Molly Shoichet

Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

Global

Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation

Subheadline

A 3D hydrogel created by researchers in University Professor Molly Shoichet’s lab at the University of Toronto is helping University of Ottawa researchers to screen quickly hundreds of potential drugs for their ability to fight highly invasive cancers.

Cell invasion is a critical hallmark of metastatic cancers, such as certain types of lung and brain cancer. Fighting these cancers requires therapies that can both kill cancer cells as well as prevent cell invasion of healthy tissue. Today, most cancer drugs are only screened for their ability to kill cancer cells.

“In highly invasive diseases, there is a crucial need to screen for both of these functions,” says Shoichet, in �Թϱ��’s department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry, and Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering. “We now have a way to do this.”

Shoichet and her team are internationally known for their work on hydrogels, jello-like materials based on hyaluronic acid, a biocompatible substance commonly used in cosmetics. In the past, they have used hydrogels to enhance stem cells that are injected in the body to overcome disease or degeneration.

In their latest research, the team used hydrogels to mimic the environment of lung cancer, selectively allowing cancer cells, and not healthy cells, to invade. This emulated environment enabled their collaborators in Professor Bill Stanford's lab at University of Ottawa to screen for both cancer-cell growth and invasion. The study, led by Roger Y. Tam, a research associate in Shochet’s lab, was recently published in Advanced Materials.

“We can conduct this in a 384-well plate, which is no bigger than your hand. And with image-analysis software, we can automate this method to enable quick, targeted screenings for hundreds of potential cancer treatments,” says Shoichet, whose lab is located in the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research.

One example is the researchers’ drug screening for lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare lung disease affecting women. Shoichet and her team were inspired by the work of Green Eggs and LAM, a Toronto-based organization raising awareness of the disease.

Using their hydrogels, they were able to automate and screen more than 800 drugs, thereby uncovering treatments that could target disease growth and invasion.

In the ongoing collaboration, the researchers plan to screen multiple drugs at different doses to gain greater insight into new treatment methods for LAM. The strategies and insights they gain could also help identify new drugs for other invasive cancers.

Shoichet, who was recently named a Distinguished Woman in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering, also plans to patent the hydrogel technology.

“This has, and continues to be, a great collaboration that is advancing knowledge at the intersection of engineering and biology,” says Shoichet.

�Թϱ�� startup raises $3.25 million to eliminate prescription opioids after surgery

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 05:00:00 +0000

�Թϱ�� startup raises $3.25 million to eliminate prescription opioids after surgery

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 01/11/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

AmacaThera's gel-based technology, developed in the lab of University Professor Molly Shoichet, dramatically extends the duration of local anesthetics injected at the site of a surgical incision (photo by Roberta Baker)

Chris Sorensen

Topic

Our Community

Creative Destruction Lab

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

Startups

ThisIsThePlace

UTEST

A University of Toronto startup has raised $3.25 million to develop a gel-based drug delivery system that could eliminate the need to give patients powerful painkillers following surgery – a key source of the current opioid crisis.

The startup, AmacaThera, is built on a gel technology developed in the �Թϱ�� lab of Molly Shoichet, Ontario’s former chief scientist, that dramatically extends the duration of anesthetics injected at the site of a surgical incision.

That, in turn, means surgeons may no longer need to send patients home with prescriptions for powerful – and potentially addictive – painkillers like OxyContin.

“It’s actually a pretty high percentage of addicts who start taking these opioids early on for surgical reasons,” says Shoichet, a University Professor in �Թϱ��’s department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry, and Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering.

“If this could obviate the need for people to take opioids in the first place, it would have a real societal benefit.”

More than half of all opioid-related deaths in Ontario in 2016 involved prescription drugs, according to a study last year led by Tara Gomes, an epidemiologist at St. Michael’s Hospital and an assistant professor at �Թϱ��’s Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, and the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. The same study also found one third of deaths involved people being actively treated with a prescription opioid.

