly $19 million in funding from CBRF – to develop a range of training programs and curricula that provide experiential, hands-on learning to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and others who are ready to transition to industry.

The program will also outfit entrepreneurs with the skills and resources they need to commercialize their lab-based innovations, further strengthening the translational pipeline. Over the next four years, BioHubNet will produce close to 1,000 highly skilled workers through micro-credential courses, industry internships, academic exchange placements and entrepreneurial training.

A central tenet underlying all BioHubNet’s offerings is a commitment to create more equitable and inclusive participation in the biomanufacturing and life sciences sectors through intentional recruitment and active support for trainees from under-represented groups.

“Canada’s future as a leader in bio-innovation depends on having highly qualified workers, yet the sector is predicted to face severe workforce shortages in the coming years,” says Shoichet, who is the Michael E Charles Professor in Chemical Engineering at ��˾��ֱ�� and scientific director of PRiME Next-Generation Precision Medicine, a ��˾��ֱ�� institutional strategic initiative based at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy.

“By expanding the pipeline of skilled research talent in Canada, BioHubNet will accelerate the translation of promising discoveries from bench to market and ensure that this country’s biomanufacturing sector continues to grow and attract further international investment.”

In addition to BioHubNet, three other research programs were also funded:

The Integrated Network for the Surveillance of Pathogens: Increasing Resilience and capacity in Canada’s pandemic response (INSPIRE) based at the University of Windsor. Co-led by Windsor professor Mike McKay and University of Guelph professor Lawrence Goodridge, the INSPIRE program leverages community-level wastewater surveillance data, infrastructure and expertise to monitor the arrival and spread of infectious threats. The program also received infrastructure funding from BRIF to implement technologies and processes across its network that will streamline wastewater surveillance efforts to be more rapid, agile and sensitive. Importantly, these infrastructure supports will expand wastewater monitoring capacity in northern Ontario and at the Windsor-Detroit border to strengthen supply chains.
The Prepare, React, Collect, Innovate, Share and Engage (PRECISE) Diagnostic Platform, based at Sinai Health and co-led by Jennie Johnstone and Anne-Claude Gingras – who are both faculty members in ��˾��ֱ��’s Faculty of Medicine – will advance a comprehensive, streamlined approach for responding to emerging threats by driving the timely development of rapid diagnostic tools that will scale up testing capacity and reduce reliance on global supply chains.
The Pandemic Preparedness Engaging Primary Care and Emergency Departments (PREPARED) program, based at Unity Health Toronto and led by Andrew Pinto, who is a faculty member in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, aims to engage primary care clinics and emergency departments across the country to enhance disease monitoring, improve patient care and health system efficiency, accelerate the development of medical countermeasures and boost recruitment to clinical trials.

All four research programs reflect the hub’s extensive network of nearly 100 partners from academia, hospital, industry, public and other sectors. The programs leverage the collective resources and expertise of this network, including ��˾��ֱ��’s position as a global leader in artificial intelligence, data, life sciences and engineering, and the Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network’s strong track record of clinical impact and health-care innovation.

“Our goal at HI³ is to advance mission-driven, team-based science that will help Canada be more prepared, resilient and independent in the face of emerging health threats,” said Jen Gommerman, co-director of HI³ and a professor of immunology in ��˾��ֱ��’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

“As we support and grow these four research programs, we will continue to work closely with our hub partners and with our counterparts across the country to ensure that we have the capacity and resources needed to respond in a co-ordinated, effective and equitable manner.”

��˾��ֱ�� welcomes federal budget's investments in research and innovation

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 18:39:56 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� welcomes federal budget's investments in research and innovation

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 04/16/2024 - 14:39

Cutline

(photo by Matthew Dochstader/Paradox Images)

Topic

Research and Innovation

The University of Toronto is welcoming measures in Tuesday’s federal budget that boost research programs and support a new generation of talent across Canada, strengthening the country’s innovation ecosystem and knowledge economy.

The spring 2024 budget, announced by Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, allocates more than $3 billion in investments in Canada’s research ecosystem over the next five years.

