��ݮ��Ƶ News - Health Futures

From biostatistics to transforming community health

Melodie Roschman — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 15:52:52 +0000

��ݮ��Ƶ alum Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman (MMath '03) becomes first Black female president of Ontario Medical Association

Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, the first Black female president of the Ontario Medical Association, sees herself as a bridge builder.

A clinical immunologist and allergist, she initially studied surgery in medical school before realizing that her love for communicating with patients made her ideally suited for clinical work. It’s her MMath in Biostatistics (’03) from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, however, that has given her such a unique perspective.

Abdurrahman was born in Nigeria and grew up in the Middle East and the United Kingdom before settling down in Canada as a preteen. Her father is a pediatrician, and inspired her to follow in his footsteps from an early age. “As a kid, I loved science, and I liked that he seemed to spend most of his day talking to people,” she says.

In high school, however, Abdurrahman also thrived in math: her favorite math teacher, Mr. Savage, was a ��ݮ��Ƶ alum, and he encouraged his students to participate in the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC)’s annual math competitions. At McGill University, she was able to do a combined physiology and mathematics program with a tiny cohort of equally enthusiastic peers.

“We talked about chaos theory, and statistics, and the mathematical modelling of different systems of the body,” she says. “I had professors who were brilliant mathematicians who also loved physiology. When I told them I had fallen in love with statistics and wanted to do a master’s in mathematics, they told me I had to go to the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ – that I would find so much support in their Faculty of Math.”

The Translation Person

Abdurrahman had an unusually difficult introduction to graduate studies: her first day of orientation was September 11, 2001. “It was really shocking for all of us, who were far from home and starting this program together,” she recalls. “But the faculty and administrators in the Biostatistics program were so supportive of us, and we bonded really quickly because of what we went through.”

She was the first Biostatistics master’s student who planned to become a doctor, and her professors were thrilled. “It will be great to have more physicians understanding the background of the research they want to do,” her supervisor, Dr. Jerry Lawless (distinguished professor emeritus of Statistics and Actuarial Science) told her. “It sometimes feels like medicine and statistics are two different languages, and you can be the translation person.”

He helped her find a co-op at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto, where she did statistical research on HIV. “That was just so fascinating, and so transformational,” she says. “We were using these generalized estimating equations to understand the impact of new medications on people’s viral loads, and we were also trying to figure out how to model the impact of social factors on treatment effectiveness. I learned so much about how to work on a team.”

New Ways to Communicate

In medical school at the University of Toronto, Abdurrahman thrived: she served as co-president of her cohort, and as head of the Women in Surgery group. She also changed the curriculum. “I remember approaching our professor advocating that we study more biostatistics, and we ended up working together over the summer to build a second-year biostatistics module that’s still part of the curriculum! I wanted to make sure that my classmates had the skills to interpret research papers effectively and communicate those findings to their patients.”

Eventually, Abdurrahman switched from pediatric surgery to pediatric allergy and immunology. “I love that there are a lot of mysteries to solve, but you also get to help people deal with more common issues involving food allergies, environmental allergies, and asthma,” she says.

Now that Abdurrahman is serving her one-year term as Ontario Medical Association president, she’s balancing time caring for her patients with province-wide leadership and advocacy. “I’ve always loved governance,” she says. “I think it’s related to my love of math. Math is the universal language, and governance is the universal language for organizations and how they work!”

She’s also continuing work that was important to her during the pandemic, combating misinformation through new forms of media like Instagram as well as advocating for culturally informed medical communication in historically marginalized communities. “There are valid historical reasons, such as the Tuskegee Syphilis experiments, for people to be wary of medicine,” she says. “We have to find new ways to communicate and educate people, to meet them where they are.”

For Abdurrahman, one of the most important aspects of her role is the time she gets to spend talking to aspiring doctors, from elementary school to medical school. “It’s important for people to see women of colour in STEM,” she says. “I want to challenge their preconceived notions about who can become a doctor, and the path and skills that will take you there.”

Math

Health Futures

Structured exercise significantly improves survival in colon cancer patients

Eugenia Xenos Anderson — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Landmark study is a collaboration between Canadian Cancer Trials Group, WRHN and UW WELL-FIT program

Patients in a structured exercise program experienced a 37 per cent lower risk of death and a 28 per cent reduction in recurrence or development of new cancers compared to those who received only health education materials, a recent study found.

The study, called CO.21 (Challenge), was led by the Canadian Cancer Trials Group and the ��ݮ��Ƶ Regional Health Network (WRHN) in partnership with the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Centre for Community, Clinical and Applied Research Excellence (CCCARE) and other clinical sites.

This unique collaboration with the UW WELL-FIT program at CCCARE enabled patients to access supervised, evidence-based exercise interventions tailored specifically to individuals recovering from cancer treatment.

“This is a model of how regional hospitals can shape international research and how local partnerships, like ours with CCCARE, can deliver global impact. We are proud to be part of the solution,” says Carla Girolametto, director of Research Operations at WRHN.