AmacaThera’s key technology is a gel that can be easily stored and injected at room temperature, but firms up once it enters the body. It has been formulated to deliver commonly used anesthetic drugs to surgical sites and keep them there for two to three days.

By contrast, the same drugs delivered through conventional injections disperse quickly and lose their effectiveness in a matter of hours.

“Right now, drugs are given as a solution, which just won’t stay at the incision,” explains Mike Cooke, who has spent a decade working in Shoichet’s lab and is AmacaThera’s CEO.

“It gets into the blood and washes away into the body. But the gel keeps the pain medication at the site where you need it.”

The gel has been formulated to deliver commonly used anesthetic drugs to surgical sites and, in effect, hold them in place for two to three days (photo by Roberta Baker)

Founded in 2016, AmacaThera has received support from UTEST and the Creative Destruction Lab, two of �Թϱ��’s nine entrepreneurship hubs. It has also received support from MaRS and the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization.

In its first, or “seed,” round of financing, AmacaThera managed to raise $3.25 million from Sprout BioVentures, Viva Biotech and Grey Sky Venture Partners. The money will be used to test and manufacture the gel in a certified lab and complete a Phase 1 clinical trial, which Cooke expects to begin in about a year.

“There is a large unmet need for a non-opioid pain control following surgery,” said Todd McIntyre, a partner at Seattle-based Grey Sky, in a statement, “and AmacaThera’s technology provides a unique solution to the sustained release of acute pain medications.”

Cooke and Shoichet first hatched the idea for AmacaThera while Cooke was working as a postdoctoral researcher in Shoichet's lab. At the time, he was using a version of the gel to transplant stem cells, with promising results. The gel had also been formulated into an anti-adhesive barrier to prevent scar tissue from fusing to organs after surgery.

In an effort to maximize the chance of success, Cooke and Shoichet canvassed more than 100 surgeons and anesthesiologists in search of a problem that needed solving, and ultimately settled on drug delivery. Next, they went back to the lab to see if their gel could be reformulated to fit the bill.

“We wanted to do the business-pull model versus the research-push model – and that’s because we’re starting a business, not starting a research project,” says Shoichet, who has been involved in two previous startups based on research from her lab.

The end result was a product with a well-defined market. Another key factor in the decision: AmacaThera's drug delivery application faces a relatively straightforward regulatory approval process.

“People normally need the product to last a couple of days, not months or years,” Shoichet says. “So the clinical trial is straightforward and the drugs are already in use. It’s a de-risked strategy.”

Basic research 'at the root' of innovation in Canada: �Թϱ��'s Molly Shoichet

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 19:48:19 +0000

Basic research 'at the root' of innovation in Canada: �Թϱ��'s Molly Shoichet

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 09/14/2018 - 15:48

Cutline

�Թϱ�� University Professor Molly Shoichet emphasized the importance of funding basic research at an Economic Club of Canada panel discussion (photo by Chris Sorensen)

Chris Sorensen

Topic

Naylor Report

Artificial Intelligence

Fundamental Science Review

Naylor Report

Technology

Canada is well on its way to becoming a country where knowledge and ideas, not oil or timber, are its most important resources – but there’s more work to be done before we truly become an innovation nation.

That was the message delivered by University of Toronto researcher and former Ontario chief scientist Molly Shoichet and two other post-secondary heavy hitters – Martha Crago, McGill University’s vice-principal of research and innovation, and Paul Davidson, president of Universities Canada – during an Economic Club of Canada event today.

Shoichet, who holds a University Professor designation in �Թϱ��’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, noted “things are really happening” in cities like Toronto and Montreal, which have both seen huge investments by Silicon Valley heavyweights and multinationals in recent years.

However, she cautioned the current tech boom – much of it focused on artificial intelligence and its myriad applications, from medicine to transportation – wouldn’t have happened without strategic government investments in fundamental research decades ago.

“It’s really important to recognize that research is at the root of innovation and commercialization,” Shoichet said during the lunch-time panel discussion.

“If you don’t invest in that research, we won't have those innovations and there won't be anything to commercialize.”

