February 12, 2024
Driving discoveries over 35 years: Bob Strome reflects on UofT’s dynamic research community
CSB research technician Bob Strome recently received his pin for 35 years of service at UofT. Through decades of molecular biology research at UofT, he has been at the core of new technology development, seen old technologies sidelined, and has witnessed UofT buildings fall and rise. Strome started…
January 18, 2024
Dr. Ian Tobias on neural stem cell fate and academic career choices
Dr Ian Tobias is a post-doctoral researcher in the Mitchell laboratory in the Department of Cell & Systems Biology (CSB) working on neural stem cells. He is a member of the Chippewas of the Nawash Unceded First Nation. Upon starting his position in CSB, he earned a Provost Post-Doctoral…
December 19, 2023
Professor Maxwell Shafer reveals behavioural changes across extinctions
Prof Maxwell Shafer studies the ways sleep behaviour evolves, including shifts from nocturnal to diurnal activity.His lab records the activity of various species of fish over many days and nights. His recent research integrated these results with previously published data to create an in-depth…
December 11, 2023
Global Biodata Coalition designates UofT’s Bio-Analytic Resource as a Global Core Biodata Resource
The Bio-Analytic Resource for Plant Biology is thrilled to have been designated as a Global Core Biodata Resource by the Global Biodata Coalition. The Bio-Analytic Resource (BAR) at bar.utoronto.ca encompasses and provides visualization tools for large ‘omics data sets from plants. The BAR covers…
December 8, 2023
AI for Protein Structure leads to unexpected biological discoveries and a new seminar course
Cell & Systems Biology (CSB) Professor Alan Moses is using a breakthrough innovation in AI, AlphaFold2, for new directions in both teaching and research. AlphaFold2 is an astonishing development in deep learning that can predict the structure of almost any protein based on its sequence alone.…
November 30, 2023
Gonzales-Vigil lab reveals cuticular waxes as producer of volatile compounds
The lab of Prof Eliana Gonzales-Vigil has released its findings on "Dynamic changes to the plant cuticle include the production of volatile cuticular wax–derived compounds" in the prestigious journal PNAS. The article notes that "Cuticular waxes are widely regarded as physical defenses that…
November 27, 2023
Connaught Award for aquatic VR to understand neural dynamics
A Connaught New Researcher Award to CSB Professor Qian Lin will combine engineering, neuroscience, game design and AI to reveal new insights on how the brain controls movement through space. In an aquarium in Lin's lab, a fish sees two paths and swishes its tail to take the left path. A sensor…
November 2, 2023
Designing for Feathered Friends: Ramsay Wright Gets Bird-Friendly Makeover
An avian-friendly design has been added to the St. George entrance of the Ramsay Wright Laboratories thanks to a collaboration between Bird Safe UofT and Cell and Systems Biology. Ramsay Wright’s glass doors on St George Street are now permanently marked with dots and adorned with beautiful artwork…
October 23, 2023
Retirement celebration features fond recollections
CSB held an emotional get-together on Oct 18th in the Faculty Club to celebrate the retirements of Professors Dorotea Godt and Rudi…
September 29, 2023
Mitchell Lab finds cancer enhancer in the genome that drives tumour cell growth
Researchers in the Mitchell lab have found that cancer cells can hijack DNA normally used when tissues and organs are formed to enhance…