Welcome to the 40th Edition of the
Toronto Biomedical Engineering Conference
How is Biomedical Engineering Improving Quality of Life?
May 10th 2024, Hart House
About the Conference
Since its inception in 1985, the Toronto Biomedical Engineering Conference (ToBE) has proudly held the distinction of being the longest-running student-run conference, serving as a testament to its enduring legacy of excellence and innovation. Held annually at the University of Toronto, ToBE has established itself as a premier platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas within the biomedical engineering community. Each year, ToBE attracts internationally renowned speakers who share their expertise and insights with attendees, enriching the conference experience and inspiring the next generation of biomedical engineers. Moreover, students affiliated with the biomedical engineering community at the University of Toronto get the opportunity to present their research and projects, showcasing their contributions to the advancement of the field and fostering meaningful collaborations and discussions among peers and professionals alike.
Event Schedule
Friday May 10th, 2024
8:30 AM
Check-in, Poster set-up, Breakfast
Quad
9:00 AM
Conference Welcome from BME Director and ToBE Co-Chairs
Great Hall
9:15 AM
Keynote Speaker 1
Great Hall
10:25 AM
Keynote Speaker 2
Great Hall
11:30 AM
Poster Session
Burwash Room, Music Room
12:15 PM
Lunch
Quad
1:15 PM
Workshop 1
East Common Room
Workshop 2
Music Room
2:30 PM
Student Oral Presentations – Molecular
East Common Room
Student Oral Presentations – Cell & Tissue
Great Hall
Student Oral Presentations – Clinical
Music Room
3:45 PM
Keynote speaker 3
Great Hall
4:45 PM
Closing Remarks
Great Hall
Monday May 13th, 2024
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Celebratory Dinner and Conference (Student Oral & Poster) Awards
The Carlu (444 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON)
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Jennifer Doudna, PhD
Dr. Jennifer Doudna is the Li Ka Shing Chancellor’s Chair and a Professor in the Departments of Chemistry and of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. Her groundbreaking development of CRISPR-Cas9 as a genome-engineering technology, with collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier, earned the two the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and forever changed the course of human and agricultural genomics research. This powerful technology enables scientists to change DNA — the code of life — with a precision only dreamed of just a few years ago. Labs worldwide have re-directed the course of their research programs to incorporate this new tool, creating a CRISPR revolution with huge implications across biology and medicine. In addition to her scientific achievements, Doudna is a leader in public discussion of the ethical implications of genome editing for human biology and societies, and advocates for thoughtful approaches to the development of policies around the safe use of CRISPR technology. Doudna is an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, senior investigator at Gladstone Institutes, and the founder of the Innovative Genomics Institute. She co-founded and serves on the advisory panel of several companies that use CRISPR technology in unique ways. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Inventors, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Doudna is also a Foreign Member of the Royal Society, a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and has received numerous other honors including the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences (2015), the Japan Prize (2016), Kavli Prize (2018), the LUI Che Woo Welfare Betterment Prize (2019), and the Wolf Prize in Medicine (2020). Doudna’s work led TIME to recognize her as one of the “100 Most Influential People” in 2015 and a runner-up for “Person of the Year” in 2016. She is the co-author of “A Crack in Creation,” a personal account of her research and the societal and ethical implications of gene editing.
Dr. John-Ross Rizzo, MD
Dr. John-Ross Rizzo is a physician-scientist and leader at NYU Langone Health. He is currently the Health System Director of Disability Inclusion, Endowed Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, and the Vice Chair of Innovation & Equity in the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, with cross-appointments in the Department of Neurology, the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. He is the Associate Director of Healthcare for the renowned NYU WIRELESS and associate faculty in the Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. He leads the Visuomotor Integration Laboratory (VMIL), exploring motor control with a special emphasis on visual guidance, and the Rehabilitation Engineering Alliance and Center Transforming Low Vision Laboratory (REACTIV), exploring bio-inspired, multi-sensory assistive technologies with a special emphasis on advanced wearables to help patients with stroke and blindness respectively.