All three participants in the event, titled “Research, Innovation & the New Economy,” lauded the federal government for launching a federal panel in 2016, led by �Թϱ�� President Emeritus Dr. David Naylor, to review how basic science is funded in this country, and for responding to its findings with significant investments in fundamental research in its most recent budget.

Davidson, for his part, said visits to campuses of Universities Canada’s 96 member institutions left him with the impression that serious progress is being made. In particular, he cited growing efforts to foster collaboration between universities and business, as well as between universities themselves, through vehicles like the federal government’s supercluster initiative.

He also noted Canada is making progress when it comes to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion throughout the country’s higher education system.

“You can’t have excellence unless you’re inclusive,” he said. “That’s a big shift [in thinking].”

Yet, despite the changes, the panelists stressed the need for Canada to continue improving the country’s research and commercialization infrastructure, while simultaneously working to instil a culture of innovation among Canadians.

Crago, one of nine members on Canada’s Fundamental Science Review panel, emphasized the importance of continuing to fund young researchers in future budgets.

“What is working in this country is students are learning research and innovation by doing it,” Crago said. “They are the engine.”

She added Canada could also use more of a risk-taking culture like the one found in Israel, which has built one of the most successful tech sectors outside of Silicon Valley.

Shoichet, meantime, suggested there is a need for more research and development jobs in Canada, particularly in key sectors like pharmaceuticals. There was also a lengthy discussion about the best way for universities to work with both giant multinationals and small- and medium-sized businesses and startups.

One audience member – OCAD University President Sara Diamond – suggested Canada could do a better job at leveraging Canada’s strengths in fields like design, as well as arts and humanities more generally, to create an innovation sector driven by more than just pure science.

Agreeing, Crago pointed to the video game sector in Montreal, which is anchored by firms like France’s Ubisoft.

“They’re hiring all these people out of the humanities,” Crago said, “because they are among the most creative thinkers.”

Davidson concluded the discussion with a warning about complacency. He cited a 2017 survey by the Pew Research Centre that found nearly 60 per cent of Republican Party supporters believed U.S. colleges and universities were having a negative impact on America.

Just think of what these institutions have done for a country like the U.S., in terms of knowledge and innovation, over the past 70 years, Davidson said.

“All of that is at risk if we take it for granted.”

Molly Shoichet on the importance of creativity, imagination in research

noreen.rasbach — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Molly Shoichet on the importance of creativity, imagination in research

noreen.rasbach Tue, 03/06/2018 - 00:00

Cutline

"I think what we need to do more of in Canada is celebrate science and celebrate discovery and encourage curiosity," says �Թϱ��'s Molly Shoichet, Ontario's chief scientist (photo by Roberta Baker)

Jennifer Robinson

Topic

Our Community

Astrophysics

Faculty of Law

Indigenous

Regenerative Medicine

Three top scholars – an astrophysicist, an Indigenous legal rights expert and a biomedical engineer – will talk about the importance of creativity and imagination in the pursuit of world-changing research at a special anniversary event tonight for one of the most prestigious awards in Canada.

All three Killam Prize winners will speak at Innis Town Hall Theatre. Tickets are free and are available by registering here.

The event, hosted by the Canada Council for the Arts and moderated by Paul Kennedy, host of CBC Radio's Ideas, features:

John Borrows, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law and former professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto
Victoria Kaspi, Canada Research Chair in Observational Astrophysics and director of the McGill Space Institute, McGill University
Molly Shoichet, Ontario’s chief scientist, Canada Research Chair in Tissue Engineering and professor in �Թϱ��’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering’s department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry and the Institute for Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering.

To get an idea of what the evening may hold, �Թϱ�� caught up with Shoichet, a globally recognized leader in stem cell transplantation and regenerative medicine, ahead of her talk.

Why is creativity and imagination important in your research?

We’re trying to solve problems that no one has been able to solve. If you want to try and solve a really big problem, you have to take a different approach from what other people have done – that requires creativity and imagination.

