November 19, 2020
Janet Mannone reveals her greatest challenge over 35 years at U of T
Janet Mannone is the Undergraduate Coordinator for CSB, and an expert at responding to the needs of students. She consults, informs and encourages educators within CSB to give our students the best course possible. Her actions refine the remit of our courses and knit our disparate programs…
November 17, 2020
Remembering Professor Mike Barrett
It is with sadness that we learned that Professor F Michael Barrett passed away last week. He was an accomplished entomologist who had an important role in supporting our students and making them feel welcome. In CSB and our predecessor, the Department of Zoology, Mike Barrett was a force for…
November 17, 2020
CSB’s Tamar Mamourian recognized for 35 years of outstanding service to U of T
Everyone in Cell & Systems Biology is familiar with the smiling face and focused tone of our Chief Administrative Officer Tamar Mamourian. She is always available to facilitate solutions to a problem, suggest more sensible alternatives, or sometimes just listen. Tamar combines her keen…
November 5, 2020
In Memoriam: Professor Betty Ida Roots
The University of Toronto Community lost an eminent scholar on October 24th with the passing of Professor Betty Ida Roots, PhD, DSc, FRSC. She served the University in a number of roles; as Professor at U of T from 1969, Assistant Chair of Zoology beginning in 1972, Associate Dean of Science at UTM…
September 29, 2020
Preparing to Push: Epigenetic analysis of uterine muscle cells reveals molecular basis of term labour
Answers to some questions in science require the development of new technologies; molecular biologists once examined selected pieces of DNA and the proteins that bound them, but advances in computation and instrumentation mean biologists can now determine where proteins bind across the whole…
September 4, 2020
Breaking barriers: Quebec platelet disorder
A decade after the discovery that Quebec Platelet Disorder is caused by a tandem duplication, the Mitchell laboratory and collaborators demonstrate that this causes the additional copy of the duplicated PLAU gene to be on the opposite side of a CTCF genomic boundary. As a consequence, the extra…
July 26, 2020
Building excellence in research and teaching: CSB’s new Chair Nicholas Provart
Professor Nick Provart likes building things; he even used his carpentry skills to expand his children’s treehouse while working from home (without losing any fingers). As the new Chair of the Department of Cell & Systems Biology (CSB), he now has the opportunity to build up the academic…
July 26, 2020
Innovative problem solving leads to 2020 Dean’s Outstanding Technical Service Award for Lisa Matchett
Congratulations to Lisa Matchett for receiving the 2020 Dean’s Outstanding Technical Service Award. The award recognizes staff members whose excellent contribution to technical services has improved teaching and research. Using innovative problem solving as a Teaching Lab Technician, Lisa has…
June 22, 2020
Cell biology meets engineering in collaborative XSeed grant for Professor Sergey Plotnikov to study wound closure in fruit flies
CSB Professor Sergey Plotnikov has been awarded XSeed funding to identify protein targets that can accelerate wound healing. The XSeed program catalyzes cross-disciplinary partnerships between investigators from the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering and other faculties. The grant was…
May 26, 2020
Parasitic plant study by Professor Shelley Lumba reveals unexpected pathway to germination of witchweed seeds
The crop fields of sub-Saharan Africa have fallen under a spell cast by the witchweed Striga hermonthica. Every year, this parasitic plant targets and destroys over eight billion dollars worth of staple crops, leading the UN to declare Striga infestations as a major impediment to poverty…