Professor Emma Master (ChemE) has been named the inaugural Robert Korthals Chair in Sustainability. 

The new chair was made possible by the generous donation from the estate of alumnus Robert “Robin” Korthals (ChemE 5T5). It will support Master’s research into biomanufacturing processes that mimic nature and convert underused renewable resources into materials that reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.  

“One biomaterial that we know a lot about is cellulose, which is usually derived from wood, and is today the basis of paper and cardboard,” says Master, who also serves as Director of BioZone, a centre for industrial and environmental biotechnology research at U of T Engineering. 

“What we’re looking at is using naturally occurring enzymes to functionalize cellulose in ways that impart useful properties — for example, by making it easier to spin into fibres. This could lead to sustainably sourced textiles that could displace those derived from non-renewable materials, such as polyesters or nylons. 

“Bio-derived materials could also help displace single-use plastics in the packaging industry, which in turn would reduce levels of environmental microplastics.” 

The new chair is the latest development in a long history of support for U of T Engineering and the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry by Robert Korthals. 

He made his first donation in 1981, around the same time he became the fifth president of Toronto-Dominion Bank, a position he held until 1995. Over the decades, Korthals made dozens of generous gifts to support new buildings and infrastructure as well as programming aimed at supporting leadership education for engineering students.  

Korthals, who died in 2023, was also a strong supporter of many other charitable causes in the GTA, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. His son Jamie Korthals says that he believed strongly in building a more sustainable world. 

“U of T held a really special place in my father’s heart. For much of his life, he lived nearby and would often walk through campus — he just loved being close to that environment of learning and discovery,” says Korthals. 

“He felt a deep connection to the university and believed strongly in giving back to the place that had given him so much. For him, supporting U of T through this new chair was a way to invest in future generations.” 

“I think this is a particularly opportune time for Canada to lead in sustainable manufacturing and creating a prosperous, circular bio-economy,” says Master. 

“We have a great supply of sustainably harvested renewable resources, as well as a highly educated and innovative society. Through this chair, I hope to build new networks and alliances to help de-risk the technologies that will get us there.” 

Master emphasizes that building connections with local communities is also a critical part of this work.  

“We sometimes hear concerns that the bio-economy means harvesting more of the forest, or that it might impact biodiversity,” she says. 

“But as I mentioned, Canadian forestry resources are very well managed, and we are very much focused on using residuals and wastes in ways that enable us to do more with less.  

“Still, any time we deploy new technologies, we need to ensure that we don’t make unforeseen mistakes. That’s why it’s so important for us to engage with local communities to understand where they see risks — and where they see opportunities. This chair will also help us do that.” 

Jamie Korthals says that his father would have deeply respected the focus of the new chair. 

“He would have really admired the kind of work Professor Master is doing,” says Korthals. 

“He believed in human ingenuity and the idea that we can find better ways forward — especially when it comes to using our resources more wisely.” 

“My dad grew up in a time when natural resources were seen mostly as opportunity. But over time, he began to reflect more deeply on the consequences. This chair reflects where he was later in life — more attuned to environmental challenges and committed to supporting solutions. It’s a legacy that aligns with where he hoped the world was heading.”  

Researchers from across the University of Toronto have teamed with BASF to develop an array of new chemical technologies for sectors from agriculture to architecture. 

Several projects have been launched so far under a new framework agreement for collaborative research, the first one BASF has signed with a Canadian university. 

Many of the projects involve self-driving labs, a concept at the centre of U of T’s Acceleration Consortium, a global initiative dedicated to accelerating scientific discovery. Self-driving labs use artificial intelligence and automation to create new materials and molecules for a fraction of the usual time and cost.  

“The question we often need to answer when creating new chemical products is: given these design constraints, how many different possible molecules or formulations could we make?” says Professor Frank Gu (ChemE), one of several U of T researchers involved in the collaboration. 

“A human mind might be able to come up with two, three or maybe ten different possibilities. But using AI, we can generate hundreds, including ones we might never have thought of otherwise.” 

Within these model chemical libraries, AI algorithms can quickly conduct large numbers of virtual tests to screen for the most promising solutions. These can then be synthesized and tested in a physical lab, with the results fed back into the model to improve future iterations. 

For example, Gu and his collaborators are working with a family of naturally occurring biopolymers derived from plants. 

Agricultural researchers have previously tested some of these molecules as biostimulants, meaning that they could help activate the natural defenses of a target crop against pests or disease. But they also have other useful properties. 

“These biopolymers are very hydrophilic materials, which means they are able to absorb and retain water,” says Gu. 

“By taking up water when the soil is too wet, and releasing it when it is too dry, they can help regulate soil moisture. 