WRHN’s Cancer Centre assisted 33 cancer patients from ��ݮ��Ƶ Region since 2009 to contribute to the research findings. A total of 889 patients across 55 clinical sites comprised the study’s findings that determined integrating exercise into survivorship care positively transforms outcomes for patients.

“This is a transformative moment in oncology and we’re proud to have played a key role in this global research,” says Dr. Stacey Hubay, medical oncologist and principal investigator at WRHN, who led WRHN’s contribution to the global study.

“We’ve long known anecdotally that exercise benefits cancer patients, but to see such clear improvements in disease-free and overall survival, confirmed by rigorous data, is extraordinary. These results suggest that exercise should be incorporated into cancer care, not just as a recommendation, but as an integral part of the treatment plan from diagnosis through survivorship.”

What began as an initiative to support individuals undergoing cancer treatment more than two decades ago, UW WELL-FIT has expanded to serve a broader patient population and offer ongoing exercise options, with clear evidence that exercise supports physical and mental well-being across the cancer experience.

Following the study’s results, additional work is being done at CCCARE, in partnership with EXE-COPP, led by principal investigator Dr. Anupam Batra, who is currently examining how exercise can offset physical and cognitive decline in men with metastatic prostate cancer.

“It’s the natural evolution of what CO.21 helped to prove: exercise is medicine,” says Julia Fraser, PhD candidate, co-investigator and research and operations manager with CCCARE.

For patients, the impact is deeply personal and transformative.

“I was diagnosed with cancer in 2016, and Dr. Hubay introduced me to the CO.21 study while I was undergoing chemotherapy. At the time, I was still quite active, running and exercising, but I waited to formally join the study until I had completed treatment,” said Russel Espiritu, one of WRHN’s CO.21 study participants.

“The exercise program at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ gave me the motivation and energy I needed to recover from the harsh effects of chemotherapy. It also connected me with other cancer patients who truly understood the journey. After the study, I was able to return to practicing karate. Staying active during and after treatment helped me manage the side effects, physically and mentally. I truly hope these study results will encourage physicians to prescribe exercise as part of standard cancer care.”

Dr. Nicole Thomson, vice-president of quality, research and patient experience at WRHN, reflects on the broader impact. “The CO.21 study is a powerful example of how community hospitals can meaningfully contribute to high-impact research. Our participation demonstrates that with the right partnerships and infrastructure, community-based cancer programs can drive innovation, improve outcomes, and help shape the future of care, not just locally, but nationally and beyond.”

Innovative new program addresses Canadian doctor shortage

Pamela Smyth — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 01:06:06 +0000

Groundbreaking partnership between University of ��ݮ��Ƶ and St. George’s University streamlines route to medical school and addresses shortage of physicians in Canada

As millions of Canadians live without access to a family doctor, a transformative academic program will address this shortage by offering Canadian students a streamlined path from high school to a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree.

The partnership between the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ and St. George’s University (SGU) in Grenada is a Canadian first. Their new 5-Year and 6-Year MD Tracks will allow aspiring physicians to begin their training earlier, moving seamlessly from pre-medical studies into SGU’s School of Medicine.

More than 6 million Canadians lack access to a family physician. A 2022 comparison of 37 OECD countries ranked Canada 27th with three physicians per 1,000 people.

From L to R: Laura Bruno, vice-president, student recruitment at SGU; Dr. Marios Loukas, dean of the School of Medicine at SGU; Dr. Chris Houser, dean of the Faculty of Science at ��ݮ��Ƶ; Dr. Laura Deakin, associate dean for teaching and learning, Faculty of Science at ��ݮ��Ƶ. (University of ��ݮ��Ƶ)

“This partnership is more than an academic offering — it’s a strategic response to a national healthcare challenge,” said Dr. Marios Loukas, dean of the SGU School of Medicine. “By collaborating with the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, we’re providing a new and guaranteed pathway for driven Canadian students to begin medical training earlier, supported every step of the way.”

Program highlights:

Earn a Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMSci) from ��ݮ��Ƶ
Secure guaranteed entry into SGU’s MD program
Canadian students can skip the MCAT and apply through SGU’s simplified admissions process
Access comprehensive academic and career advising from entry to residency
Students may enter the program directly from high school or after some undergraduate study, providing flexible on-ramps to a medical career.

“The first of its kind in Canada, this program is a creative solution to help solve our country’s overwhelming need for more doctors and to keep up with population growth,” said Dr. Chris Houser, dean of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Faculty of Science. “With many SGU alumni already practicing in Canada, there is a clear path for graduates of this new program to return home after their studies to provide needed medical care for Canadians.”

SGU has been North America’s largest provider of new doctors for more than a decade, placing an average of 94 per cent of eligible graduates into residencies over the past five years. More than 2,100 Canadian SGU alumni are already making a difference in communities across Canada and worldwide.

The program starts in September 2026. More details and information on applying are available on the SGU website.

