An unassuming box sits on a table. One part is clear plastic, allowing you to see the empty chamber inside. You don’t think to look at it, but the empty chamber may one day hold a cell colony, or even tissue generated from a patient’s own body, to help diagnose or treat diseases such as cancer.

It’s just one of many cutting-edge devices on display at the IBBME Tomorrow’s Technology Showcase, which was part of IBBME’s 50th Anniversary celebrations from October 9-10.

The showcase highlighted an area of major growth for the healthcare industry in years to come: regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine is a field of research to restore function in the body through the regeneration of cells, tissues and organs.

It’s also one of the hottest markets around.

One of the presenters at the showcase was the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM). According to CCRM, where Professor Peter Zandstra (IBBME) serves as Chief Scientific Officer, regenerative medicine is an emerging industry with a projected annual growth of 30 per cent.

And it’s not just a field for doctors.

“Regenerative medicine is a great example of the integration of engineering and medicine. IBBME’s technology showcase was a wonderful way to feature an industry that will continue to grow in importance as today’s discoveries become tomorrow’s cures,” said Stacey Johnson, Communications Manager with CCRM.

Regenerative medicine is also rapidly becoming known for tackling diseases related to aging – a central concern for the health industry as the population ages.

At IBBME’s 50th Anniversary Symposium, ‘Defining Tomorrow: Advancing the Integration of Engineering and Medicine,’ speakers discussed the many regenerative medicine strategies currently being researched by engineers and scientists – from spinal cord injuries, to Alzheimer’s disease, to stroke patients.

Professor Milos Popovic (IBBME), a Toronto Rehab Chair in Spinal Cord Injury Research at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, described the success of his Functional Electronic Stimulation, or FES, in the treatment of cervical spinal nerve injuries that severely limit a person’s ability to grasp, move and hold objects.

“Patients must imagine movement,” said Professor Popovic during his presentation on the rehabilitation process involving FES. “They must struggle a bit. And then we turn on FES.”

FES floods the nervous system with small, controlled bursts of electrical stimulation which has been shown to help regenerate key tissues in the nervous system. The FES treatments also shows evidence that it delays the progression of injuries to the ‘white matter,’ a trauma that further complicates rehabilitation.

To date, the treatment has been used as an additional aid to traditional physiotherapy – with exciting results. During clinical trials, when patients were administered 40 hours of FES treatment alongside a 40-hour schedule of physiotherapy, FES was seen to greatly improve or maintain function in patient groups across the board, even after six months.

On top of maximizing a patient’s ability to move, however, is the enormous potential for savings of both time and money. FES therapy could cut costs from $360,000 – the cost of yearly physiotherapy over the average life span of a spinal cord injury patient – to a mere $60,000.

Popovic is currently extending his FES research to the recovery of stroke patients.

Late in the evenings, after most students have trickled out of the Bahen Centre, U of T’s Supermileage team is just getting started.

“I got the tires!” announced Michael Stranges (MechE 1T2 + PEY) as his team members cheered. The team has spent the last six months designing a vehicle that’s fuel efficient enough to compete in the Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2013.

Held annually around the world, the marathon challenges high school and university students to build a vehicle that can travel the farthest distance while using the least amount of energy.

The next Shell Eco-marathon Americas takes place in Houston, Texas, from April 5-7, 2013. And members of Supermileage, the first U of T team to ever participate in the competition, are confident they can beat last year’s record of 900 kilometres travelled per litre.

“The amount of time spent in the design stage of this project has allowed for us to investigate all possible alternatives for each individual system,” said Jonathan Hamway (MechE 1T3 + PEY), the team’s co-president. “The end result is a design that’s been optimized in all aspects to minimize weight, energy loss and ultimately, fuel consumption.”

Hamway feels Supermileage’s biggest weapon is the the team itself. The group has brought together students from diverse engineering and technical backgrounds – from mechanical engineering, to engineering science, to materials science and electrical engineering.

It also helps that they’re being supervised by Associate Professor David Sinton (MIE), Director of the Centre for Sustainable Energy, and an expert in applying fluid mechanics to energy systems.

Because the competition pushes participants to design with sustainability in mind, it’s driving the engineering students to innovate by imagining a future of earth-friendly vehicles. “[This competition] enables us to put our efforts to the test while changing public perception of what’s possible in designing for a greener future,” said Hamway.

To date, seven Canadian teams have registered to compete in the Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2013, hailing from the University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, University of Alberta and three-time champions, Université Laval from Quebec. Teams interested in competing are invited to register here.

Thirteen alumni and friends of U of T Engineering have been honoured by the University of Toronto with Arbor Awards, which recognize outstanding voluntary service to U of T.