For example, we’re trying to get the brain to regenerate. We know the brain has the capacity to do this but no one’s really been able to figure out how to do that after a traumatic injury like a stroke. So how can we get the brain to repair itself? What molecules can we deliver to it or what cells can we transplant to get the brain to repair itself after a stroke?

I’ve heard there’s been about a thousand failed clinical trials in strokes. That’s a lot of really smart people not being successful. If we try to do the same thing, we’re just going to continue to fail.

What impact is your work and your field having on the world?

I look at research as the core to invention, innovation and commercialization. If we don’t do that research, we’re not going to have those inventions, the innovation, the commercialization, and you’re not going to have impact on human health.

Have we impacted human health so far? No. But that is a major driver for what we do and a major driver for the creativity we talked about before.

In our lab, we use innovation in chemistry and engineering to solve problems and answer questions in biology and medicine. We have invented new materials, we have licensed those materials to companies, or used our inventions as the founding technology to start companies, and this is an active part of what we do.

Recently we started a company that focuses on post-surgical pain. We want to use some of our inventions to better manage pain for these patients. It’s a very exciting time to take that invention and that commercial opportunity to make a difference in people’s quality of life.

'I felt like I could help invent the future': �Թϱ��'s Molly Shoichet talks about new role as Ontario's chief scientist

geoff.vendeville — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 17:52:42 +0000

'I felt like I could help invent the future': �Թϱ��'s Molly Shoichet talks about new role as Ontario's chief scientist

geoff.vendeville Wed, 02/14/2018 - 12:52

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“There's been a real erosion in the public's trust in science,” Molly Shoichet says in an interview with Canadian Geographic (photo by Roberta Baker)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

As Ontario's first chief scientist, Molly Shoichet hopes to reinstill public trust in science and help the government make better informed decisions based on evidence.

In a question-and-answer with Canadian Geographic this week, University Professor Shoichet discusses how she sees her new role, her goals and what led her to pursue science and become a world-renowned expert in regenerative medicine.

“There's been a real erosion in the public's trust in science,” she tells the magazine. “I think there is a little bit of a vacuum in terms of public engagement in science, and people jump into that vacuum who have very little understanding of science.”

At the University of Toronto, Shoichet has tried to bring research to the general public through a social media initiative called Research2Reality. Through a series of videos, each not much longer than a minute, Research2Reality introduces viewers to the work of leading Canadian scientists. On Valentine's Day, R2R profiled scientists who are working to repair broken hearts – literally – by developing ways to grow heart cells, identify rare mutations and prevent organ rejection in adults.

Shoichet tells Canadian Geographic she is also trying to bring science to a more general audience by showing how it relates to art. She has helped organize an exhibition with the CONTACT Photography Festival this May, featuring stunning images used by scientists – everything from biological cells and tissues to icicles, lakes and oceans.

As chief scientist for the province, she aims to build Ontario's reputation for innovation. “Simply put, I'm letting the world know how fantastic Ontario is in terms of research.”

In the interview, she also touches on what led her to pursue science. She says her parents and high school teachers encouraged her to excel in everything she was interested in, and that a female pediatrician was also a role model.

“I was always interested in medicine and I ended up getting really excited about research, because with it, I felt like I could help invent the future.”

Wynne champions diversity in STEM during visit to �Թϱ��

noreen.rasbach — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 17:28:55 +0000

Wynne champions diversity in STEM during visit to �Թϱ��

noreen.rasbach Wed, 02/14/2018 - 12:28

Cutline

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne (second from left in front row) addresses �Թϱ�� engineering students on Tuesday. She is sitting beside �Թϱ��'s Molly Shoichet, who is Ontario's first chief scientist (photo by Roberta Baker)

Topic

Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Diversity

Undergraduate Students

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne visited the University of Toronto this week, speaking with Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering students about the challenges and opportunities they face and the importance of diversity in STEM disciplines.

Wynne began her visit at the site of the Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship, which will officially open in April. She met with Angela Schoellig, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, who spoke about her research to develop algorithms for autonomous flying robots, and with Jennifer Drake, an assistant professor in the department of civil engineering, who presented her pioneering work on water-permeable concrete for urban environments.