“On top of that, they can also be used as delivery vehicles: we can wrap an active ingredient, like a pesticide or fertilizer, in a coating made of these biopolymers. If we design the coating well, it can slowly release the active ingredient next to the plant, where needed, rather than letting it get washed away by rain.” 

Using the biopolymers for targeted delivery can enable farmers to use less of the active ingredient and reduce the pollution problems associated with agricultural runoff, improving both economics and sustainability. 

The challenge is that there are hundreds of potential biopolymer formulations to choose from. By working with the Acceleration Consortium, where Gu co-leads the Formulations self-driving lab, the team is betting that the power of self-driving labs can speed up the search. 

The project is just one of many catalyzed by the new agreement with BASF, which builds on previous collaborations with U of T researchers, including Professors Eugenia Kumacheva and Mitchell Winnik, both from the Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Arts & Science. 

In addition to agriculture, some of the collaborations are focused on new coatings that can extend the life of architectural materials, while others aim to deliver drugs to targeted areas of the human body. 

“For us, it’s all about molecules,” says Gu. “Whether we are delivering an anti-cancer drug, or a smarter crop application, or a protective coating, it’s all about finding the best potential solution out of the huge number of possibilities.” 

By offering collaboration opportunities in cutting-edge research and leveraging innovative technologies, U of T and BASF researchers are aiming to solve challenges in sustainability, aligning with BASF’s mission in creating chemistry for a sustainable future. 

“Our interactions with faculty members Frank Gu, Christine Allen, Eugenia Kumacheva, and Alan Aspuru-Guzik have been positive and productive,” says Wen Xu, Senior Principal Scientist, Agricultural Solutions, BASF Corporation. 

“The projects in scope are advancing efforts in predictive properties, advanced biomaterials and sustainable delivery of agrochemicals. Overall, our collaboration with the University of Toronto promises significant advancements in sustainable agriculture through innovative research and development.” 

“The University of Toronto has placed a big bet on innovation in the materials domain through our Acceleration Consortium, combining advances in robotics and artificial intelligence with subject matter expertise in chemistry, materials science, pharmaceuticals and chemical engineering,” says Professor David Wolfe, U of T’s Acting Associate Vice-President, International Partnerships. 

“But in order for our research to truly move the needle in this field, we need to work with world-leaders who develop, validate and manufacture materials at scale. BASF, as one of the world’s largest and most innovative chemical companies, is better positioned than anyone to inspire and be inspired by the work we do.” 

The full list of principal investigators at U of T and BASF who have launched new collaborations under the agreement so far includes: 

• Professor Alan Aspuru-Guzik, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts & Science and Wen Xu, Senior Principal Scientist, Agricultural Solutions, BASF Corporation  

• Professor Christine Allen, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and Wen Xu, Senior Principal Scientist, Agricultural Solutions, BASF Corporation 

• Professor Eugenia Kumacheva, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts & Science and Liangliang Echo Qu, Senior Scientist I, Research North America, BASF Corporation 

• Professor Frank Gu, Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and Wen Xu, Senior Principal Scientist, Agricultural Solutions, BASF Corporation 

• Professor Justin Nodwell, Department of Biochemistry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine; Ai-Jiuan Wu, Senior Research Scientist III, Agricultural Solutions, BASF Corporation and Kavita Bitra, Multicrop and Innovation Sourcing Lead, Agricultural Solutions, BASF Corporation 

 

A team of researchers from U of T Engineering has discovered hidden multi-dimensional side channels in existing quantum communication protocols. 

The new side channels arise in quantum sources, which are the devices that generate the quantum particles — typically photons — used to send secure messages. The finding could have important implications for quantum security. 

“What makes quantum communication more secure than classical communication is that it makes use of a property of quantum mechanics known as conjugate states,” says ECE PhD student Amita Gnanapandithan, lead author on a paper published in Physical Review Letters. 

“For example, position and momentum are conjugate variables: when you measure one, you disturb the other. If both variables are randomly chosen for encoding, anyone trying to listen in on the message will automatically introduce disturbances that can be detected by the parties that are trying to communicate. 

“Furthermore, due to the quantum no-cloning theorem, the eavesdropper cannot produce copies of the message to listen in on.” 

Yet despite its inherent security, there are still some ways that quantum communication can be compromised due to the imperfections in the devices used for practical implementations. 

Between 2000 and 2012, researchers showed that side channels can arise because of the way that quantum detectors work. These side channels act as loopholes, enabling someone to listen in on the signal without introducing a detectable disturbance. 

To address this, in 2012 Professor Hoi-Kwong Lo (ECE) and his collaborators developed a new protocol known as measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD). The protocol effectively short-circuits all side channels associated with quantum particle detectors. 

With the detector taken care of, Gnanapandithan, who is co-supervised by Lo and Professor Li Qian (ECE), turned to looking for potential side channels associated with the other end of the communication: the source devices. 