This includes increases to the tri-council funding agency budgets, additional support for master’s and PhD students and post-doctoral fellows, and more money for major research infrastructure projects – a clear recognition that universities are drivers of economic growth and can find solutions to the challenges facing Canada and the world.

“Today’s budget is a very significant and welcome recognition of the critical role the research ecosystem plays in driving Canada’s productivity and prosperity,” said ��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler.

“It builds on this government’s earlier investments in research and innovation, and helps secure Canada’s global competitiveness for future generations.”

The budget’s key elements for the post-secondary sector include an increase of 30 per cent, across five years, in Canada’s three research funding agencies: the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

The budget also invests $825 million in support of master’s and PhD students and post-doctoral fellows, boosting the value of these scholarships and fellowships significantly, and adding a further 1,720 students or fellows each year.

“In the knowledge economy, the global market for ... ideas is highly competitive and we need to make sure talented people have the right incentives to do their groundbreaking research here in Canada,” the budget document states.

In addition, the budget lays out a plan for the creation of an advisory Council on Science and Innovation, which will be tasked with setting priorities and boosting the impact of federal investments in science and innovation. And it proposes the creation of a new capstone research funding organization to optimize the impact of the federally funded research councils.

The budget also earmarks $2.4 billion, previously announced, to consolidate Canada’s competitive edge in AI – a field where ��˾��ֱ�� researchers are playing a leading role.

The measures come as post-secondary institutions in Ontario grapple with a challenging financial environment and follows growing calls across Canada for reinvestment in research and innovation.

��˾��ֱ�� is a member of the Coalition for Canadian Research, which has urged the federal government to increase support for research to enhance Canada’s competitiveness as a destination for top talent and accelerate Canadian researchers’ efforts in tackling pressing national and global challenges.

“Canada has many strengths in this new strategic race, including unparalleled access to talent, an increasingly successful commercialization pipeline from researchers to business, and a federal government focused on developing the industries of tomorrow,” Leah Cowen, ��˾��ֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, noted in a May 2023 column for The Hill Times.

In October, the coalition – whose members include post-secondary institutions as well as research hospitals, life sciences companies, charities, students and early-career researchers – released an open letter calling for “ambitious reinvestment” to support Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem amid an increasingly competitive global landscape and rising societal and economic challenges.

��˾��ֱ��-anchored hospital network among leading life sciences research hubs, report finds

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 23:24:07 +0000

��˾��ֱ��-anchored hospital network among leading life sciences research hubs, report finds

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 11/17/2023 - 18:24

Cutline

(photo by xubingruo/Getty Images)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Our Community

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

National Taiwan University

Women's College Hospital

The University of Toronto and its partner hospitals are propelling the Toronto region as a leading global hub for life sciences research – but its success is at risk from underinvestment.

That’s among the findings of a new report that examines the strengths and challenges within the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN) – which comprises ��˾��ֱ�� and 14 academic hospitals – and its surrounding ecosystem. The report was commissioned by ��˾��ֱ�� and conducted by Shift Health.

In addition to leading on research, talent and public and private investment in Canada, the report finds that TAHSN rivals top-tier hubs in the United States despite receiving less funding.

“The TAHSN research outputs and impacts really do match or exceed those of our competitors across North America,” said Leah Cowen, ��˾��ֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“Our community is a phenomenal resource for Ontario, for Canada, and really inspiring around the world.”

Cowen was one of several health, research, industry and government leaders who gathered to discuss the report at an event hosted by the ��˾��ֱ��’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and ��˾��ֱ��’s Government Relations Office, as part of the New Frontiers for Policymakers policy discussion series.

The report marks the first time TAHSN’s impact has been evaluated against leading hubs in North America. Measuring 10 quantitative indicators, the report finds that TAHSN’s strength lies in its fusion of discovery research, talent development, startup and commercialization supports, and robust industry partnerships.

From left: Aristotle Voineskos, Heather McPherson, Leah Cowen and Anne Mullin (photo by ��˾��ֱ�� Government Relations Office)

It also adds to a body of evidence that demonstrates life sciences research at the university and its affiliated hospitals is supporting growth of the sector in Canada. A recent Nature ranking, for example, listed ��˾��ֱ�� as the third-most prolific institution in the world (and second among universities) for health sciences research.

