Human health news

U of T Engineering is a leader in health care engineering. Together with doctors, medical researchers, policymakers and industry, we are helping people around the world live longer, healthier lives.

Professor Milica Radisic (IBBME, ChemE) and her team grow heart cells outside the body. The technology could help pharmaceutical companies detect negative side effects in drugs. It is being commercialized by TARA Biosystems, a New York City-based company co-founded by Radisic. (Photo: NSERC)

Lab-grown heart cells to improve drug safety

A company co-founded by Professor Milica Radisic (IBBME, ChemE) is helping pharmaceutical companies detect negative side effects in drugs by testing them on lab-grown tissues.

Jeffrey Siegel

The link between air quality and human health

When it comes to air quality, most people think car exhaust, industrial emissions and smog pose the biggest dangers. But Professor Jeffrey Siegel says it’s the environment inside our homes and offices that should concern us most.

Professor Hai-Ling Margaret Cheng (IBBME, ECE) researches ways to improve MRI scans, which could allow for earlier cancer detection or accelerate the development of personalized medicine. (Photo: Roberta Baker)

Smarter scans could detect cancer earlier

Professor Hai-Ling Margaret Cheng was working as an electrical engineer in the aerospace and defence industry when she had an epiphany: she realized the signal-processing techniques she was using to improve radar for remote sensing could also enhance magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

Professor Eric Diller (MIE) and his team build tiny robots that could eventually be used inside the human body to improve drug delivery, surgery and other medical procedures. (Photo: Tyler Irving)

Tiny, swimming robots could improve surgery

Professor Eric Diller (MIE) and his team build miniature robots designed to be used inside the human body.

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Shape-shifting engineered nanoparticles for delivering cancer drugs to tumours

Professor Warren Chan designs modular nanoparticles attached to strands of DNA that can change shape to gain access to diseased tissue, like a key fitting into a lock

Scientists currently study cells using molecules that change colour in response to chemical reactions. The Apollo-NADP+ sensor is different in that it uses a light polarization change and can be tuned to any desired colour. This makes it a versatile tool for studying diabetes, cancer and a variety of other conditions. (Photo: Luke Ng)

Apollo-NADP+: a new cell imaging technique for diabetes, cancer and more

A new way to visualize biochemical reactions in cells could offer insight into diabetes, cancer and other conditions

Craig Simmons

Craig Simmons named U of T Distinguished Professor of Mechanobiology

Professor Craig Simmons (MIE, IBBME) has been named the University of Toronto Distinguished Professor of Mechanobiology, an honour that recognizes his exceptional career accomplishments and promise. Issued by the U of T Office of the Vice-President and Provost, Simmons will hold the title for a five-year period, beginning July 1, 2016. He is one of […]

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Prime Minister backs regenerative medicine research at U of T Engineering and partners

This story originally appeared on U of T News Regenerative medicine is the way of the future for Canadian health care, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says, and two new initiatives are helping strengthen the commitment of U of T Engineering and its partners to stem cell research and manufacturing. Trudeau announced at the MaRS Discovery […]

Professor Michael Sefton.

Professor Michael Sefton awarded the Terumo Global Science Prize

University of Toronto engineering professor Michael Sefton (ChemE, IBBME) has been named the 2016 recipient of the Terumo Global Science Prize for his achievements in tissue engineering and novel biomaterials discovery. This is only the third time the Terumo Foundation for Life Sciences and Arts has awarded the prize. Sefton joins an elite list of […]