Immunology

John Charles Polanyi Prize

Polanyi Prize

Polanyi Prize in Physiology and Medicine

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

landscape

Kevin Champagne-Jorgensen (courtesy of the Council of Ontario Universities)

Kevin Champagne-Jorgensen, a post-doctoral fellow in the department of immunology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, has been awarded the prestigious John Charles Polanyi Prize in physiology and medicine for 2023.

The provincial government awards the Polanyi Prize annually to early-career researchers from Ontario universities. Established in 1987, the award is named in honour of John Charles Polanyi, University Professor Emeritus in the department of chemistry and recipient of the 1986 Nobel Prize. The winners are nominated by the deans of university graduate schools across Ontario and chosen by a selection committee organized by the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies

A researcher in the lab of Professor Jennifer Gommerman, Champagne-Jorgensen is carrying out research that aims to develop microbe-based therapeutics to improve the health of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). There is currently no effective medication to prevent progression of MS, a chronic disease affecting approximately 90,000 Canadians and more than 2.5 million people worldwide.

Champagne-Jorgensen’s research has found that gut microbes are important for healthy neurodevelopment and revealed a new mechanism whereby gut bacterial nanoparticles may enter the bloodstream, interacting with the brain and immune systems in both healthy and diseased states.

He is now expanding on these findings by focusing on microbiota from MS patients to identify which microbes affect disease progression and understand the mechanisms involved.

Three faculty members appointed to the Royal Society of Canada's college for new scholars

s.anderson — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 15:23:01 +0000

Three faculty members appointed to the Royal Society of Canada's college for new scholars

Research & Innovation

s.anderson Tue, 09/10/2019 - 11:23

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Medicine

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Biochemistry

Medical Biophysics

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From left: Jean-Philippe Julien, David Evans and Daniel De Carvalho (photos by Perry King)

Three University of Toronto faculty members have been named to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

Daniel De Carvalho, Jean-Philippe Julien and David Evans were recognized by the Royal Society for demonstrating a high level of achievement. De Carvalho is an associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine and a senior scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Julien is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicine and a scientist at the SickKids Research Institute. Evans is an associate professor in the Faculty of Arts & Science who oversees dinosaur research at the Royal Ontario Museum.

“We’re extremely proud of their admission to the college and look forward to seeing their research make an impact in Canada and beyond,” says Vivek Goel, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “��οcongratulates them for this impressive appointment.”

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Two early-career researchers named CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars

s.anderson — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 15:29:31 +0000

Two early-career researchers named CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars

Research & Innovation

s.anderson Thu, 09/05/2019 - 11:29

Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics

Faculty of Medicine

Faculty of Arts & Science

Biochemistry

Women in STEM

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Jean Philippe Julien (left) and Renée Hložek (photos by Perry King)

Two University of Toronto faculty members have been named 2019-2021 CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars, an award recognizing early-career researchers on their way to becoming research leaders.

Renée Hložek, an assistant professor of astrophysics at the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, and Jean-Philippe Julien, an assistant professor in the departments of biochemistry and immunology at the Faculty of Medicine and a scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children, have received a two-year term in a CIFAR research program and $100,000 in support of their research.

The award, a professional skills development program, also provides mentorship from a senior researcher and skills training.

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Tak Mak wins the Gold Leaf Prize for Discovery

perry.king — Thu, 23 May 2019 20:52:37 +0000

Tak Mak wins the Gold Leaf Prize for Discovery

Research & Innovation

perry.king Thu, 05/23/2019 - 16:52

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

Faculty of Medicine

Medical Biophysics