Research is at the foundation of the life sciences sector, one of Canada’s most intensive R&D industries. In 2022, life sciences contributed $89.6 billion to the national GDP and supported 200,000 jobs. The federal government and provincial governments, including Ontario, have developed strategies that seek to leverage new investments in bioinnovation and biomanufacturing, increase the competitiveness of Canadian companies and meet the projected demand for more workers.

Reaching those goals requires renewed investment, the report argues.

“There are two points,” Cowen said during the event. “One is that we’re great. But that’s not what we’re here to address. We’re here to do something much more ambitious, which is to recognize that our greatness is at risk if we don’t have considerably more investment.”

In particular, the report identified a significant gap in access to government health research funding for the TAHSN hub compared to its U.S. peers.

TAHSN is able to deliver globally leading results because of collaboration among its affiliated institutions and across disciplines through ��˾��ֱ��’s institutional strategic initiatives, Cowen said. The institutional strategic initiatives facilitate research in areas of the life sciences that are transforming patient care, including regenerative medicine and machine learning.

The Toronto Academic Health Science Network comprises ��˾��ֱ�� and 14 academic hospitals, including those found on Toronto’s “Hospital Row” (photo by Kenneth Chou)

These strategies are a foundation for global scale, Cowen added, but only if Canada invests more in life sciences research in a bid to increase health security and economic growth.

“Over and over again, we see how fundamental science is able to transform innovation and lead to huge economic growth – but public support is critical,” she said.

“This ecosystem can scale. We can do more. But we can't do more if we continue to stagnate in terms of levels of investment.”

TAHSN Chair Heather McPherson, president and CEO of Women’s College Hospital, noted the report’s finding of higher salaries for life sciences research talent south of the border, which can make it difficult to recruit and retain top researchers and ultimately affects research capacity and patient care. “I think about research in a very connected way,” said McPherson. “To me, it's the pathway to a better health system for everyone. Research drives innovation and innovation drives better patient care - We need both to stay competitive and create an environment that attracts the best and brightest. ”

Other issues outlined in the report include the lower number of early-phase clinical trials conducted in Canada compared to leading U.S. hubs and a lack of sufficient capital to scale startups into global champions.

“When I reflect on the report, it's all kind of a missed opportunity,” McPherson said.

“We're doing extremely well right now – the report shows that. But how well could we do if we had some more investment? And what innovations, particularly in patient care, are we leaving on the table?"

Aristotle Voineskos, vice-president of research and director of the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), says Canada tends to have a lower appetite for risk than the U.S. when it comes to research – even though there are many examples of research projects deemed long shots that ultimately transformed human health.

“When there is that one success, it's enormous. It's massive,” says Voineskos, noting that TAHSN has all the ingredients to further increase its attractiveness as a site for early-stage clinical trials, from sharing of data findings among hospitals to the diversity of Toronto’s patient population.

“This is such as special environment. There’s just a lot of opportunity here that I think is untapped.”

��˾��ֱ�� fifth in the world, first among North American public universities: NTU rankings

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 01:23:00 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� fifth in the world, first among North American public universities: NTU rankings

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 09/07/2023 - 21:23

Cutline

(photo by David Lee)

Topic

Rankings

Subheadline

In a related ranking by field, ��˾��ֱ�� placed second globally in medicine and sixth for social sciences

The University of Toronto is ranked among the top five research universities in the world – and first among North America’s public universities – in the latest National Taiwan University Rankings.

��˾��ֱ�� placed first in Canada and fifth in the world, up one spot from last year, in the research-focused 2023 NTU rankings, which rate universities based on their overall output of scientific publications, in addition to scoring performance in specific fields and subjects.

Among global public universities, ��˾��ֱ�� ranked third behind University College London and the University of Oxford.