“Let’s say you want to encode information based on how the light coming from the source is polarized, which we call optical polarization,” says Gnanapandithan. 

“You would use two conjugate polarization bases to perform encoding and ideally, you’d want to keep your encoding within the polarization degree of freedom. You also don’t want that polarization to be correlated with any other degree of freedom, because if it is, then the eavesdropper can measure that second one to get information on polarization.” 

The idea that the encoding degree of freedom is uncorrelated with other degrees of freedom in optical quantum sources is known as the dimensional assumption. Violating this assumption means that the message might not be secure. 

In practice, today’s quantum sources can often introduce such a violation due to, for example, correlations between adjacent signals. This is called the pattern effect, and results in information about earlier signals leaking into later signals. 

But in the most recent study, Gnanapandithan used both theoretical models and physical quantum sources to demonstrate a new source of the violation that hadn’t been considered before. 

“We knew that the modulation process can be a little bit distorted, but what we found was that the modulation process can also be time varying, even within the same signal optical pulse,” says Gnanapandithan. 

“Specifically, we made the very subtle realization that this flaw is actually a violation of the dimensional assumption. Hence, we call this type of flaw ‘hidden multi-dimensional modulation,’ of which time-varying encoding is only one example.” 

How big a problem these side channels are depends on the type of equipment being used. 

“If your equipment has a higher bandwidth, you can apply a modulation signal to your optical pulse that should get it closer to what it ideally should be,” she says. 

“But if your equipment is severely bandwidth limited, then the modulation pulse might be severely distorted, and that would worsen the issue. 

“There is also a new type of quantum key distribution (QKD) source that’s been introduced in the literature, called a passive QKD source. Passive QKD sources don’t even use modulators, so these bandwidth issues wouldn’t apply.” 

Lo says that future work from his team will focus on possible ways to mitigate the newly discovered side channels.  

“We can get creative, and perhaps find ways around these problems,” he says. 

“But as we’ve learned in the past, it’s also possible that our new method might give rise to its own problems.  You never know how many layers there are going to be, but I think the all-important first step is to simply identify the issues you have to deal with, and that’s what we’ve done here.” 

Professor Milica Radisic (ChemE, BME) has been elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society. This honour recognizes Radisic’s “distinguished contributions to the field of organ-on-a-chip engineering, particularly for innovation in human cell-based platforms to study the physiological effects of chemicals on human tissues and organs.”

Radisic is the Canada Research Chair in Organ-on-a-Chip Engineering and a senior scientist at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute. She is internationally acclaimed for spearheading the field of organ-on-a-chip engineering, which provides human cell-based platforms for developing and studying human tissues and organs. These lab-grown platforms provide a cutting-edge tool for studying a wide range of diseases. They can also be used to test new drugs for effectiveness and potential side effects, reducing the need for animal models.

While culturing human cells in petri dishes isn’t new, these cells often do not look or behave like those in the human body. Radisic and her team use innovative, biocompatible polymer materials and unique microfabrication techniques to design scaffolds that enable these cells to grow in a more realistic environment.

Radisic’s lab was the first in the world to use electrical stimulation to mature human heart cells, a longstanding challenge in tissue engineering. She developed a micro-tissue cultivation platform, called Biowire, which is now accepted as the gold standard for cardiac cell maturation.

Radisic is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineering, two of Canada’s three scholarly academies. She is also a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, the Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society, and the U.S. National Academy of Inventors. She has held an NSERC E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship and a Killam Research Fellowship, two of Canada’s most prestigious research fellowships. In 2024, she received the NSERC John C. Polanyi Award, for a recent outstanding scientific advance.

“Professor Milica Radisic’s development of groundbreaking methods for developing and maturing cells and tissues has made her a leader in the field of organ-on-a-chip engineering, and opened up new possibilities for addressing critical health challenges,” says U of T Engineering Dean Christopher Yip. “On behalf of the entire faculty, my heartfelt congratulations on this richly deserved recognition.”

A U of T Engineering team has collaborated with researchers in the Wilfred and Joyce Posluns Centre for Image Guided Innovation and Therapeutic Intervention at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) to create a set of tiny robotic tools that could enable ‘keyhole surgery’ in the brain. 

In a paper published in Science Robotics, the team demonstrated the ability of these tools — only about 3 millimetres in diameter — to grip, pull and cut tissue. 

Their extremely small size is made possible by the fact that they are powered not by motors but by external magnetic fields. 

“In the past couple of decades, there has been this huge explosion of robotic tools that enable minimally invasive surgery, which can improve recovery times and outcomes for patients,” says Professor Eric Diller (MIE). 