About the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ
University of ��ݮ��Ƶ is a leading global innovation hub that drives economic and social prosperity for Canada and the world. With more than 41,000 students, we are home to the world's largest co-op education talent pipeline, to game-changing research and technology, and to an unmatched entrepreneurial culture. Together, these create partnerships and solutions to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.   

About St. George's University  
St. George's University is a center of international education, drawing students and faculty from 140 countries to the island of Grenada, in the West Indies, to its programs in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, science, and business. SGU is affiliated with educational institutions worldwide, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The University's over 31,000 graduates include physicians, veterinarians, scientists, and public health and business professionals across the world. St. George's University School of Medicine is accredited by the Grenada Medical and Dental Council which has been recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME). For more information, visit  www.sgu.edu.

Science

Research

Health Futures

The soundtrack of your life could be key to memory

Pamela Smyth — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:12:36 +0000

Psychology researchers studying music find what cues feelings of nostalgia

Listening to familiar music can trigger vivid memories, and new research suggests that it isn’t just sentimental lyrics or clever rhymes that take us back in time.

Researchers from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ investigated which component of music is most powerful in evoking memories. They compared listener reactions to hearing only spoken lyrics or the produced songs. They found that complete songs were most effective in taking the listener down memory lane because we connect them to specific times and emotions.

This is the first study to propose a reason for why songs can cue detailed memories of our past. It is part of an ongoing series looking at whether individuals with dementia could use playlists from their youth to aid recall of precious memories from their past.

“We found songs were more effective and often brought back personal memories from the time when the song was popular,” said Dr. Myra Fernandes, a professor in the Department of Psychology at ��ݮ��Ƶ. “Music helps us remember by connecting memories to a certain period in our lives.”

Using a range of popular songs released between 2017 and 2020, the researchers asked 84 participants to listen to excerpts of pop songs and spoken lyrics. For each clip, they responded as soon as a personal memory came to mind and wrote about it. The researchers analyzed the recall speed, timeframe and the feelings that the participants reported for memories elicited by the songs and lyrics.

The results suggest that songs act as temporal landmarks, or timestamps, that help guide the brain’s search through memory banks.

The study revealed that more positive and upbeat songs were associated with greater likelihood of triggering positive memories.

“Remarkably, song cues also led to stronger feelings of re-living or re-experiencing an event. And this is particularly relevant for older adults who may have difficulty spontaneously recreating past events from their lives,” Fernandes said.

Dr. Pelin Tanberg and Dr. Ryan Yeung, who were PhD candidates working in the Cognitive Neuroscience Lab in the Department of Psychology at the time of this work, are co-authors of the paper. The study, Evidence of temporal and emotional alignment between song cues and their evoked autobiographical memories, appears in Memory & Cognition.

Arts

Research

Health Futures

New horizons for ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Canada 150 Chairs

Angelica Sanchez — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 20:18:02 +0000

Dr. Anita Layton and Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn complete their C150 terms but their research impacting the future of health and technology continue

Eight years ago, to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary, the Government of Canada invested $117 million to launch a new initiative aimed at enhancing Canada’s reputation as a global centre for science, research and innovation excellence.

The Canada 150 (C150) Research Chairs program set out to attract top-tier internationally-based scholars and researchers to Canada – with two international researchers joining the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ.

As their C150 terms come to an end, both Dr. Anita Layton and Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn who will continue as professors at ��ݮ��Ƶ, look back at their terms fondly and ahead to the future.

As C150 Chair in Intelligent Robotics, Dautenhahn says the Chair was a tremendous opportunity to open the Social and Intelligent Robotics Research Laboratory (SIRRL) and relocate her family to Canada following her previous role in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

“This has worked out really well, and ��ݮ��Ƶ is a great place. Collaboration across the University and with the faculties is encouraged, which is needed as my work is very interdisciplinary,” says Dautenhahn, who is a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “I couldn’t have done these projects without ��ݮ��Ƶ. It’s a place with a lot of opportunities.”

Since arriving at ��ݮ��Ƶ, she has advanced and furthered her research in therapeutic and educational usage of social and intelligent robots. The robots have demonstrated the benefits and support that can be provided to children with speech and language challenges, along with helping children to learn about bullying and empathy.

Additionally, intelligent robots offer a tremendous opportunity to teach people without judgement, says Dautenhahn, making them highly suited for the role of a public speaking coach or a mental wellbeing coach, allowing students to practice skills and techniques.

“I really believe that there are many applications where robots can be beneficial, not replacing people, but taking advantage of the specific characteristics of robots,” she says.

For Layton, the C150 Chair in Mathematical Biology and Medicine, the different funding landscape in Canada meant more research prospects.

Dr. Anita Layton, professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics, cross-appointed to Computer Science, Pharmacy and Biology.

“With my research funding I was able to have a large group of students, branch out, collaborate, get more support — and do the things I found exciting,” Layton says. “I learned a lot about chronic disease and drug simulation — and was able to take my knowledge to the public through the media.”