In a related ranking by field, ��˾��ֱ�� placed second globally in medicine and sixth for social sciences. This was complemented by success in the subject rankings, where ��˾��ֱ�� placed in the top 10 globally in clinical medicine (2nd), neurosciences and behaviour (3rd), psychiatry and psychology (4th) and social sciences, general (6th).

“We are incredibly proud of the University of Toronto’s exceptional performance in these rankings, which reflect our commitment to research excellence across a wide range of disciplines,” said Leah Cowen, vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“From life-changing innovations in medicine and technology to paradigm-shifting discoveries in the humanities and social sciences, our researchers, faculty and students continue to push the boundaries of knowledge to the benefit of the world.”

More than 1,500 universities were considered for this year’s rankings, and the top 1,000 were ranked. Based on an analysis of scholarly publications, the rankings use measures such as number of articles and citations to evaluate a university’s performance across three criteria – research productivity, research impact and research excellence.

Similar methodology is used to determine NTU's field and subject rankings, where the sheer breadth of ��˾��ֱ��’s expertise was on full display this year. On the world stage, ��˾��ֱ�� ranked among the top 50 universities in four of the six fields and 13 of the 27 subject areas – all while coming first in Canada in a total of 16 subject areas.

Three other Canadian universities made the top 100 in the overall NTU rankings: University of British Columbia (33rd), McGill University (57th) and University of Alberta (86th).

��˾��ֱ�� continues to be the highest-ranked Canadian university and ranked among the top 25 universities globally in the five most closely watched international rankings: Times Higher Education World University Rankings, QS World University Rankings, Shanghai Ranking Consultancy’s Academic Ranking of World Universities, U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities and National Taiwan University World University Ranking.

From building bone to children’s literacy: 36 ��˾��ֱ�� researchers awarded Canada Research Chairs

lanthierj — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 17:51:06 +0000

From building bone to children’s literacy: 36 ��˾��ֱ�� researchers awarded Canada Research Chairs

lanthierj Tue, 08/29/2023 - 13:51

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Karina Carneiro, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Dentistry, is one of 36 researchers at ��˾��ֱ�� and its partner hospitals to receive a new or renewed Canada research chair (photo by Jeff Comber)

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Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Canada Research Chairs

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Computer Science

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Economics

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Dentistry

Geography and Planning

Hospital for Sick Children

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

University Health Network

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

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The new and renewed chairs at ��˾��ֱ�� and its hospital partners were part of a broader research funding announcement by the federal government

At the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Dentistry, Karina Carneiro and her team are working on developing new treatments to regenerate bone with DNA-based biomaterials.

Karina Carneiro (photo by Jeff Comber)

The researchers are exploring ways to use synthetic materials, created using DNA nanotechnology, to help bones regenerate and support the body’s efforts to heal them naturally.

That’s in contrast to current bone repair treatments, which involve taking bone tissue from another part of the body and breaking it into little pieces that can be inserted into the defect.

“Using a DNA-gel for this purpose could be an effective treatment option as it can be injected to fill the defect size fully,” says Carneiro, an assistant professor in the faculty.

“What we believe to be the difference between our DNA gel and other materials being developed is that over time, the DNA can degrade into molecules that promote our own body’s healing mechanism to further regenerate the bone.”

Carneiro is one of three researchers at the Faculty of Dentistry to be awarded a new or renewed Canada Research Chair in the latest round – and one of 36 across ��˾��ֱ��’s three campuses and hospital partners (see list below).

Established in 2000, the prestigious federal program aims to recruit and retain top researchers and scholars in the country. It invests more than $300 million annually to enable world-class researchers to reach new heights in disciplines spanning engineering, health sciences, humanities and social sciences.

“Congratulations to all the researchers at the University of Toronto who received new or renewed Canada Research Chairs in the latest round,” says Leah Cowen, ��˾��ֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“From using AI to improve medicine and health care to better understanding Indigenous geographies and environmental dispossession, the work by ��˾��ֱ�� investigators supported by this important federal program is pushing the boundaries of research and innovation – and promises to have a big impact in Canada and around the world.”

Anil Kishen (photo by Jeff Comber)

Professor Anil Kishen, who is also at the Faculty of Dentistry, will use the funding associated with his Tier 1 Canada Research to advance his work in oral health nanomedicine.