“On behalf of the Faculty, I would like to extend my deep graditude to our alumni and friends who were honoured with Arbor Awards,” said Dean Cristina Amon. “The exceptional support they give to our students and to U of T Engineering is truly remarkable.”

The following alumni and friends were recognized at the annual ceremony:

Isabel Bayrakdarian (EngSci 9T7)

In 2009, renowned soprano Bayrakdarian helped to plan and execute a musical event that engaged alumni from across the Faculty as well as the Skule Orchestra. Along with fellow Engineering Science graduate and Arbor recipient, conductor Julian Kuerti (EngSci 9T9), Isabel celebrated Engineering Science’s 75th anniversary with an evening of music at Hart House Theatre.

Arun Channan (CivE 8T0)

Channan has been a volunteer for the Department of Civil Engineering since his graduation in 1980. Along with being a class leader and fundraiser, he is an active supporter of the University of Toronto Engineering Kompetition, an annual student-run design event.

Laura Chizuko Fujino 

A friend and trusted advisor to the Faculty, Fujino is a member of the advisory board of the Division of Engineering Science and has served as a volunteer at alumni events in California. She has helped secure a number of scholarships for Engineering Science students, while also serving as a mentor to students in the program.

Tiffany Melissa Chow (MIE 0T8)

Chow represented the Faculty on the College of Electors for four years and also served on the Governing Council’s Academic Board. She was an alumni representative on the Community Affairs and Gender Issues Faculty Council Standing Committee and is an active participant in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering’s alumni dinners.

Mauro De Franco (CivE 9T5)

De Franco has been a class leader since his graduation from Civil Engineering in 1995. He has also organized an annual alumni reunion each year since graduation, making the CIV9T5 alumni group one of the most active and cohesive in the Faculty.

Stanley Gasner (MIE 6T4)

Gasner played a major role in organizing the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, including a gala dinner at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. In the year leading up to the event, Gasner oversaw many aspects of the celebrations. He has also organized regular reunions for the U of T Engineering Class of 6T4.

Norman Hann (CivE 7T7)

Hann has worked to promote the matching program at Hydro One as a means for alumni at the company to double the impact of their giving. Hahn has also volunteered as an industrial thesis advisor for undergraduate and graduate students. He has served on the College of Electors since 2009, and is also a member of the Centre for Maintenance Optimization and Reliability Engineering (C-MORE).

Phillip Khaiat (EngSci 7T2)

Khaiat has been a dedicated Hart House volunteer for almost 40 years, serving on the Gallery Club Committee, Graduate Committee and Alumni Committee. He has also been instrumental in engaging U of T alumni in the educational mandate of Hart House through the Hart House Alumni Dinner Series. On the Music Committee, he helped to organize one of the first concerts by Canadian musician, Liona Boyd.

Julian Kuerti (EngSci 9T9)

While serving as assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Kuerti helped plan the musical celebration of the 75th anniversary of Engineering Science in 2009. After three months of planning and rehearsals, he conducted the Skule Orchestra to a sold-out audience at Hart House Theatre. The concert also featured fellow Engineering Science graduate, Isabel Bayrakdarian.

R. Scott MacKendrick (ChemE 8T2)

As a partner of Bereskin & Parr LLP, MacKendrick has been lecturing at the Faculty of Law since 1999. He is also Vice-Chair of the College of Electors, overseeing the election of the University’s Chancellor and the alumni members of Governing Council.

Mark Palma (ECE 9T9)

Palma has been a key contributor to the founding of St. Michael’s new mentorship program, hosting the entrepreneur table at the college’s alumni board career networking reception for the last two years. As a result of the success of the reception, he was invited to be the keynote speaker at the St. Michael’s College Student Union symposium.

Jian-Feng Shi (AeroE MASc 0T4)

For the past seven years, Shi has supported the Engineering Outreach Office, teaching high school students from around the world. In addition, Shi led the way in developing a bursary program for youth wishing to attend outreach programs.

Alfred A. Sobanski (GeoE 6T0) and Rosemary Sobanski

Sobanski and wife Rosemary serve on the executive of the Associates of the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). Alfred has undertaken the writing of a new constitution for the Associates and never misses U of T Convocation. As ambassadors for UTM and U of T as a whole, the Sobanskis help to organize Associate events and are always in attendance.

How do you create a leadership culture in engineering?

From September 27-28, a group of more than 35 educators and industry professionals from across North America gathered at U of T to discuss their pursuit of that common goal.