She is a professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics, cross-appointed to Computer Science, Pharmacy and Biology, and this interdisciplinary lens is central to her research.

Her research team uses computational modelling tools to better understand health and disease, in an approach she describes as using mathematics as a microscope. Through the use of computer simulations and mathematical analysis, her research has revealed insights into the progression and treatment responses of chronic diseases, and how sex hormones may explain individual differences. One of her recent studies found adding more potassium-rich foods to a diet may have a greater impact on blood pressure than reducing or eliminating sodium. This work gained significant media attention for promoting a simple change that can make a difference to many people.

As her seven-year term as a C150 Chair comes to an end, she has been named a University Professor at ��ݮ��Ƶ.

Her plans include working with collaborators and the community, supporting the advancement of faculty, guiding postdoctoral fellows in knowledge translation, and training students to become independent thinkers who initiate research direction and communicate research.

“I want to do more to elevate others,” Layton says.

Awards, Honours and Rankings

Technological Futures

��ݮ��Ƶ represents within BetaKit Most Ambitious List of 2025

Sam Charles — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 19:38:24 +0000

More than 20 founders from ��ݮ��Ƶ highlight the newly unveiled list that celebrates those making the biggest impact inside Canadian tech and innovation

As a hub of entrepreneurship and innovation, it’s no surprise that companies and founders linked to the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ have a noticeable presence among those featured within BetaKit’s Most Ambitious List.

��ݮ��Ƶ ranks as the top university in Canada for startup founders and 21st in the world according to the Pitchbook University Rankings. Recently released data shows that Velocity, ��ݮ��Ƶ’s core entrepreneurship incubator, has more than 500 companies with a combined enterprise value of $40 billion.

The Most Ambitious List includes several categories including the “Moon Shots” (Canadians reaching for the stars), “Deep Tech,” “World Savers,” “Category Challengers,” “Expats,” “The Products,” and “The Next Generation.”

From student leaders to established founders and companies, the BetaKit list featured some of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s best and brightest. Of the four organizations listed among the next generation of Canadian tech was Socratica. The social entrepreneurship collective recently hosted an event in ��ݮ��Ƶ that brought together nearly 2500 people to collaborate and share ideas.

"We’re proud to show how when we bring people in, hand them real responsibility and resources, and believe in them, we can do more as an ecosystem," says Jake Rudolph, an engineering student and one of the Socratica’s organizers.

Jetson recognized in the “World Savers” category

Co-founded by Stephen Lake (BASc ’12), Aaron Grant (BASc ’12) and Matt Bailey (BASc ’12), Vancouver-based Jetson is a climate tech product manufacturer that is developing new ways to install heat pumps in residential buildings and homes.

Challengers are breaking open markets and making Canada more competitive

Rachel Bartholomew (MBET ’14), Float, and MappedIn are listed as challengers for reshaping Canadian markets. Bartholomew is the founder and CEO of Hyivy, a company focused on creating therapeutic and remote monitoring devices for gynecological conditions. She is also the founder and lead advisor for Femtech Canada, an advocacy organization for women working in the innovation space.

Former engineering student Hongwei Liu co-founded MappedIn’ while at ��ݮ��Ƶ along with Toby Gu (BASc ’15), Mitch Butler and Leander Lee (BCS ’13). ��ݮ��Ƶ alum Edward Wei (BCS ’06) is MappedIn’s CTO. The Velocity-linked company is an indoor maps wayfinding platform.

Another Velocity-linked company to make the list is Float which is making waves in the corporate credit card market. Last year, Float co-founders Ruslan Nikolaev (BCS ‘20) and Griffin Keglevich secured $50 million to expand its financial products and innovate business-to-business financial services.

Wealthsimple also made the challenger category. Its Chief Legal Officer is ��ݮ��Ƶ arts alum Blair Wiley (BA ’04).

Most ambitious products that have people talking

Among the list of ambitious products are Able Innovations. Able Innovations is a Velocity company that develops solutions for lifting and moving patients within health care settings.

"Being recognized in BetaKit's Most Ambitious list is a great affirmation that Canadian innovation can compete on the global stage when we're willing to take calculated risks and push boundaries,” says Jayiesh Singh, CEO of Able Innovations. “This recognition isn't just about what we've accomplished, it's about the responsibility we have to continue driving solutions that are improving lives and creating better systems."

Rounding out the list are Core Devices, Ideogram, Wave View Imaging and 1Password. Smartware company Core Devices was founded by Eric Migicovsky (BASc ’09). The company recently announced a pair of new smartwatches that run on open-source PebbleOS. Ideogram, a text-to-image platform, was co-founded by William Chan (BASc ’11) in 2022. The following year, it received $16.5 million in seed funding. Wave View Imaging, a non-intrusive imaging system designed to enhance early detection, was co-founded by Elise Fear (BASc ’95) who now serves as CSO.

