Research news

Learn more about the latest discoveries and innovations from the U of T Engineering community. Our researchers are developing new ways of capturing and storing clean energy, medical devices that can save and extend lives, smarter ways to design and build cities and much more.

Dr. Lewis Reis (IBBME PhD 1T6, at left) and Professor Milica Radisic (IBBME, ChemE) used their unique peptide-hydrogel biomaterial to heal chronic wounds up twice as quickly as commercially available products. (Credit: Marit Mitchell).

Skin cells ‘crawl’ together to heal wounds treated with unique hydrogel layer

Research team led by Milica Radisic uses their patented peptide to close non-healing chronic wounds caused by diabetes

Professor Lesley Warren (standing, at right) and her colleagues are mining the genomes of microbes that thrive in wastewater generated by the resource extraction industry. Insights into how these organisms derive energy from metals and sulphur compounds could lead to new strategies for preventing pollution and optimizing mine reclamation. (Photo courtesy Lesley Warren)

Ancient microbes could offer insight on better mining wastewater strategies

Professor Lesley Warren and her team will use genomics to study the microorganisms that live in mine tailings, with the aim of preventing pollution and remediating contaminated sites.

Stanley Ng (IBBME) holds up a cartridge used to measure the gene expression levels of cancer cells. A team led by Ng has developed a new rapid test that can predict the effectiveness of leukemia treatments for a given patient, providing results in 24 to 48 hours. Photo: Luke Ng

New stem cell-based gene test predicts patient risk in acute myeloid leukemia

IBBME PhD candidate Stanley Ng applies machine learning background to design smarter, faster test to help leukemia doctors select the best treatment for their patients

U of T Engineering alumnus John Paul Morgan (EngSci 0T1, ECE MASc 0T5) was inspired to found his company, Morgan Solar, by his experiences with Doctors Without Borders in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Morgan is part of a new generation of entrepreneurs helping to bring inexpensive electricity to energy-impoverished regions. (Courtesy: John Paul Morgan).

The next generation of solar pioneers: Electrifying a nation

U of T Engineering alumni John Paul Morgan and Shawn Qu are entrepreneurs whose ingenuity is lighting up parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Ashton Trotman-Grant, centre, discusses his poster with Medicine by Design symposium attendees. Trotman-Grant won the Blueline Therapeutic Translation Award for presenting the poster with the greatest commercialization potential. (Credit: Neil Ta).

Medicine by Design symposium shines spotlight on regenerative medicine at U of T

“We are contributing something new by converging people from diverse disciplines — mathematics, the physical sciences, engineering, biology and medicine — around the big questions in regenerative medicine”

From left: Professor Ramin Farnood with students Reena Cabanilla (Year 4 MIE) and Yu Fan Qi (ChemE MASc candidate). (Credit: Marit Mitchell).

Clean water, clean air: U of T Engineering research addresses big sustainability questions from resource scarcity to climate change

Ramin Farnood is an established leader in water decontamination — now he’s applying that expertise to tackle climate-warming emissions

Alexander Ip and his U of T research team, led by Professor Ted Sargent, will receive nearly $1 million from the Ontario government for the semi-final round of the Carbon XPRIZE competition (Photo: Kevin Soobrian)

U of T team advances to next round of Carbon XPRIZE competition

A team of U of T researchers led by Professor Ted Sargent had advanced to the second round of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE international competition.

Researchers Jeffrey Brook (left) and Greg Evans (ChemE) use an aerosol mass spectrometer to analyse particulate air pollution. They are leading CANUE, a new pan-Canadian research consortium that aims to connect detailed environmental data with public health data to study the effects of exposure on Canadians’ health. (Credit: Marit Mitchell).

New research consortium aims to build critical bridge between environmental and health data

Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (CANUE) will study the role of environment in determining Canadians’ health

This illustration depicts (Credit: Ella Marushchenko)

Understanding circulating tumour cells

Ted Sargent (ECE) and Mahla Poudineh (ECE PhD 1T6) part of multidisciplinary research group developing new tool to track circulating tumour cells