A new study from the Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) is challenging some of science’s fundamental understandings of cellular behaviour.

The foundational study, published in this month’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), suggests that unlike what was previously understood, cells do not communicate movements by being joined, but instead move along pathways determined by physical space and ‘crowd’ flow.

“Since the 30s we’ve known that cells will follow features on their substrate. If you scratch a slide, cells with move along the scratch,” said Camila Londono (IBBME), first author of the study and PhD candidate.

Playing with this theory, the researchers had a special plate created that had striations or grooves on the surface of one side of the well, and remained flat on the other side. Cells were treated so that they would not be able to connect with one another, and then were formed into a sheet on the surface of the dual-topography wells.

In keeping with previous knowledge, the researchers found that cells moved along the grooves in groups. But what surprised the team were the cells on the flat surface in the same well.

“We found that a small fringe of cells moved as if they were on a line, as well,” states Londono.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWVW11Gq1ig]

“The best way to describe it is to say that the cells move like a school of fish,” explains Assistant Professor Alison McGuigan (ChemE/IBBME), corresponding author of the study.

The results of the study, Londono argues, point to something about cellular communication that was previously unknown.

“Researchers have always thought that signals are transferred to cells through connections to one another. But even when we prevented those connections from forming we didn’t see any difference in the signal propagation,” she said, citing that the results suggest that the cells move where they have space to move – a purely physical communication.

While the results of the study are “really new and unexpected,” according to Londono, “it’s only recently that we’ve been able to do data collection on group cell migration” due to the sheer amount of data to be collected, and the need for specific tools. In fact, the researchers collaborated with Professor Stewart Aitchison (ECE) to make the special well plate for the group.

U of T Engineering alumni behind a wearable device that eliminates the need for passwords, PIN codes and more, are making news around the world again as they prepare to launch a new Bitcoin wallet feature for their Nymi wristband.

Bionym was recently featured in a video as part of U of T’s Spotlight on Startups series, in which CEO Karl Martin (EngSci 0T1, ECE MASc 0T3, PhD 1T0) explained how U of T’s entrepreneurship climate and supports helped set he and co-founder Foteini Agrafioti (ECE MASc 2T7, PhD 1T1) on their path to a thriving business.

Watch Bionym’s Spotlight on Startup video (1:47)

The Spotlight on Startups series profiles the many entrepreneurial efforts growing from the hundreds of companies spun out from research and connections sparking every day at the University of Toronto:

U of T hosts more than 50 enterprise-fostering courses, programs, labs, clubs, contests and speaker series across its faculties, departments and campuses — and then there are all the innovations developing in informal settings. U of T ranks No. 1 in North America for number of startups launched. And its roster of spin-off companies driving innovation in Toronto and around the world continues to grow.

U of T Engineering’s own Entrepreneurship Hatchery offers undergraduate students access to mentoring, space and equipment to help them turn their ideas into viable businesses. They can engage directly with experienced entrepreneurs, like Bionym’s Karl Martin, to learn the ins and outs of start-up life.

For Bionym, the newest feature of the Nymi wristband has caught the attention of The Wall Street Journal, Slate, Mashable and more, as the company prepares to launch a feature capitalizing on an emerging digital currency, called Bitcoin.

Martin gave U of T an update on the Bitcoin connection and what’s next for the growing company.

The Nymi has been in the media lately for a new feature relating to Bitcoin. What is it?

Bitcoin is an emerging digital currency that is not controlled by any country or central bank. It’s still in the early days for this technology, and it is not well understood or accessible to the general public. Bionym announced that the Nymi will launch with a Bitcoin wallet that will make it easier for people to make payments and securely manage the Bitcoins they own. Essentially, the Nymi will help make Bitcoins accessible and not require a deep understanding of the underlying Bitcoin technology to make it useful. As more merchants start accepting Bitcoin payments, the Nymi will enable users to pay in a seamless and secure manner.

Why does the Bitcoin connection seem to be exciting the public so much? The Nymi was cool from the start, and has lots of potential uses, but people seem to be talking about it a lot more since the Bitcoin wallet came into play…

Bitcoin has been gaining a lot of attention lately as it is on the cusp of transitioning from an early adopter “curiosity,” to being a mainstream disruptor. This is a natural place for the Nymi to be, and I think people are very excited to see that the Nymi will be at the forefront of digital commerce.

What are you most excited about in the near future for Bionym?

We’re about to start releasing our developer units [ed: testing units for potential users, independent software developers and entrepreneurs]. We have such an eager community of developers and early customers, so we’re extremely excited to start putting things in their hands.

With so much wintry weather this season, the St. George campus has ended up with an unplanned ice rink on Front Campus. Many Engineering students have taken advantage of the make-shift rink, picking up their hockey sticks and seizing the chance to enjoy the new feature. The following is a collection of photos shared with University of Toronto via Facebook and Instagram, as well as a few taken by U of T News photographer Johnny Guatto, capturing their freezing fun.

U of T Engineering is expanding its cross-disciplinary opportunities with the announcement of a new academic certificate in engineering leadership.