The CEO of the ��ݮ��Ƶ-led unicorn, 1Password, is Jeff Shiner (BMath ’92). The global cybersecurity company protects more than 150,000 businesses and millions of consumers around the world.

The moon shots reaching for the stars

Two companies with ��ݮ��Ƶ connections were featured for their Canadian-made innovations that are literally reaching for the stars. Canadian Space Mining Corporation (CSMC) is led by COO Adam Gryfe (MBET ’11). CSMC is an infrastructure and technology company focused on filling key gaps in future space exploration in areas that address Earth’s immediate challenges. The CEO of MDA Space is Mike Greenley (MSc ’97). The space mission partner supports communications satellites, Earth and space observation, space exploration and infrastructure.

Deep tech working on the next big breakthrough

Photonic and Xanadu were among the companies included within the deep tech category. Photonic was founded by Stephanie Simmons (BMath ’08). Today, she serves as the company’s Chief Quantum Officer. The company is building one of the first scalable, distributed, fault-tolerant and unified quantum computing and networking platforms based on optically-linked silicon spin qubits.

Xanadu recently unveiled the world’s first scalable, networked and modular quantum computer. The company’s CTO is Nathan Killoran (PhD ’12, physics).

Since its founding, the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ has always been bold and unconventional. It continues to be a place where ambitious innovators and ideas take root. Through transformational research and inspired learning, ��ݮ��Ƶ is helping to identify and solve the complex challenges facing humanity and our planet.

The Betakit’s Toronto Tech Week Special Issue also includes an interview with ��ݮ��Ƶ professor Larry Smith.

Technological Futures

More than 1,200 founders and counting

Sam Charles — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Newly released data shows Velocity companies have an enterprise value of $40-billion

The University of ��ݮ��Ƶ startup ecosystem has long been a driver of innovation across its campuses, in ��ݮ��Ƶ region and around the world. Entrepreneurship is woven deep within the ��ݮ��Ƶ DNA and continues to grow and prosper because of a solid foundation of support and resources.

At the core of the ��ݮ��Ƶ ecosystem is Velocity. The organization is more than an incubator. It is a community of founders dedicated to supporting the entrepreneurial aspirations of students and researchers by providing the advisory services, industry connections and investor relations required to accelerate their business traction.

Momentum, the recently released publication from Velocity highlights that their founders are connecting to capital. Velocity’s more than 500 companies have a combined enterprise value of $40 billion.

John Dick, Velocity’s senior director of Founder Development, says its work, and that of the companies it supports, are becoming increasingly important given the current economic landscape in Canada. “At Velocity, we know that startups are the key to unlocking Canada’s potential. Founders are not just building companies; they’re building the future of Canadian competitiveness.”

Every year, more than 1,400 students step into Velocity and many walk out as startup founders. In 2024, 395 student-led teams were actively building on campus and moving from idea to pre-seed startup.

“We’re encouraged by the growing progress and impact of our community of students, founders, builders and innovators,” Dick says. “Velocity not only prepares startup founders, but it trains the leaders and changemakers of tomorrow.”

PatientCompanion, founded by Christy Lee (BASc ’24) and Ethan Alvizo (BASc ’24) joined Velocity in Fall 2023, and completed a successful hospital pilot in 2024. The platform improves communication between patients and care teams, helping reduce nurses’ workload.

In less than one-year, PatientCompanion launched CAN Health commercialization projects in three Ontario hospitals; ��ݮ��Ƶ Region Health Network (WRHN) Midtown and Brightshores Health System in Owen Sound and Southampton, focusing on women’s and children’s care, childbirth and acute units. The company is now preparing to scale across Canada. They are an example of Velocity founders who are getting traction early.

“We’ve built a support model that goes beyond traditional incubation and helps founders move faster, reduce risk and succeed sooner,” says Moazam Khan, director at Velocity. “By opening doors to customers, capital and connections, we’re de-risking startups across team, technology and traction. Ultimately, we’re accelerating founder success and driving real gains in Canadian productivity.”

Within the last year, Velocity received more than 300 applications, resulting in 41 promising new, pre-seed and seed startups joining its program located at the Innovation Arena in downtown Kitchener. Already, 83 pilot projects have been unlocked with companies securing $62 million. Collectively, they have generated $12 million in revenue and acquired 136 customers.

The Momentum publication also showcases the wide variety of startups originating through Velocity. From health technologies to finance and robotics, founders are contributing to nearly every sector.

“Velocity empowers thousands of student founders to turn innovative ideas into real-world solutions,” Dick says. “When students have the right tools, community network and coaches, they can build impactful solutions — and they do.”