The idea of transforming the personal potential of all engineering students is a hefty challenge. But one that’s made universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Pennsylvannia State University, Tufts University and U of T, leading examples in higher education. They are among the 10 engineering schools who, Canadian and American, make up COMPLETE.

COMPLETE – the Community of Practice for Leadership Education for Twenty-first-century Engineers – aims to enhance engineering education by infusing leadership development into the student experience. Initiated in 2010 by the Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program, the group has met annually to share each institution’s best practices, successes and even failures.

“As one of the founding members of COMPLETE, we’re very pleased by the progress, information exchange and professional camaraderie of this group,” said Leo McGonagle, Executive Director of the Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program. “Leadership education in engineering is still a nascent field, and we’re excited about the growing role COMPLETE is playing to help educators understand the importance of developing tomorrow’s engineering leaders.”

The most recent meeting brought the group to U of T Engineering for the very first time, where Professor Doug Reeve (ChemE) spearheaded the discussion.

“This meeting is about ‘engineers leading change to build a better world. It is about connecting our work in the University to drive transformation of the engineering profession,” said Professor Reeve, who heads the Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering (ILead) and the Engineering Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) program with Professor Greg Evans (ChemE) at U of T.

Indeed, U of T Engineering continues to be at the forefront of leadership education in Canada and North America. LOT recently celebrated 10 years of engineering leadership programming and now offers curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular leadership education and development. And ILead’s mission is three-fold: teaching (through LOT), pedagogical research and outreach – a first of its kind in Canada.

At the two-day conference, COMPLETE members discussed every facet of how to advance leadership education, from a panel discussion with industry leaders William (Bill) Troost (ChemE 6T7), CEO of Peel Plastics Ltd., David Colcleugh (ChemE 5T9) formerly CEO of Dupont Canada, Dr. Emily Moore of HATCH and U of T Engineering Dean Cristina Amon, to assessing and measuring leadership development, to the power of storytelling.

The latter struck a chord with Professor David Bayless, who directs the Robe Leadership Institute at Ohio University, and heads the Leadership Constituent Committee at the American Society for Engineering Education.

Like many of the educators at the conference, Professor Bayless hopes to bring some of the ideas back to his engineering faculty. That’s easier said than done, however.

“I teach a leadership development course, something that’s taken 15 years to cultivate,” he said. “Most faculty members are passionate about the technical side of teaching, they’re not all sold on bringing leadership into the curriculum.”

But, he added, “We here believe, without question, that innovation requires leadership.”

U of T Engineering alumna Azadeh Kushki (ElecE 0T2, MASc 0T3, PhD 0T8) is making significant strides at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital to improve the quality of care for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

In a recent Toronto Star article, Kushki credits her background in electrical engineering as the foundation for her work. As a graduate student at U of T Engineering, her work focused on wireless communications and signal processing.

But it wasn’t until she began to volunteer at Holland Bloorview that she realized how her engineering experience could improve the lives of those struggling with autism.

Inspired by the children she met through her volunteer role and concerned about issues they faced, she contacted Holland Bloorview’s vice-president of research, Professor Tom Chau (IBBME) to find out about how she could apply her engineering and technical knowledge to help increase access to therapy. He encouraged her to apply for funding, which led to a postdoctoral fellowship at the Pediatric Rehabilitation Intelligent Systems Multidisciplinary (PRISM) lab.

Now a scientist at Holland Bloorview’s Autism Research Centre, Kushki and her team are developing prototypes that can enhance treatment for children with ASD, including applications that deliver interactive service to patients through an iPad or wearable technology. While these developments are results from her vision to make evidence-based treatments accessible to more patients, Kushki hopes they will eventually encourage and support children with autism to overcome barriers and fulfill their dreams.

Read the full Toronto Star article about Kushki and learn more about her work on the Holland Bloorview website.

Three U of T engineers have been awarded research grants by Canada’s Collaborative Health Research Projects (CHRP) program.

CHRP – an initiative of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) – supports interdisciplinary research projects that will lead to health benefits for Canadians, more effective health services or economic development in health-related areas.

Faculty recipients are:

• Professor Roman Genov (ECE), for research on fully implantable wireless multi-electrode ECoG monitoring system;
• Professor Ofer Levi (IBBME/ECE), for research on developing an optical imaging system that will monitor brain dynamics in patients with epilepsy and stroke; and,
• Professor Peter Zandstra (ChemE/IBBME), for research on the development and application of stem cell counting.

“On behalf of the Faculty, I would like to congratulate this year’s CHRP recipients,” said Dean Cristina Amon. “Funding through NSERC and CIHR ensures that our professors continue their impactful research in the tremendously important field of human health.”

To learn more about this year’s recipients, visit U of T News .