The Premier also took a tour of Polaris, the Blue Sky Solar Racing team’s latest vehicle, and a number of projects – including sounding rockets and a microsatellite – from the University of Toronto Aerospace Team.

The demonstrations were followed by a town hall-style meeting in the Lassonde Mining Building, with an audience of more than 50 �Թϱ�� engineering students.

“When we think about the challenges we face today, whether it’s climate change, big data or health, we can’t help but think about science and engineering,” said University Professor Molly Shoichet, Ontario's first chief scientist, who moderated the discussion. “It’s exciting to have these conversations about how we can harness our collective brain power, and bring the diversity of our cultures and genders into the conversation to solve these problems.”

Over the next hour, Wynne heard from students about a wide variety of topics, from hydro pricing to artificial intelligence, and from mental health on campus to diversity in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

Watch the Premier’s conversation with �Թϱ�� engineering students on Periscope

One theme that emerged was the need to overcome barriers for groups who have been traditionally under-represented in STEM, including women, Black and Indigenous students. Wynne spoke of the current “non-systemic approach” to enriching diversity: While many universities and organizations have outreach programs designed to help people in these groups see themselves in STEM, they don’t exist everywhere and are often are not co-ordinated with the provincial education system.

“I think it starts long before high school, when little kids get messages about what it’s OK for them to do and not to do,” said Wynne. “When certain groups feel that certain avenues are cut off to them, that skews the participation rate.”

Wynne and the students agreed that some of the barriers to diversity in STEM are embedded in the wider culture, and that ongoing work will be required at many levels – parenting, the education system, employment standards – to change them. Still, there are steps that governments and institutions can take to lead by example, including more equitable representation on their boards of directors and examining systemic biases within their hiring practices.

“My intention as a politician is to work to level the playing field so that everyone can be at their best,” said Wynne. “That’s how the province is going to thrive.”

Kathleen Wynne met with graduate students about their research while visiting �Թϱ�� Scarborough (photo by Ken Jones)

Wynne also visited �Թϱ�� Scarborough, where she met with graduate students in the department of physical and environmental sciences and heard presentations about their research. She also met with undergraduate students about the benefits and challenges of pursuing higher education in Ontario.

“It's important that policy-makers know that we do a lot of diverse work in our department ... topics that are really relevant currently in science,” said Ariola Visha, a graduate student in the Arhonditsis Ecological Modelling Lab. “You have climate change, you've got mercury contamination, you've got agro-forestry. It just means a lot that science is being heard and that science has a voice.”

With a file from Raquel Russell

Dozens of �Թϱ�� faculty, alumni and supporters named to Order of Canada

geoff.vendeville — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 16:02:38 +0000

Dozens of �Թϱ�� faculty, alumni and supporters named to Order of Canada

geoff.vendeville Fri, 01/05/2018 - 11:02

Cutline

Many notable Canadians with ties to �Թϱ�� were named to the Order of Canada or promoted within the Order in December (photo by Sgt. Ronald Duchesne/Rideau Hall)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Centre for Indigenous Studies

Alumni

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Medicine

Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

A who's who of notable Canadians, many with ties to the University of Toronto, have been named to the Order of Canada or promoted within the Order.

Governor General and former astronaut Julie Payette – a �Թϱ�� graduate herself – announced the 125 new appointments last week.

Several current faculty members were among the honourees.

University Professor Molly Shoichet of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, who was made Ontario's first Chief Scientist in the fall, has been named an Officer of the Order, the second-highest of its three levels. She is cited for her “cutting-edge research in biomedical engineering, and for efforts to promote women in science and to advance scientific literacy.”

University Professor Molly Shoichet has been named an Officer of the Order of Canada (photo by Roberta Baker)

Also from the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, University Professor Michael Sefton has been named an Officer for his “seminal contributions to the field of biomedical engineering and his mentorship of the next generation of engineers.” He was one of the first to combine living cells with polymers, effectively launching the field now called tissue engineering.

