During the global COVID-19 pandemic, the sudden and overwhelming demand for protective masks exceeded the supply. As cases of COVID-19 have been rising again, wearing a mask continues to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of viral transmission in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation. But do masks come with […]
A team of U of T Engineering researchers, led by Professor Molly Shoichet (ChemE, BME, Donnelly), has designed a new way to grow cells in a laboratory that enables them to better emulate cancerous tumours. The platform — based on a type of material known as a hydrogel, a soft jelly-like substance — opens new ways to […]
Professor Jeff Brook has launched a new tool under the HealthyDesign.city initiative, which locates vulnerable populations exposed to environments that exacerbate heat waves in cities across Canada. The launch coincidently coincides with extreme heat conditions across Canada. This week, University of Toronto Communications interviewed Professor Brook about the heat waves and how we should respond. Read […]
Tailpipe emissions are often the focus of air quality studies, as they contribute to climate change and a myriad of heath problems, but are non-tailpipe emissions just as concerning? Researchers from the Southern Ontario Centre for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (SOCAAR) are proving that they are. For over 15 years, scientists, graduate and undergraduate students from […]
The final cohort of Mastercard Foundation Scholars graduated from the University of Toronto this spring – the culmination of their journey from Sub-Saharan Africa to Canada. Nearly a decade ago, U of T was among the first Canadian universities to partner with the Mastercard Foundation to offer talented students from the region an opportunity to study in […]
U of T Engineering researchers have grown a small-scale model of a human left heart ventricle in the lab. The bioartificial tissue construct is made with living heart cells and beats strongly enough to pump fluid inside a bioreactor. In the human heart, the left ventricle is the one that pumps freshly oxygenated blood into […]
While exhaust from vehicles and industrial processes are among the most recognized sources of air pollutants, another activity specific to humans also contributes to this issue – cooking. Cooking protein-rich food with oil and heat initiates a complex series of chemical processes that result in the creation of nitrogen-containing chemical compounds, releasing pollutants to both […]
Rare earths are a critical resource that are used in a wide range of applications like computers, electric car batteries, windmill turbines, and other green-energy technologies. In spite of the name, they’re not actually that rare. However, they are found at low concentrations and are difficult to separate from one another. To deal with this, […]
On June 7, Wood Biochar Monolith-Based Approach to Increasing the Volumetric Energy Density of Supercapacitor, an article by Professors Charles Jia and Don Kirk, was published in ACS Publications – a high-impact interdisciplinary journal reporting on energy research. Energy storage technologies are central to the economy’s electrification and renewable energy utilization and crucial to tackle […]
Five U of T Engineering projects have received support from the Global Engineering Seed (GESeed) program in its first round. Among this group are Professor Jeff Brook (Dalla Lana School of Public Health, ChemE), along with Professors Greg Evans (ChemE, ISTEP), Arthur Chan (ChemE) and Jeffrey Siegel (CivMin) who are working with Fort McKay First Nation Sustainability Department, AUG Signals Ltd., on […]