Sarah Jane Silva

U of T launches new digital health technologies specialization

noreen.rasbach — Tue, 22 May 2018 20:26:40 +0000

U of T launches new digital health technologies specialization

noreen.rasbach Tue, 05/22/2018 - 16:26

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Students at the ��Ƶ Mississauga (photo by Paul Orenstein)

Sarah Jane Silva

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City & Culture

U of T Mississauga

The ��Ƶ's master of biotechnology program has approved a graduate field of specialization in digital health technologies.

��We are creating a new breed of professional who is equipped with the ability to code and apply data science in the context of emerging opportunities in digital health technology,�� says Jayson Parker, associate professor, teaching stream in the department of biology, about digital health technologies at U of T Mississauga.

��Part of the toolkit for our students will be the ability to apply advanced tools in artificial intelligence to problems in biology and in health-related industries,�� he says.

This diverse digital health field includes mobile medical apps, health information technology, general wellness, electronic medical records, software and cybersecurity, health information technology, wearable technology and more.

The focus of the graduate field in digital health technology is data science, including advanced training in machine learning tools.

��This new field will run in parallel with the long-running MBiotech Program at UTM, which will continue to concentrate on biotherapeutics,�� says Leigh Revers, associate professor, teaching stream, and director of the master of biotechnology program at U of T Mississauga.

��Both streams of students will earn the same degree,�� says Revers.

The two-year professional master��s degree in digital health technologies involves eight to 12 months of industry placement in paid student internships where students will learn about basic business, health, regulation and data science.

��The addition of the DHT [digital health technology] stream will allow what is a very successful graduate program to expand its frontiers,�� says Revers.

Students in the first cohort of the field begin classes in May.

Indoor farming takes root at U of T Mississauga

ullahnor — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 22:07:22 +0000

Indoor farming takes root at U of T Mississauga

ullahnor Thu, 03/09/2017 - 17:07

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Student startup, Just Vertical, is growing an indoor farm wall hydroponically at U of T Mississauga �C with nutrient solution, instead of soil (photo by Sarah Jane Silva)

Sarah Jane Silva

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Sarah Jane Silva

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At ��Ƶ Mississauga, a plastic tower sprouts produce including curly starbor kale, buttercrunch and collard greens.

Rising almost six feet off the ground and illuminated by high output fluorescent bulbs, the indoor farm wall grows plants hydroponically �C with nutrient solution, instead of soil. The water nourishes the roots, collects in a gutter and then recirculates back to a nutrient tank that feeds back into the hydroponic system.

The farm wall was the idea of Master of Science in Sustainability Management (MScSM) students Conner Tidd and Kevin Jakiela who partnered with Modular Farms Co., which specializes in vertical farming systems, to create distribution channels and services.

��You can grow pretty much anything,�� Jakiela says. ��Here, we��ve already grown three different types of lettuce, Genovese basil, joi choi, peppermint and parsley.��

From seed to harvest, it takes about four weeks to grow leafy greens and herbs.

��If you stagger it correctly, you can harvest it almost every day,�� Tidd adds.

The wall costs just under $25 a month in electricity.

The seedlings, nestled in plugs made of peat moss, begin in a tray and are placed under a humidity dome where they germinate and are fed different levels of nutrients and pH. After a couple of weeks, they're ready to be transplanted into the tower.

Wicking strips help water find the path of least resistance by controlling the water flow and taking the water directly to the seedling roots.

��It��s a white cloth that you open up, put the plug in, then you close it like a sandwich, and put it into the tower,�� Jakiela says.

Although the produce the farm wall yields is not organic-certified yet, the students' startup company, Just Vertical, uses organic-based practices, foregoing herbicides and pesticides.

��When you��re outside, you��re exposed to pests and fungi,�� Tidd says. ��Unless you��re using herbicides and pesticides, it��s going to be a problem especially when you��re growing strawberries and tomatoes.��

��With Just Vertical, Kevin and Conner have a great product in place, and manufacturing is lined up so now the initial focus will be on market validation,�� says Sam Dumcum, the programs, strategic relationships and innovation lead at ICUBE, U of T Mississauga's incubator that provides startup support to new ventures at any stage.

Dumcum says that by focusing on market research during the next phase of their startup, Just Vertical will be able to have a solid base with which to advertise and sell their product but also to appeal to investors.

U of T alum selected as Schwarzman scholar

ullahnor — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 20:37:43 +0000

U of T alum selected as Schwarzman scholar

ullahnor Thu, 02/09/2017 - 15:37

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A graduate of U of T Mississauga's Institute for Management & Innovation, Aly Madhavji is one of 129 students chosen to be 2018 Schwarzman scholars (photo by Sarah Jane Silva)

Sarah Jane Silva

Author legacy

Sarah Jane Silva

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Institute for Management & Innovation

Aly Madhavji is China-bound.

The 26-year-old graduate of the Institute for Management & Innovation (IMI) at U of T Mississauga has been selected to be in the second class of Schwarzman Scholars.

The master��s degree program, which was inspired by the Rhodes Scholarship, offers a fully funded scholarship to study at the new Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

The scholarship was started by Stephen A. Schwarzman, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Blackstone Group, a multinational private equity firm. Madhavji, who hails from Burnaby, B.C., is among 129 students from 30 countries and 75 universities selected for the class of 2018.

This fall, he��ll head to Tsinghua University in Beijing where he is excited to be further exposed to Chinese culture.