University Professor Sajeev John, of the department of physics in the Faculty of Arts & Science, has been named an Officer for his “revolutionary contributions to optical sciences.” He is known for his groundbreaking research on the localization of light and the invention and development of what are known as new photonic band gap materials, among other things. He won the Killam Prize in 2014, one of Canada's most prestigious scholarly awards.

From testing the grips of winter boots to making bathrooms more accessible, Geoffrey Fernie’s research is focused on improving the lives of people with disabilities and an aging population more broadly. The professor at �Թϱ��’s Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering and senior scientist and research director at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute has been named a Member of the Order for his advancements in the field.

Poet and author Lee Maracle, an Indigenous Elder and instructor at �Թϱ��'s Centre for Indigenous Studies, has been named an Officer for enriching Canada's literary landscape and "for her influential voice in cultural relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.” She has written Ravensong and other novels and short story collections, and mentors Indigenous students at �Թϱ��.

Cancer researcher Dr. Kathleen Pritchard, a professor emerita in �Թϱ��’s Faculty of Medicine, has been recognized as a Member for advancing the treatment of breast cancer in women, particularly by leading important clinical trials. She was the first to show that tamoxifen, a hormonal drug used to treat breast cancer, is effective in premenopausal women who have cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

The lengthy list of notable Canadians with ties to �Թϱ�� who were honoured for their achievements and community service also includes:

Lynn Factor’s name hangs alongside her husband’s at �Թϱ��’s Factor-Inwentash School of Social Work, which received a generous donation from the pair back in 2007. Factor, who worked for the Durham Region’s Children’s Aid Society for 17 years, has been named a Member for her contributions to the field and her dedication to improving the lives of children.

A construction magnate, Carlo Fidani heads one of Canada’s leading commercial development and leasing firms. He has been recognized as a Member for contributing to the country’s prosperity and for his health care-focused philanthropy. That includes a multimillion gift that helped lay the foundation for the Mississauga Academy of Medicine, a partnership between �Թϱ��’s Faculty of Medicine, �Թϱ�� Mississauga and Trillium Health Partners.

Joseph Lebovic and his brother Wolf Lebovic, whose foundation has supported �Թϱ��'s Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies, have been named Members for “their contributions to real estate development in Toronto and for their generosity in support of community initiatives, health care and education.” The businessmen and Holocaust survivors' foundation founded a program at �Թϱ�� that lets students take “interdisciplinary and innovative courses” in Jewish studies over the summer, the centre’s director Anna Shternshis said. “Over the years, hundreds of undergraduate students have benefited from the Lebovic Summer Program and gone on to pursue Jewish Studies,” she added.

The late Bernard Sherman, an entrepreneur, philanthropist and �Թϱ�� graduate, has been named a Member for his impact in the pharmaceutical industry and “unwavering support and commitment to education and charitable causes.” Sherman enrolled in the engineering science program at �Թϱ�� at just 16 and founded Apotex, the largest generic drug manufacturer in the country. Sherman and his wife Honey donated more than $12 million to medicine and pharmacy education and research at �Թϱ��.

Jurist Thomas Cromwell has been named a Companion, the highest of the Order's three levels. He taught at �Թϱ�� and Dalhousie, acted as executive legal officer to former Chief Justice Antonio Lamer and served on the Supreme Court for eight years.

Louis LeBel, another former Supreme Court justice, has been named a Companion. He received a master's in law at �Թϱ�� in 1966 and served on Canada's highest court for 14 years.

Dr. Paul Armstrong, who did post-graduate training and taught at �Թϱ�� before moving to the University of Alberta, has been made an Officer for his impact in cardiology, particularly his “pioneering research in acute cardiac care and leadership in health care institutions.”

Journalist and filmmaker Sally Armstrong, who received a master of science from �Թϱ�� in 2001, has been named an Officer for “highlighting human rights and the struggles of women in the world's conflict zones.”