He and his colleagues in the Kishen Lab are using multifunctional bioactive nanoparticles to study how cells communicate with each other and how wounds heal – in particular, how nanoparticles can be used to help save infected natural teeth and treat wounds and ulcers in individuals with diabetes.

Kishen says one of the reasons chitosan-based nanoparticles, which are optimized for different therapeutic applications, are so promising is because they’re derived from a naturally occurring molecule that is readily available.

“Affordability is important when developing a treatment to reach the masses,” Kishen says.

Massieh Moayedi (photo by Jeff Comber)

Massieh Moayedi, an associate professor in the Faculty of Dentistry, is receiving funding to pursue research in pain neuroimaging as a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair.

“There’s tenuous evidence that body image might be involved in some types of chronic pain,” Moayedi says, adding that his end goal is to understand how pain works so he can improve patient outcomes.

He’s already shown that people with arthritic hands who see the limb looking healthier through a special device experience improvements in pain, so he’s now trying to understand which brain regions are involved.

“This chair will give me funding and the capacity to allow me to investigate these questions, and to really understand the relationship between pain and body image.”

Randy Boissonnault, minister of employment, workforce development and official languages, announced the CRCs at a press conference on Aug. 29 on behalf of François-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry, and Mark Holland, minister of health.

He also revealed the researchers and projects receiving funding through a diverse array of programs administered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

They include the recipients of the SSHRC’s Partnership Grants, Partnership Development Grants and Insight Grants, as well as the recipients of the CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF), which helps institutions to recruit and retain outstanding researchers, and provide them with the necessary tools and technology to perform their work. Named after a former ��˾��ֱ�� president, JELF supports projects that deal with a range of pressing issues. This year’s recipients include 35 researchers at ��˾��ֱ�� and its hospital partners sharing a total of more than $11 million for projects ranging from an assessment of plant responses to environmental change to the development of an ultra-sensitive cryogenic detector for dark matter and neutrino experiments.

“The federal government’s ongoing support for research through all of these programs – from the John R. Evans Leaders Fund, to the NSERC and CFI grants and the Canada Research Chairs – is critical to supporting the kind of research that ultimately improves lives through new knowledge and innovations,” Cowen said.

Here is the full list of new and renewed Canada Research Chairs at ��˾��ֱ��:

New Canada Research Chairs

Stephanie Ameis at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and in the department of psychiatry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in neuroimaging of autism and mental health in youth
Yvonne Bombard at Unity Health and in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Tier 2 in genomics health services and policy
Karina Carneiro in the Faculty of Dentistry, Tier 2 in DNA-based biomaterials
Jesse Chao at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and in the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in precision cancer diagnostics and artificial intelligence
Xi (Becky) Chen-Bumgardner in the department of applied psychology and human development in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Tier 1 in literacy development of bilingual and multilingual children
Mark Chiew at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and in the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in computational biomedical imaging
Sarah Crome at University Health Network and in the department of immunology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in tissue-specific immune tolerance
Michelle Daigle in the department of geography and planning in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Tier 2 in Indigenous geographies and environmental dispossession
Karen Davis at University Health Network and in the department of surgery in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 1 in acute and chronic pain research
Rahul Gopalkrishnan in the department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science and department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in computational medicine
Housheng (Hansen) He at University Health Network and in the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 1 in RNA medicine
Margaret Herridge at University Health Network and in the department of medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 1 in critical illness outcomes and the recovery continuum
Anil Kishen in the Faculty of Dentistry, Tier 1 in oral health nanomedicine
Bowen Li in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Tier 2 in RNA vaccines and therapeutics
Iacovos Michael at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and in the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in tumor biology and precision oncology
Massieh Moayedi in the Faculty of Dentistry, Tier 2 in pain neuroimaging
Faiyaz Notta at the University Health Network and in the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in pancreatic cancer and cancer evolution
Valeria Rac at the University Health Network and in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Tier 2 in health system and technology evaluation
Fahad Razak at Unity Health Toronto and in the department of medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in health-care data and analytics
Clinton Robbins at the University Health Network and in the department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 1 in cardiovascular immunology
Lena Serghides at the University Health Network and in the department of immunology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 1 in maternal-child health and HIV
Catriona Steele at the University Health Network and in the department of speech language pathology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 1 in swallowing and food oral processing
Bo Wang in the department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science and department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, tier 2 in artificial intelligence for medicine