��During the interview process, I met dozens of incredibly talented candidates, all of whom were very deserving of the scholarship so I am very grateful and humbled to have been selected,�� he said. ��It��s definitely a surreal feeling filled with immense excitement.��

Madhavji recently completed his MBA studies at INSEAD, one of the world's leading and largest graduate business schools.

��I am currently helping to lead strategic projects with the dean and the board of directors of INSEAD.��

Over the past year, he published his second and third books, Your Guide to get into Medical School and Your Guide to Succeed After Graduation, written in consultation with many experts.

He spoke recently to U of T's Sarah Jane Silva.

Can you describe what you will be doing as a Schwarzman Scholar?

I will be pursuing a Master of Global Affairs focused on public policy, which I believe is an important foundation for understanding the policies and processes that shape the societal and economic decisions of nations.

Why is it important for students to seek opportunities to build mutual understanding and respect between different peoples and cultures?

It is increasingly important because it helps avoid misconceptions and misinterpretations which can be attributed to the unfamiliarity of other cultures. With the emergence of globalization, we will increasingly live and work in cross-cultural settings where mutual understanding and tolerance will be the cornerstone for progress.

Can you describe the application process for the Schwarzman?

The application process was quite rigorous and included a written biography, a summary of experience, four references, a personal statement, a leadership essay and a current affairs essay, a CV and a video introduction!

A few weeks after the submission I was invited to interview in Bangkok, Thailand, where there was a panel interview and lunch with senior business, education and political leaders followed by a team building exercise with other candidates. The whole process was impeccably organized and helped to reduce any of my nerves.

What are your hopes and aspirations?

In my application and interviews, I focused on the importance of truly understanding both the Western world and China, and the ability to leverage the knowledge of deeply understanding China as a beacon for understanding certain emerging markets. This would be critically important over several decades for the business and non-profit sectors, which I plan to be involved in.

How is your Mandarin?

�һ��ѧϰ��ͨ�� (I'm still learning basic Mandarin). I will be taking intensive Mandarin Chinese classes and pursuing numerous experiential learning experiences across China.

U of T alumni develop app to connect researchers with volunteer subjects

lavende4 — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 17:43:03 +0000

U of T alumni develop app to connect researchers with volunteer subjects

lavende4 Mon, 07/25/2016 - 13:43

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Left to right: Maroof Moral, Erica Tatham and Anthony Nazarov

Blake Eligh

Sarah Jane Silva

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Sarah Jane Silva and Blake Eligh

Topic

A new app developed by ��Ƶ alumni aims to solve a perennial problem in scientific research �� recruiting and retaining participants for clinical studies and trials. Anthony Nazarov and Maroof Moral, both Bachelor of Science graduates from ��Ƶ Mississauga, along with McMaster University alumna Erica Tatham, hope to transform the way participants are recruited for medical studies. This fall, the entrepreneurial trio will launch a beta version ofParticipAid, a mobile app that will make it easier for volunteers and researchers to find each other.

��There is brilliant research happening in our city, especially at the ��Ƶ and its affiliated hospitals and research networks,�� Nazarov says. But often, researchers have trouble connecting with potential volunteers, contributing to costly delays.

The founders, who each have a background in scientific research, saw an opportunity to improve the process through mobile technology. With a germ of an idea, they turned to I-CUBE �� UTM��s business incubator �� and they��ve been gaining momentum ever since.

In 2015, ParticipAid won $2,500 at I-CUBE��s Startup Pitch competition, took top prize at U of T��s Tri-Campus Hackathon BLUE3, and won a business grant from the Research Innovation Commercialization (RIC) Centre. They went on to present their idea to mayors, chief administrative officers, chief information officers and economic development officers from cities around the world at the Intelligent Community Forum Summit in Toronto.

In May 2016, ParticipAid won the Best Innovation for Tech Business prize in the Unlock Your Big Idea competition, nabbing a $10,000 prize and mentorship support from the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs. Most recently, the app also won SmartStart seed funding from the Ontario Centers of Excellence, a provincially funded program that supports young entrepreneurs. ��These grants will go a long way in helping put our first product out on the market,�� says Moral.

Ahead of the fall launch, the team is working closely with Toronto-area hospitals, universities and research institutions to develop links with researchers seeking study participants. The beta version will allow study participants to browse study ads. Subsequent versions will include the ability to book participation sessions and manage reminders. Researchers will be able to post recruitment ads, manage schedules and broadcast research updates.

The trio hopes the ParticipAid app will encourage more public participation in clinical studies. ��Participating in a research study is a great way to get involved in your local scientific community, give back to a noble cause and maybe even help make discoveries that save lives,�� says Moral.

Tatham says that social and gamification elements will be added to keep users motivated. Future releases may incorporate a personalized newsfeed that displays a timeline of updates from all the studies in which a user has participated, providing a way to visualize the impact they are making in the scientific and medical communities.

Facilitating that connection can help accelerate medical discoveries and scientific advancements. ��We want to create a real, tangible place in the scientific community where research participants can feel they belong,�� says Nazarov. ��Fostering that relationship could make a difference in the world.

Sarah Jane Silva

U of T launches new digital health technologies specialization

Read more about the digital health technologies specialization

Indoor farming takes root at U of T Mississauga

U of T alum selected as Schwarzman scholar

U of T alumni develop app to connect researchers with volunteer subjects