Michael Church, who acquired a bachelor's degree at �Թϱ��, has been named Officer for his important contributions in geomorphology, which has improved our understanding of rivers and river processes.

Dr. May Cohen graduated at the top of her class in �Թϱ��'s medical school in 1955, when fewer than seven per cent of medical students in Canada were women. She has been named an Officer for advancing the field of women's health in Canada.

Carol Hopkins, who has a master's of social work from �Թϱ��, is cited for her work in addiction and mental health, and as an advocate for culturally based treatment services. She has been named an Officer.

Rose Patten has been named an Officer “for her financial acumen as a senior banking executive,” her community involvement and advancement of women in leadership roles. A leader in the banking industry, she joined �Թϱ��'s Rotman School of Management in 2013.

Brian Robertson, a longtime president of the Canadian Recording Industry Association who taught entertainment law at �Թϱ��, has been made an Officer for showing leadership in promoting Canadian talent on air, the screen and the stage.

Mary Pat Armstrong, a �Թϱ�� alumna, has been named a Member for her four decades of community engagement, particularly for her work with people with disabilities. She helped establish the first Ronald McDonald House in Canada and, in 1982, founded Camp Oochigeas for children with cancer. Inspired by her daughter, Armstrong also helped create a program with Community Living Toronto to allow people with intellectual challenges live more independently.

An award-winning children’s author and editor, Marilyn Baillie has been recognized as a Member for her contributions to Canadian literature, education and the arts. Baillie is a Trinity College alumna and donor whose fondness for nature and the outdoors is highlighted by the environmental themes in her books.

Having studied English and comparative literature at �Թϱ��, Helen Burstyn has been named a Member for her leadership at a range of non-profit organizations that promote everything from arts and culture to health and the environment. She’s also a visiting professor at Ryerson University.

Jocelyn Downie, a �Թϱ�� alumna and current law professor at Dalhousie University, has been recognized as a Member for her contributions to Canadian health law and policy, including challenging issues related to end of life law and policy like voluntary euthanasia, assisted suicide, terminal sedation and the withholding of potentially life-sustaining treatments.

John Hilborn, a reactor physicist, has been named a Member for his “innovative contributions as a physicist in the development of Canada's nuclear industry.” He acquired a bachelor's degree from Trinity College in 1949.

Dale Lastman, director of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, chair of Goodmans LLP and son of former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman, has been named a Member. He is recognized for “his contributions to the growth of the Canadian sports industry and for his volunteer work in support of health initiatives and LGBTQ2 communities.”

Joseph Lebovic talks to �Թϱ�� student Olivia Oliveros and Emily Springgay about a project completed for a course on the history of the Holocaust (photo courtesy of Anna Shternshis)

Karen Mock, a former director with B’nai Brith Canada and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, earned a PhD at �Թϱ��. She has been named a Member for “the promotion of human rights, notably through her work on cultural integration and strengthening of Jewish-Muslim relations in Canada.”

Barbara Neis, a sociology professor at Memorial University who received her PhD from �Թϱ��, has been named a Member and is cited for “her innovation research on the interactions between work, environment and health” in Newfoundland and Labrador. Her professional biography says she has researched many aspects of Newfoundland and Labrador fisheries, from fishing vessel safety to occupational asthma.

Stephen Otto, a historian and advocate for heritage conservation, has been appointed a Member for his passionate support for preserving Ontario's historical buildings and architecture. Otto obtained a bachelor's degree from Trinity College and is one of the founders of Friends of Fort York, a non-profit dedicated to maintaining Fort York and the Garrison Common.

Beverly Salmon studied nursing at �Թϱ��, where she also met her future husband Douglas. The first Black female city councillor in Toronto, she has been named a Member. She and her family established an award in Douglas’s name for Black medical students at �Թϱ��. Beverly is cited for her service to the city, “notably as an advocate for the educational and social well-being of Black communities.”

Jay Switzer, who graduated from �Թϱ�� with a bachelor’s in commerce, was named a Member “for his exemplary leadership in the Canadian broadcasting community and for his mentorship of emerging Canadian artists and filmmakers.” He was president and CEO of CHUM from 2002 to 2007, when the company was acquired by CTVglobemedia.

Barbara Jean Weihs, a �Թϱ�� alumna, librarian and teacher, was appointed a Member for “her national and international contributions to library sciences,” particularly the standardization of the non-book cataloguing system. She has written 19 books and received many national and international awards.

Created in 1967, the Order is one of Canada's highest civilian honours and recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to one's community and service to the nation. These are many of the alumni and �Թϱ��-affiliated individuals named to this year's Order. Please let us know about other �Թϱ��-connected appointees at uoftnews@utoronto.ca.

Molly Shoichet named Ontario’s first Chief Scientist

ullahnor — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 19:17:29 +0000

Molly Shoichet named Ontario’s first Chief Scientist

ullahnor Fri, 11/17/2017 - 14:17

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University Professor Molly Shoichet, a world-leading researcher in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, has been appointed the first Chief Scientist of Ontario (photo by Roberta Baker)

Tyler Irving

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New position will advise government on science-based policy and champion high quality science in government and education

University Professor Molly Shoichet has been appointed Ontario’s first-ever Chief Scientist.

Her responsibilities will include working with research hospitals, universities and research institutes to champion high quality science in government and education, help the government make decisions on science-based policy issues and advise the government on how to support future research and innovation projects.

She will also lay the groundwork for the next generation of research and innovation jobs in Ontario by helping to develop the province's science strategy.

Shoichet is a professor in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering's department of chemical engineering & applied chemistry and the Institute for Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering (IBBME). She holds the Canada Research Chair in Tissue Engineering and is a leading researcher in stem cell transplantation and regenerative medicine. Her lab is known for its use of materials called hydrogels that surround and protect stem cells when they are injected in the body. These hydrogels help stem cells survive and integrate into tissues, including nervous tissue damaged by stroke, macular degeneration or other diseases.

Shoichet has published more than 500 papers, patents and abstracts, and given more than 350 lectures worldwide in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and drug delivery. She has won numerous awards and scholarships, including the 2017 Killam Prize in Engineering, the 2015 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award for North America and the 2013 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. She is the only person to be a fellow of Canada’s three national academies – the Canadian Academy of Sciences of the Royal Society of Canada, Canadian Academy of Engineering, and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. She is a foreign member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

“She is one of the top biomedical scientists in the country, with in-depth knowledge of Ontario’s research community,” said Ontario’s Minister of Research, Innovation and Science Reza Moridi. “As Chief Scientist, she will help us continue a proud tradition of science and research excellence through evidence-based decision making and will open the world to the incredible innovative talent and technologies Ontario has to offer.”

Since 2014, Shoichet has served as �Թϱ�� President Meric Gertler’s senior adviser on science and engineering engagement. She is also the co-founder of Research 2 Reality, which uses digital media to communicate cutting-edge research in Canada and spark national awareness. In 2015, she received the Fleming Medal and Citation from the Royal Canadian Institute in recognition of her outstanding contributions to science communication.

“Professor Shoichet is internationally renowned for her pioneering research and for her leadership in engaging citizens in engineering, science and innovation,” said Cristina Amon, dean of �Թϱ��'s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and a provostial adviser on women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). “On behalf of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, I congratulate her on a richly deserved appointment.”

Shoichet is a longstanding supporter of engineering's pioneering outreach programs. In 2015, she was the keynote speaker at the Young Women in Engineering Symposium (YWIES), which helps high-school students understand the positive difference they can make as engineers. Each year, �Թϱ�� engineering engages more than 10,000 pre-university students through programs such as DEEP Summer Academy, ENGage and Go North.

�Թϱ��'s Molly Shoichet on getting more women into STEM

ullahnor — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 20:14:36 +0000

�Թϱ��'s Molly Shoichet on getting more women into STEM

ullahnor Fri, 08/18/2017 - 16:14

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University Professor Molly Shoichet is recognized for her work in regenerative medicine (photo by Roberta Baker)

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Breaking Research