“We can now replicate the wrist and hand movements of a surgeon on a centimetre scale, and these tools are widely used in surgeries that take place in the torso. But when it comes to neurosurgery, we are working with an even more restrictive space.” 

Current robotic surgical tools are typically driven by cables connected to electric motors, in much the same way that human fingers are manipulated by tendons in the hand that are connected to muscles in the wrist. 

But Diller says that at smaller length scales, the cable-based approach starts to break down. 

“The smaller you get, the harder you have to pull on the cables,” he says. “And at a certain point, you start to get problems with friction that lead to less reliable operation.” 

Diller and his collaborators have been working for several years on an alternative approach. Instead of cables and pulleys, their robotic tools contain magnetically active materials that respond to external electromagnetic fields controlled by the surgical team. 

The system consists of two parts. The first is the tiny tools themselves: a gripper, a scalpel and a set of forceps. The second part is what the team calls a coil table, which is a surgical table with several electromagnetic coils embedded inside.

In this design, the patient would be positioned with their head on top of the embedded coils, and the robotic tools would be inserted into the brain by means of a small incision. 

By altering the amount of electricity flowing into the coils, the team can manipulate the magnetic fields, causing the tools to grip, pull or cut tissue as desired. 

To test the tools, Diller and his team partnered with physicians and researchers at SickKids, including Doctors James Drake and Thomas Looi (EngSci 0T0). Together, they designed and built a phantom brain — a life-sized model made of silicone rubber that simulates the geometry of a real brain. 

The team then used small pieces of tofu and bits of raspberries to simulate the mechanical properties of the brain tissue they would need to work with. 

“The tofu is best for simulating cuts with the scalpel, because it has a consistency very similar to that of the corpus collosum, which is the part of the brain we were targeting,” says Changyan He, a former postdoctoral fellow co-supervised by both Drake and Diller, now an assistant professor at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. 

“The raspberries were used for the gripping tasks, to see if we could remove them in the way that a surgeon would remove diseased tissue.” 

The performance of these magnetically-actuated tools was compared with that of standard tools handled by trained physicians.  

In the paper, the team reports that the cuts made with the magnetic scalpel were consistent and narrow, with an average width of 0.3 to 0.4 millimetres. 

That was even more precise than those from the traditional hand tools, which ranged from 0.6 to 2.1 millimetres. 

As for the grippers, they were able to successfully pick up the target 76% of the time.  

The team also tested the operation of the tools in animal models, where they found that they performed similarly well.  

“I think we were all a bit surprised at just how well they performed,” says He. 

“Our previous work was in very controlled environments, so we thought it might take a year or more of experimentation to get them to the point where they were comparable to human-operated tools.” 

Despite the team’s success so far, Diller cautions that it may still be a long time before these tools see the inside of an operating room. 

“The technology development timeline for medical devices — especially surgical robots — can be years to decades,” he says. 

“There’s a lot we still need to figure out. We want to make sure we can fit our field generation system comfortably into the operating room, and make it compatible with imaging systems like fluoroscopy, which makes use of X-rays.” 

Still, the team is excited about the potential of the technology.

“This really is a wild idea,” says Diller. 

“It’s a radically different approach to how to how to make and drive these kinds of tools, but it’s also one that can lead to capabilities that are far beyond what we can do today.”  

Estelle Oliva-Fisher, Managing Director of the Troost Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering, is one of three recipients of the University of Toronto’s 2025 Chancellor’s Emerging Leader Award. 

Part of U of T’s Pinnacle Awards Program, this honour recognizes an individual who demonstrates outstanding leadership and significantly advances the University’s mission to foster an academic community in which the learning and scholarship of every member may flourish. 

Oliva-Fisher first joined the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering  in 2010 as a Leadership Education Specialist with the Troost Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering, providing support for student and staff learning and development. Currently, she serves within the Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education and Practice (ISTEP), where she leads and develops student co-curricular initiatives and industry partnerships.  

During her time at the faculty, Oliva-Fisher has led multiple innovative initiatives, identifying and addressing gaps, developing impactful strategies, and then implementing plans to ensure the solutions continue beyond her immediate oversight.  

Some of her notable accomplishments include the creation of the Engagement & Development Network for U of T Engineering staff, her leadership of the Decanal Task Force on Mental Health and implementation of its recommendations, the development of the Professional Experience Year Co-op Preparatory Program, and being an original member of the team that expanded the Leaders of Tomorrow program faculty wide, 

“Estelle consistently builds strong partnerships with her colleagues, students and alumni across U of T Engineering, creating an inclusive environment where all can thrive,” says Professor Greg Evans, Director of ISTEP.  

“Her investment in the success of our faculty across so many initiatives has been a tremendous benefit to our students’ experience, and we are thrilled that her leadership has been recognized with this award.”