Renewed Canada Research Chairs

Angela Cheung at University Health Network and in the department of medicine at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 1 in musculoskeletal and postmenopausal health
Xi Huang at the Hospital for Sick Children and in the department of molecular genetics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in cancer biophysics
Cendri Hutcherson in the department of psychology at the University of Toronto Scarborough, Tier 2 in decision neuroscience
Joanne Kotsopoulos at Women’s College Hospital and at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Tier 2 in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer prevention
Arthur Mortha in the department of immunology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in mucosal immunology
Kelly O’Brien in the department of physical therapy in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in episodic disability and rehabilitation
Trevor Pugh at the University Health Network and in the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in translational genomics
Diego Restuccia in the department of economics in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Tier 1 in macroeconomics and productivity
David Sinton in the department of mechanical and industrial engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, Tier 1 in energy and fluids
Olivier Trescases in the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, Tier 2 in power electronic converters
Joel Watts in the Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Tier 2 in protein misfolding disorders
Michael Widener in the department of geography and planning in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Tier 2 in transportation and health
Stephen Wright in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Tier 1 in population genomics

��˾��ֱ�� ranked first in Canada, among top 25 universities globally in Shanghai ranking

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 20:00:33 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� ranked first in Canada, among top 25 universities globally in Shanghai ranking

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 08/18/2023 - 16:00

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(photo by Matthew Dochstader / Paradox Images)

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Shanghai Ranking Consultancy

The University of Toronto is rated first in Canada and 24th globally in the latest edition of ShanghaiRanking Consultancy’s worldwide university rankings.

Among public universities, ��˾��ֱ�� placed sixth in North America and 13th overall in the 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities, released earlier this week.

This marks the seventh year in a row that ��˾��ֱ�� has placed among the world’s top 25 universities in the closely watched annual ranking, which was first launched in 2003.

“We are thrilled to see the University of Toronto once again recognized as a world leader in research and education,” said Leah Cowen, vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“Our consistent performance in these and other worldwide rankings reflects ��˾��ֱ��’s unwavering commitment to making new discoveries, advancing knowledge across disciplines and producing graduates who can effect change on a global scale.”

The Academic Ranking of World Universities is based on six weighted measures related to research and academic performance. They include: the number of alumni and faculty winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals; the number of highly-cited researchers in 21 broad subject categories; the number of papers published in the prestigious journals Nature and Science; articles cited in major science and social sciences citation indices; and each institution’s per capita academic performance.

In all, the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy evaluated more than 2,500 universities to determine the 1,000 that would make the cut for its 2023 publication.

��˾��ֱ�� received a similar score to last year but dropped two spots as the rising performance of Chinese universities saw Tsinghua University join the top 25 for the first time while Imperial College London, ranked 23rd, maintained its position.

The ranking’s top 10 universities were identical to 2022, with Harvard University taking the top spot in the ranking, followed by Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Cambridge, the University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University, University of Oxford, Columbia University, the California Institute of Technology and University of Chicago.

Four other Canadian universities made the top 100: the University of British Columbia (44), McGill University (70), University of Alberta (91) and McMaster University (98).

Overall, ��˾��ֱ�� is ranked first in Canada and among the top 25 universities globally in the five most closely watched international rankings: QS World University Rankings, U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities, Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, ShanghaiRanking Consultancy’s Academic Ranking of World Universities and National Taiwan University World University Rankings.

Nature ranks ��˾��ֱ�� among top three institutions in the world for health sciences research output

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 13:08:37 +0000

Nature ranks ��˾��ֱ�� among top three institutions in the world for health sciences research output

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 06/16/2023 - 09:08

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(photo by Matthew Dochstader/Paradox Images)

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Global Lens

Health