Welcome To CSB
The Department of Cell & Systems Biology (CSB) advances research and teaching in the most dynamic and vital areas of biological research
Meet our Faculty
Explore who’s behind our latest outstanding publications.
Recent Publications
mTor limits autophagy to facilitate cell volume expansion and rapid wound repair in Drosophila embryos
Scepanovic G, Balaghi N, Rothenberg KE, Fernandez-Gonzalez R
2025, Developmental Cell, 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.12.039
Transcription processes compete with loop extrusion to homogenize promoter and enhancer dynamics
Platania A, Erb C, Barbieri M, Molcrette B, Grandgirard E, de Kort MAC, Pomp W, Meaburn K, Taylor T, Shchuka VM, Kocanova S, Nazarova M, Oliveira GM, Mitchell JA, Soutoglou E, Lenstra TL, Molina N, Papantonis A, Bystricky K, Sexton T
2024, Science Advances, 10.1126/sciadv.adq0987
Calcium signaling triggers early high humidity responses in Arabidopsis thaliana
Hussain S, Suda H, Nguyen CH, Yan D, Toyota M, Yoshioka K, Nambara E
2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 10.1073/pnas.2416270121
Latest News
August 8, 2025
Big career award from IPGSA for small molecule studies by Prof Shelley Lumba
Professor Shelley Lumba has earned the OlChemIm Award from the International Plant Growth Substances Association (IPGSA) for “outstanding…
July 11, 2025
Alumni Reunion 2025 lets our guests take on the role of undergraduates in Biology
CSB was out in force with events at University of Toronto’s Alumni Reunion 2025. We held Open Houses in our teaching laboratories that allowed alumni…
July 10, 2025
Sold Out Crowd Learns Secrets of Plants and Fungi from Prof Lumba
As a headlining event for our Department at Alumni Reunion 2025, Professor Shelley Lumba gave a Stress-Free Degree lecture on the "Secret Language…
June 24, 2025
Decades of dedication by Professor Provart recognized in Arabidopsis community award
Professor Nicholas Provart has dedicated decades to the Arabidopsis community, performing research as well as communicating and teaching about this…
Research at CSB
The most dynamic and vital areas of biological research.

Education
Emerge as a leader, critical thinker and professional
Undergraduate
Graduate
Jennifer Mitchell
Professor and Chair
At CSB, our Professors create modern, interactive instruction for an engaged student body and our Sessional Lecturers provide a personal approach. Our exceptional students, post-docs and professors are recipients of prestigious honours. We will continue to produce outstanding discoveries that enhance and challenge our understanding of living organisms