There are plenty of Velocity founders to watch in 2025 including:

Airfairness – A platform that helps passengers around the world receive fair compensation after experiencing flight disruptions.
Doro – AI-based psychotherapy tools for early and subclinical mental health needs thereby preventing conditions from escalating into a disorder.
Entangled Vision – An early-stage macular degeneration screening test allowing for earlier treatment options to prevent vision impairment.
Foqus Technologies – Technology that enhances the sensitivity of magnetic resonance technology (MRI), resulting in scans that are 10 times faster with higher-resolution for earlier disease detection and is less expensive than hardware upgrades.
Gale - Visa application platform that accelerates applications, frees up lawyers to focus on strategy and ensures ongoing compliance for applicants and businesses throughout the visa lifecycle.
Movarion - Power-assisted carts and dollies that make it easier for health-care workers to move equipment and supplies while reducing the risk of injury.
Liquid Energy - Turnkey green data centers solutions that store renewable energy and recovers waste heat to produce heating, cooling and electricity.
Page - A real-time government relations platform that turns government noise into a competitive advantage featuring personalized insights, effortless tracking and a suite of AI-powered tools.
Phantom Photonics – Quantum-based sensors that are used both underwater to monitor equipment and in space, to prevent satellite collisions.
Real Life Robotics - Autonomous and teleoperated ground cargo and delivery robotics.
Swish Solar - Self-cleaning solar technology designed to actively keep solar panels clean in snowy and sandy regions, eliminating inefficiencies and maximizing energy output.
Upside Robotics - Autonomous robots that match fertilizer to crop needs, leading to better yields, lower costs and healthier soil for farmers.

Velocity continues to support founders who are unlocking economic impact in ��ݮ��Ƶ region and beyond. As Canada continues to navigate uncertain economic times, Velocity supported companies will play a pivotal role in ensuring its continued success.

Technological Futures

Q & A with the Experts: Wildfire smoke gets in your eyes

Pamela Smyth — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 15:16:14 +0000

Optometry professor discusses the effect smoke can have on our eyes, plus ways to find relief

Warnings about air quality are a common occurrence during wildfire season. Dr. André Stanberry, professor and clinic director at the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, says our eyes can feel the effects of wildfire smoke even far away.

Why does smoke irritate our eyes?
The surface of the eye has the highest concentration of nerve endings in the body, making it extremely sensitive to even minor environmental changes. Smoke contains fine particles and various gases that can irritate this delicate surface, leading to discomfort such as burning, redness, or watery eyes. Some individuals may also have allergic reactions to specific components in the smoke, making their eyes itchy as well. Inflammation can disrupt tear production or reduce tear quality, leading to dry-eye symptoms such as burning, a gritty sensation, and excess tearing. People with pre-existing dry eye or ocular allergies may experience more pronounced or prolonged symptoms.

Why would our eyes get irritated from wildfire smoke far away?
Wildfire smoke can travel great distances, and even when it’s not visible, the air may still contain a high concentration of fine particulates and gases. These airborne irritants can trigger symptoms depending on their levels and an individual’s sensitivity, regardless of the fire’s proximity.

How can we protect our eyes from irritation or provide relief?
Responses to smoke exposure can vary, but the first line of defence is avoidance, especially during high-smoke advisories. When outdoors, you can get some protection by wearing wraparound sunglasses, such as the one that fit over your glasses or ones for people with dry eyes. Lubricating eye drops used throughout the day can help flush out irritants and soothe the surface of the eye. For persistent symptoms, an optometrist may prescribe anti-allergic or anti-inflammatory eye drops to reduce inflammation and discomfort.

Science

Research

Health Futures

Three ��ݮ��Ƶ graduates earn prestigious gold medals

Darren Mc Almont — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 04:15:00 +0000

The Governor General Gold Medal awards graduate students for their remarkable academic achievements and transformative research

The University of ��ݮ��Ƶ is pleased to recognize three outstanding graduate students as recipients of the prestigious Governor General’s Gold Medal at Spring 2025 Convocation.

This distinguished award honours graduate students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and a remarkable commitment to scholarly excellence. These recipients exemplify the brilliance and impact of our academic community, contributing transformative research and advancing knowledge for the betterment of society.

Each year, the Advisory Committee on Graduate Scholarships and Awards carefully reviews nominations to select the medal recipients. Nominees who are not selected will be recognized as University Finalists and will receive a certificate of distinction.

This year, we are delighted to present the Governor General’s Gold Medal to one master’s and two PhD graduands. Please join us in celebrating their extraordinary accomplishments and the inspiration they bring to our academic community.

Laura Pierson (Master of Mathematics in Combinatorics and Optimization)
Faculty of Mathematics
Supervisors: Drs. Oliver Pechenik and Logan Crew

Laura Pierson’s research applied algebraic tools to the study of discrete mathematical structures. She studied colouring problems (like finding all ways to colour a map so that neighbouring countries get different colours) using deep and modern ideas from pure mathematics like homology and K-theory. Pierson proved several unrelated conjectures that had been posed by established mathematicians. She was also the first to make significant progress on multiple other open problems.

“I chose to study at ��ݮ��Ƶ because unlike most schools, it has an entire Faculty of Mathematics, with a whole department uniquely focused on the area of math I'm most interested in,” she says. “I don't think there are many schools where I could have been surrounded by so many people with similar mathematical interests to me.”