Starting in the 2014-15 academic year, this certificate offers courses for undergraduate Engineering students to enhance their team skills, as well as their knowledge of organizational processes and their personal leadership styles. They receive credit on their academic transcript.

The development of this curricular option is in response to growing demand from students and industry partners for formal leadership education at the undergraduate level in engineering. In September 2014, the Faculty will double its undergraduate courses on leadership to four.

“We want students to engage with leadership education so that they can develop skills that will serve them during their academic careers and as future engineers,” said Annie Simpson, Assistant Director of the Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering. “Students need to know that engineers play an important role in society. This certificate in engineering leadership will be a way for them to demonstrate proficiency in those abilities that are seen as increasingly vital to success.”

With leadership education firmly rooted in the Faculty’s mission to prepare well-rounded global citizens, undergraduate students now have more ways than ever to receive formal recognition for their learning. In addition to this new academic certificate, students can also explore other ILead opportunities that can be recorded on their U of T Co-Curricular Record, an initiative launched university-wide in September 2013 to credit students for learning outside the classroom.

Learn more about the Certificate in Engineering Leadership on February 12, 5-6PM (SSF1105) at the Faculty’s information sessions on Engineering Minors and Certificates.

Academic advising, course evaluations and the first year Engineering curriculum – these were the key issues discussed on February 6 at the Dean’s Student Town Hall.

Hosted by the Faculty and the Engineering Society, these biannual gatherings provide an opportunity for students to give feedback on relevant issues and directly engage with Engineering faculty and staff.

Dean Cristina Amon opened the Town Hall with a few examples of how feedback is used to create positive change for future students.

Flowing from comments in last October’s Town Hall, she announced that a new task force of students, faculty and staff was formed to examine Engineering’s undergraduate professional development services.

Student recommendations also prompted discussions with the Registrar’s Office and Vice Dean, Undergraduate on new programming to support incoming international students.

During the Town Hall, students gathered in groups to examine the new online course evaluation system, discuss how academic advising could be improved, and provide feedback on suggested changes to the First Year curriculum.

“We receive many valuable and rich comments from students at these events,” said Dr. Micah Stickel, Chair, First Year. “We’re thankful to everyone who participated, and we look forward working on the ideas that came out of today’s meeting.”

Dean Amon also used the time with Engineering students to thank them again for their generous support of the new Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CEIE). In October of last year, the Engineering Society announced a $1 million commitment to student space in the new building.

“I wholeheartedly thank the Engineering Society and the many students who have come together to support the new building project for the Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship,” said Dean Amon. “Your encouragement has been a cornerstone of this project and a testament to our Faculty-wide collaborative culture of engineering excellence.”

Pressure sores. They’re the number one reason for infection, hospitalization and mortality amongst North America’s 2.2 million wheelchair users.

And a new sensory system developed by U of T Professor Milos Popovic (IBBME) and partner SensiMAT Systems could help eradicate them.

Although seemingly minor, even the most well treated sores can be life threatening. This is what drove Professor Popovic, Toronto Rehab Chair in Spinal Cord Injury Research at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (TRI), and father/son team, Michael and David Mravya of SensiMAT, to start inventing the device when they met in 2007.

“Take for example, the sad story of Christopher Reeve,” said Professor Popovic. “After his injury, Christopher Reeve and his foundation poured millions of dollars into stem cell research. But in the end, he died from a pressure sore that could have been prevented by this inexpensive solution.”

According to recent data, there are over 350,000 North Americans in wheelchairs as a result of spinal cord injuries. This segment has the highest risk of developing these ulcers, with a 95 per cent lifetime incidence rate.

Pressure sores are caused by poor circulation and increased pressure – for instance, from prolonged periods of sitting in place – where the skin and surrounding tissues become damaged. Even if a small sore is treated effectively, it still carries a high risk of infection that can lead to surgeries, hospitalization, and in some cases, death.

The SensiMAT is designed to help wheelchair users prevent these wounds from forming in the first place. The system consists of a sensor-lined mat tailored to fit a wheelchair user’s existing cushion.

Once the user sits in their chair, Bluetooth technology sends signals from the pressure-sensing mat to a smartphone app that alerts the user when and where pressure has begun to build up. It follows traffic light colours: red for trouble spots and green for pressure-free zones.

Alerts can be monitored remotely, meaning the system is also ideal for those caregivers of immobile wheelchair users. The simple and versatile design has also been sought after by occupational therapists who want to track their patients’ level of activity outside the clinical setting.

But the SensiMAT isn’t just for the most vulnerable populations.

“During our research we found that even people who are very active in their chairs and who diligently complete their pressure reliefs are at risk of developing sores,” explained Mravyan.

SensiMAT patented the technology in 2012, and they are now looking at ways to expand the sensory system for use in long-term care facilities. Rather than waiting for set rotation hours, the SensiMAT system could alert caregivers that bed-bound patients need to be moved.

“What this system offers is a quality metric for long-term care reporting,” said Mravyan. Data can also be collected over the course of weeks or even months, and could help care facilities determine the level of health and care of their clients.

The SensiMAT is currently undergoing testing at the Lyndhurst Centre, part of the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. In March, SensiMAT Systems will launch a crowdfunding campaign to help the company bring this product to market.