Dr. Andrew Pelling, PhD
Dr. Pelling is a lifelong Scientist, full professor at the University of Ottawa and founder of multiple start up companies. His highly experimental ‘Pelling Lab for Augmented Biology’ has trail blazed by developing speculative living technologies of the future with the potential to redefine the limits of biology and medicine. The Lab is well known for its discovery that plants can be harnessed to create medical-grade biomaterials for engineering and regenerating human tissues. Pelling’s work in this area gained considerable international recognition after delivering his first TED talk on growing human ears out of apples. To date, the Pelling Lab has spun out five companies in the technology, biotechnology and medical fields, translating their discoveries into real world products and solutions. Dr. Pelling also serves as co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of Spiderwort, a company translating the fundamental discoveries from his Lab in the area of plant-based biomaterials. As CSO, Dr. Pelling leads Spiderwort’s research program which addresses a variety of tissue engineering applications and unmet medical needs. Andrew also plays a key role in guiding the translation of Spiderwort’s products through the clinical and regulatory landscapes. As an award-winning scientist, Andrew has published his research in some of the world’s most prestigious journals and has been well recognized by his peers. He is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, Member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada, a Canada Research Chair and a TED Senior Fellow. Dr. Pelling’s leadership and experience are highly sought-after and he has delivered hundreds of keynotes and served in a variety of advisory roles for community, industry and government organizations.
Student Presentations
At the Toronto Biomedical Engineering Conference (ToBE), students affiliated with the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto are provided with a unique opportunity to showcase their cutting-edge research through engaging poster presentations or informative oral sessions. This platform not only allows students to share their innovative findings and insights with a diverse audience of peers, faculty, and industry professionals but also fosters valuable networking opportunities and constructive feedback exchanges. Through these presentations, students contribute to the vibrant academic discourse surrounding biomedical engineering, enriching the conference experience and furthering the collective knowledge base of the field. The DEADLINE for abstract submissions is March 20, 2024 and students will be notified of the outcome on April 19, 2024.
Rules for Submission
1. Word Limit: The text must be within the 300 word limit.
2. Please draft your abstract with the following 4 subsections in mind:
I) Rationale & Objectives
II) Methods
III) Results
IV) Conclusions & Significance
3. Writing Style: The University of Toronto BME community consists of individuals with diverse expertise and levels of experience. To help make your exciting work accessible to our entire community, we are requesting that all abstracts be written in a language that is easy to understand by multiple audiences. Please also minimize the use of highly technical terms or field-specific jargon.
4. Abstracts must be submitted through the online form available below:
The deadline to submit your abstract is Friday, March 20, 2024 by 11:59 PM. ABSTRACTS SUBMITTED PAST THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
About the Organizers
As organizers, we are thrilled to present this esteemed event, which stands as a testament to the dedication and passion of our student-led team. At ToBE, we pride ourselves on being a student-run organization, where every aspect of the conference, from planning to execution, is orchestrated by the collaborative efforts of our talented team members. Together, our team worked tirelessly to curate an enriching and impactful conference experience for our attendees, featuring engaging presentations, insightful discussions, and valuable networking opportunities. By harnessing the collective talents and creativity of our student organizers, ToBE continues to uphold its reputation as one of the premier student-run conferences in the field of biomedical engineering.
Our Team
Co-Chairs
Eileen Zhong
Zi Xuan Zhang
Visual & Design Team
Savina Cammalleri
Ferdinand Reke Avikpe
Program Team
Emmanuella Nana
Sargol Okhovatian
Rida Hasan
Nour Ghanem
Workshop Team
Camille Guerin
Dianoosh Kalhory
Publicity & Web Team
Rachel Lau
Shana Alexander
Sponsorship Team
Elain Huang
Amel Sassi
Demo Chair
Tiffany Rodrigues
Publication Team
Lauren Banh
Samantha Unger
Nicholas Yee
Kousha Kamal
Treasurer
Naomi Opiaevans
Student Volunteer Leaders
Jemila Abdulai
Alexandra Jucan