Pierson plans to pursue a PhD in mathematics.

Dr. Michelle Anagnostouo (PhD in Geography)
Faculty of Environment
Supervisor: Dr. Brent Doberstein

Dr. Michelle Anagnostou’s research examined global illegal wildlife trade — a significant and growing form of organized crime which intersects with other forms of serious crimes like trafficking in drugs, humans and arms — a phenomenon called “crime convergence.”

Her work also explored the types and global patterns of crime convergence in illegal wildlife trade by uncovering its conceptual and theoretical foundations.

Her dissertation is comprised of data from interviewing 112 law enforcement personnel and other experts in key source, transit and destination regions that include Canada, South Africa and Hong Kong.

“I chose the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ’s Faculty of Environment for its reputation as a leader in innovative research and its vibrant, world-class faculty,” she says. “Throughout my PhD, I received outstanding support in career development, skill-building, and had the privilege of working with exceptional mentors who guided me every step of the way.”

Immediately following her doctoral defense in the fall of 2024, Anagnostou took up a prestigious Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Oxford, working with global experts in the Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science to advance the use of financial investigations to mitigate illegal wildlife trade.

Dr. Fasih Rahman (PhD in Kinesiology)
Faculty of Health
Supervisor: Dr. Joe Quadrilatero

Dr. Fasih Rahman’s doctoral research investigated the role of mitochondrial remodeling pathways in skeletal muscle, emphasizing mitochondria as critical regulators of both energy production and cellular health. His findings have significant implications for therapeutic approaches aimed at maintaining skeletal muscle health.

During his doctoral studies, Rahman authored and co-authored 32 conference proceedings, and published 32 full-length papers and book chapters, including contributions to leading journals such as Autophagy.

Rahman is continuing his research as an NSERC-funded postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph, aiming to expand his expertise in bioenergetics and metabolism. His current goal is to bridge the gap between mitochondrial stress responses and metabolic regulation.

“One of the things I will miss the most about ��ݮ��Ƶ is the opportunity to work closely and collaborate with passionate peers in a research environment that consistently fostered curiosity, creativity and growth,” he says.

Master’s finalists

Aparajita Bhattacharya, Public Issues Anthropology

Supervisor: Dr. Alexis Dolphin | Faculty of Arts

Felicia Mae Watterodt, Geography

Supervisor: Dr. Brent Doberstein | Faculty of Environment

Doctoral finalists

Dr. Esther Ai-Leng Foong-Reichert, Pharmacy

Supervisors: Drs. Kelly Grindrod and Sherilyn Houle | Faculty of Science

Dr. Sepehr Hajebi, Combinatorics and Optimization

Supervisor: Dr. Sophie Spirkl | Faculty of Mathematics

Dr. Megan Olivia Kelly, Psychology

Supervisor: Dr. Evan Risko | Faculty of Arts

Dr. Aravind Ravi, Systems Design Engineering

Supervisors: Drs. Ning Jiang and James Tung | Faculty of Engineering

Technological Futures

From discovery to impact: Celebrating our PhD graduates

Darren Mc Almont — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 04:15:00 +0000

Six ��ݮ��Ƶ graduates share their stories of perseverance, innovation and advocacy as they prepare to cross the stage at convocation

The path to earning a PhD is rarely straightforward. It demands not only intellectual depth through rigorous coursework and research, but also creativity, resilience and interdisciplinary thinking.

Throughout their doctoral journey, candidates push the boundaries of conventional knowledge — developing innovative approaches to address some of the world’s most complex challenges. Their research opens new frontiers and contributes to solutions that can shape a healthier, more sustainable future. As we celebrate our PhD graduands at Spring 2025 Convocation, we invite you to learn more about a few of their stories as they prepare to cross the stage and step into the next chapter of their journey.

Dr. Tasneem Alsayyed Ahmad, PhD in Philosophy

While pursuing a master’s degree in philosophy, I was introduced to feminist philopsophy and social epistemology and wanted to apply these ideas to contexts familiar to me.

As a woman from a Muslim background, I noticed a troubling gap in scholarship on the topic since the literature was either Islamophobic or contained very strict and narrow views of Muslim women’s experiences. This motivated me to address the marginalization of Muslims in academic discourse.

My doctoral research critically examined hijab debates and veiling practices with a focus on how these discourses are manipulated to marginalize Muslims. Specifically, I explored how both Western imperialist narratives and Islamic right-wing politics exploit hijab-related discourse, reinforcing colonial ideologies while obstructing solidarity among Muslim women.

My work reveals how dominant narratives about the hijab silence diverse Muslim voices and perpetuate epistemic and social injustices.

I chose the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ to work specifically with my supervisor Dr. Jennifer Saul and was happy to find a department supportive of my focus on Islamophobia and gender. Having taken up a position as assistant professor at the University of Canada West, my goal is to grow as an educator, to challenge colonial knowledge and to continue my research on the social and epistemic oppression of marginalized groups.

