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 Winklbauer, and of our Chief Adminstrative Officer Tamar Mamourian. Chair Nick Provart noted that Prof Godt and Prof Winklbauer are valued experts in flies and frogs…
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 tumour growth. The pathway they found is active in multiple cancer tissues, showing that this mechanism is relevant for many types of cancers. The human genome is…
September 28, 2023
Chang lab pursues sensory studies into evolution of the multifunction rhodopsin protein with $2M grant
Some proteins can detect light. Others are sensitive to temperature. Some act as taste receptors. Opsin proteins can do it all. Professor Belinda Chang and colleagues have received $2 million in funding to demystify how a single class of protein can execute and retain such a broad variety of…
September 8, 2023
Congratulations 2023 Barrett Award winners!
Students in CSB397, 497, 498, 499 and the Research Opportunities Program presented posters describing their research at the 2023 CSB Undergraduate poster session on Wednesday, September 6, 2023. Four of these students earned the F Michael Barrett Award for their excellent presentations. Yolanda Liu…
July 20, 2023
Setbacks are an opportunity to be seized for Nyman scholarship awardee Dylan Bradizza
Dylan Bradizza’s ability to reflect, learn and share has earned him selection for the Leslie Paul Nyman Scholarship. He felt exhilaration and pride when he was informed of this honour, recognizing the importance of this award and gaining affirmation for his dedication to studying plant science. In…
July 1, 2023
New appointments show that CSB is building and broadening
CSB is building on excellence and broadening our research thanks to two recent appointment by the University of Toronto. Congratulations, Professor Plotnikov! On July 1st, our colleague Sergey Plotnikov received tenure and a promotion to Associate Professor.Plotnikov is a world leading researcher,…
July 1, 2023
Melody Neumann’s Excellence in Education recognized with a Full Professorship
Congratulations to Melody Neumann, who has been promoted to the rank of Full Professor, Teaching Stream in Cell & Systems Biology! Neumann is Director of the Human Biology Program, where she invites students to be active participants in the interdisciplinary study of human biology. Neumann is…
June 2, 2023
End of the tunnel for crop loss due to parasitic plants
Parasitic plants devastate entire fields of crops every year, resulting in billions of dollars of food lost. As food prices rise, protecting crops from parasitic plants is crucial to keeping meals affordable. Researchers at the University of Toronto have discovered a path to rescuing crops by…