Department of Biochemistry

Eighteen faculty members from across the University of Toronto have been appointed Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada – a prestigious distinction given to the country’s most distinguished scholars, artists and scientists.

“The University of Toronto is immensely proud to see such a high number of our faculty members elected to the Royal Society of Canada,” said Leah Cowen, �Թϱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “These researchers are at the forefront of disciplines that span the arts, social sciences, humanities and sciences, and their work stands to have a significant impact on academic inquiry, policy and societal well-being.”

The 2024 Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada are:

Kamari Clarke of the Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Simon Coleman of the department for the study of religion in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Susan George of the University Health Network and the department of medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Willi Goetschel of the department of Germanic languages and literatures in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Aiyun Huang of the Faculty of Music
Hae-Young Kee of the department of physics in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Kang Lee of the department of applied psychology and human development in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
Ren-Ke Li of the University Health Network and the department of surgery in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Mathieu Lupien of the University Health Network and the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Mark McGowan of the department of history in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Kent Moore of the department of chemical and physical sciences at �Թϱ�� Mississauga
Jim Phillips of the Faculty of Law
John Rubinstein of the Hospital for Sick Children and the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Brigitte Shim of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design
Raquel Urtasun of the department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Balint Virag of the department of computer and mathematical sciences at �Թϱ�� Scarborough
Lucan Alan Way of the department of political science at �Թϱ�� Scarborough
Stephen Wright of the department of ecology and evolutionary biology in the Faculty of Arts & Science

Read the Royal Society of Canada press release

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Karen Maxwell recognized with Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 15:28:41 +0000

Karen Maxwell recognized with Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship

Research & Innovation

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 11/20/2023 - 10:28

Faculty

St. George

Department of Biochemistry

NSERC

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

landscape

Karen Maxwell (photo by Sylvie Li/NSERC)

Karen Maxwell, an associate professor in the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, is one of two University of Toronto researchers to receive the Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship awarded by the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

The fellowship is awarded to outstanding early-stage researchers in the natural sciences and engineering in order to boost their research capacity and accelerate their path towards becoming leaders in their fields.

“I’m honoured to be named one of this year’s Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship recipients,” Maxwell said. “It’s wonderful to have the outstanding work done by the members of my research group recognized by NSERC and to be provided with generous support to continue our investigations of the microbial world.”

A world-renowned expert in phage biology, Maxwell’s research explores the interplay between bacteria and phages, the viruses that infect and eliminate them. Her lab uses a multi-disciplinary approach drawing on phage biology, structural biology and bioinformatics – along with in-vitro and in-vivo studies – to contribute to the design of engineered phages to treat bacterial infections in humans, animals and plants.

“We are thrilled that Karen Maxwell has been recognized by this prestigious award,” said Lea Harrington, chair of the department of biochemistry. “Karen is not only at the vanguard of research in this area, she is also a fantastic ambassador who actively participates in mentorship and outreach to increase the diversity of opportunities available to all aspiring and established scientists”.

�Թϱ��'s other McDonald Fellowship recipient was Assistant Professor Chelsea Rochman from the department of ecology & evolutionary biology in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Additionally, two �Թϱ�� researchers – Professor Frank Gu and Associate Professor David Wong – were recognized by NSERC with the Brockhouse Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering.

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13 �Թϱ�� faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

lanthierj — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 19:43:09 +0000

13 �Թϱ�� faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Tue, 09/05/2023 - 15:43

Department of Biochemistry

Department of Medicine

Department of Philosophy

Department of Psychology

Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Hospital for Sick Children

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

UHN

landscape

Thirteen faculty members from across the University of Toronto have been appointed Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada – a prestigious distinction given to the country’s most distinguished scholars, artists and scientists.

“The University of Toronto congratulates these extraordinary researchers on this important recognition of their dedication, leadership and impact,” says Leah Cowen, �Թϱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “Across a diverse array of disciplines, they are addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges – and their contributions to their respective fields continue to break new ground.”

The new Fellows are:

Ryan Balot of the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Paul Bloom of the department of psychology in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Tom Chau of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Robert Gerlai of the department of psychology at �Թϱ�� Mississauga
Alberto Leon-Garcia of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Jason Moffat of the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the department of molecular genetics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Amit Oza of the University Health Network (UHN) and the department of medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Daniela Rotin of SickKids and the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Aaron Schimmer of UHN and the department of medical biophysics in in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
William Seager of the department of philosophy at �Թϱ�� Scarborough
Valerie Tarasuk of the department of nutritional sciences in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
R. Paul Thompson of the Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science and Technology in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Daniel Trefler of the Rotman School of Management

They join more than 350 Fellows of the Royal Society affiliated with �Թϱ��.