Dr. Nicole Sandra-Yaffa Dumont, PhD in Computer Science

Six years ago, during my master’s degree, I started learning more about artificial intelligence (AI) at a time when the field was evolving quickly. While I found AI fascinating, I kept wondering, ‘What — if anything — do artificial neural networks reveal about real brains? Can we use models to reverse-engineer cognitive processes?’

Those questions pulled me toward theoretical neuroscience, where my PhD research, under the supervision of Drs. Chris Eliasmith and Jeff Orchard, focused on building biologically plausible neural network models of spatial cognition. I was interested in how the brain represents space and the neural mechanisms behind navigation — and what those mechanisms can tell us about cognition more generally. 

I hope the findings of my research will not only advance our understanding of navigation in the brain but also push the field to rethink how we model cognition more broadly — from memory and planning to social behaviour.

Looking ahead, I’ll be pursuing postdoctoral research since I would like to extend my expertise to understand how computations underlying spatial navigation may apply to other domains like navigating a social landscape.

Dr. Muzi Li, PhD in Astrophysics

At five years old, I was captivated by the vastness of space and time, during a visit to the Beijing Planetarium with my grandmother. I knew shortly after that visit that I wanted to become an astronomer, but never imagined a childhood fascination would one day lead me here.

My PhD research how the energy released by supermassive black holes at their centers can precisely offset cooling in the surrounding hot gas, keeping the system in balance.

I was drawn to the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ after a visit to the Perimeter Institute in 2018 where Dr. Brian McNamara — who later became my supervisor — gave a talk on finding the missing cooling gas in galaxy clusters. That brief visit and talk also gave me a strong impression: ��ݮ��Ƶ is a young, vibrant and intellectually exciting place to be.

As I head back to China to continue my astrophysics research as a postdoctoral fellow, I hope my contribution to the field can be tested and refined by more precise observations in the future, helping to complete a small part of the puzzle in our understanding of galaxy clusters.

Dr. Arlene Oetomo, PhD in Public Health Sciences

I have always been a nature lover and a bit of a technology nerd. In 2018, during the heatwave in Ontario and Quebec, I thought, “What could we do to prevent individuals from dying indoors from extreme heat, especially if they don’t have air conditioning?”

That question was the impetus for my doctoral research at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ where I explored indoor temperatures of low-income homes across British Columbia and Ontario. Importantly, my research intersects with climate science and technology and demonstrates how interdisciplinary action is key to tackling the climate crisis.

My research, under the supervision of Dr. Plinio Morita, supported heat response efforts like checking on vulnerable tenants in person or via phone by using smart thermostats and creating a system to provide real-time temperature alerts.

While the thermostat is a ubiquitous device, it also demonstrates how there are solutions to our biggest problems, including the climate crisis, all around us.

The findings of my research will empower my advocacy efforts to protect vulnerable populations via policy, legislation, and awareness building of the dangers of extreme heat.

Dr. Ade Oyegunle, PhD in Sustainability Management

As the world faces increasingly complex challenges including climate change, my research helps to bridge the gap between climate science and financial decision-making.

Having worked as a sustainability professional in the financial industry, I was motivated to pursue this area of research after realizing that climate change is not just an environmental issue, but also a systemic financial risk.

My PhD research explored the intersection of climate policy, financial risk and banking regulation, with a focus on how climate transition risks like carbon pricing affect the credit risk exposure and financial stability of banks.

My research found that as carbon prices rise, the risk of financial distress increases for companies with high carbon footprints. This, in turn, increases the risk to banks that lend to them.

I chose to pursue this research at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ because of its strong reputation for interdisciplinary research, innovation and applied problem-solving. The School of Environment, Enterprise and Development offered a unique platform to explore the intersection of climate change, finance and policy, something that few other institutions could provide in such an integrated way.

Looking ahead, I want to help translate my research into action, ensuring that financial systems evolve to meet the demands of the climate transition.

Dr. Fatima Suleiman, PhD in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering

After completing my undergraduate degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, I dreamed of designing the next revolutionary product. In 2015, I attended a conference in Lagos, Nigeria, where Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple was asked, “Who represents the future of engineering innovation?” His answer on the transformative power of an interdisciplinary background stuck with me — and ultimately led me to pursue a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering and Graduate Diploma in Design Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ — renowned for its commitment to interdisciplinary research.

My PhD research focused on improving temperature measurement for advanced high strength steels (AHSS), which helps the automotive industry produce lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I was drawn to this area of research after taking a course on heat transfer with Dr. Kyle Daun, who later became my supervisor.

At the start of this research project, I hoped to eliminate pyrometry errors entirely. I hope my research will contribute meaningfully to the much larger collective effort towards mitigating climate change, specifically by enabling more precise thermal control during AHSS processing, which in turn supports more sustainable vehicle production through improved manufacturing efficiency and reduced emissions.

Technological Futures