University of Toronto professors elected to the U.K.'s Royal Society

lanthierj — Fri, 07 May 2021 20:15:02 +0000

University of Toronto professors elected to the U.K.'s Royal Society

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Fri, 05/07/2021 - 16:15

Faculty

St. George

Department of Biochemistry

Department of Mathematics

Faculty of Arts & Science

Royal Society U.K.

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

landscape

(Photo of Forman-Kay courtesy of Forman-Kay; Quastel by Diana Tyszko)

Two University of Toronto professors have been elected Fellows of the Royal Society – the United Kingdom’s national academy of sciences.

Professor Julie Forman-Kay of the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Professor Jeremy Quastel of the department of mathematics in the Faculty of Arts & Science are among the 60 scientists named this year as Fellows, Foreign Members or Honorary Fellows.

“The global pandemic has demonstrated the continuing importance of scientific thinking and collaboration across borders,” Sir Adam Smith, president of the society, said in a statement. “Each Fellow and Foreign Member bring their area of scientific expertise to the Royal Society and when combined, this expertise supports the use of science for the benefit of humanity.”

Forman-Kay and Quastel are deeply collaborative leaders who have made profound impact with their research, said Professor Leah Cowen, associate vice-president, research.

“Julie Forman-Kay’s recent studies elucidating the roles of disordered regions in controlling cellular organization and chemical reactions have led to important insights into normal biological regulation and how mutations in these regions lead to cancer and neurological disorders,” Cowen said. “And Jeremy Quastel is making world-leading contributions to probability theory, stochastic processes and partial differential equations.

“The university congratulates them on this important recognition of their accomplishments.”

Julie Forman-Kay elected a Fellow of the Royal Society

lanthierj — Fri, 07 May 2021 14:59:13 +0000

Julie Forman-Kay elected a Fellow of the Royal Society

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Fri, 05/07/2021 - 10:59

Faculty

St. George

Department of Biochemistry

Royal Society U.K.

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

landscape

Julie Forman-Kay has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society in recognition of her internationally renowned studies of the dynamic structures, interactions and functions of intrinsically disordered proteins.

A professor in the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Forman-Kay is also senior scientist and program head of molecular medicine at The Hospital for Sick Children. She holds a Canada Research Chair in Intrinsically Disordered Proteins.

"I am truly honoured to have been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, with its history of bringing outstanding scientists together to promote excellent science for the sake of improving society,” says Forman-Kay. “I am also extremely pleased, as it is recognition not only of my work but of the importance of disordered regions in biological function."

Intrinsically disordered proteins and protein regions make up about a third of human protein sequences, yet are poorly understood. Forman-Kay's research has provided strong links between dynamic interactions of disordered proteins and regulation of essential cellular processes.

“Forman-Kay’s work sits at the interface of structural biology and cell biology, which is not a set of skills that most people think about in the same sentence. But she moves effortlessly between the two,” says Professor Justin Nodwell, vice-dean, research and graduate education and former chair of biochemistry. “As a result, she’s made foundational discoveries that apply to many proteins with enormous relevance to human disease.

“I’m so happy to hear that Julie has been inducted into the Royal Society. She brings her sharp, critical mind and boundless interest to everything she does – I really can’t think of anyone who is more deserving of this terrific honour.”

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Department of Biochemistry

18 faculty members elected Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Read the Royal Society of Canada press release

Karen Maxwell recognized with Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship

13 �Թϱ�� faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Read more about the Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

University of Toronto professors elected to the U.K.'s Royal Society

Read more about Forman-Kay

Read more about Quastel

Julie Forman-Kay elected a Fellow of the Royal Society

Department of Biochemistry

18 faculty members elected Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Read the Royal Society of Canada press release

Karen Maxwell recognized with Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship

13 �Թϱ��� faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Read more about the Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

University of Toronto professors elected to the U.K.'s Royal Society

Read more about Forman-Kay

Read more about Quastel

Julie Forman-Kay elected a Fellow of the Royal Society

13 �Թϱ�� faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada