Media Releases
Below is a selection of recent press releases. For all the latest news please visit www.utoronto.ca/news
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Secret to flying fish wings revealed
TORONTO, ON – A graduate student at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), has provided the most definitive answer yet to the curious question, “How did flying fish get their wings?” Eric Lewallen, a PhD student in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), is the lead author on the first molecular study of genetic relatedness among species of flying fish. Lewallen’s research confirms what scientists have long hypothesized—that the wide variety of “flying” strategies found…
New song about evolution, from the world’s sexiest birds
TORONTO, ON – While the tropics are home to the vast majority of plant and animal species on Earth, new research on songbirds suggests evolution actually happens faster in places that are located far away from the equator. Jason Weir, assistant professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), measured the differences in length and complexity of song in more than 100 closely related pairs of songbird species, in order to estimate how fast evolution might be…
U of T‑hosted project to develop regenerative medicine products is awarded $15 million from the federal government
TORONTO, ON – A University of Toronto-hosted project to develop products to treat devastating health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and spinal cord injuries has been awarded $15 million by the federal government. The Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) was one of four projects approved by the federal government’s Networks of Centre of Excellence on Dec. 6 as part of its Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) competition. The CCRM’s chief scientific officer will…
Dr. Eric Jackman donates $5 million to U of T Institute of Child Study
TORONTO, ON – The University of Toronto has announced that Dr. Eric Jackman has donated $5 million to the Institute of Child Study – a landmark gift in Canada for early development and childhood education. In recognition of the gift, U of T has renamed the 85-year-old Institute of Child Study (ICS) the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study, which is part of the University’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology.…
University of Toronto physicists create supernova in a jar
TORONTO, ON - A team of physicists from the University of Toronto and Rutgers University have mimicked the explosion of a supernova in miniature. A supernova is an exploding star. In a certain type of supernova, the detonation starts with a flame ball buried deep inside a white dwarf. The flame ball is much lighter than its surroundings, so it rises rapidly making a plume topped with an accelerating smoke ring. “We created a smaller version of this process by…
U of T researcher discovers a way to zip away chronic pain
TORONTO, ON - Research from the University of Toronto suggests that a peptide inhibitor called ZIP could be crucial in zipping away some kinds of chronic pain. The new research, led by Prof. Min Zhuo of the University of Toronto’s Department of Physiology and published under the title “Alleviating Neuropathic Pain Hypersensitivity by Inhibiting PKMζ in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex” in the current edition of the journal Science, explores the role that the protein kinase M zeta (PKMζ) plays in…
Psychologists make link between profitability of law firms and college yearbook photos of managing partners
TORONTO, ON – Psychologists at the University of Toronto and Tufts University have shown that law firms are more profitable when led by managing partners with powerful looking faces. Further, an individual’s career success can be predicted as much as 30 to 40 years earlier simply by looking at their face. “Appearance matters a great deal when it comes to judging people,” says Professor Nicholas Rule of the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto, lead author of a…
Rotman School hosts Women in Management MBA open house
TORONTO, ON – From the classroom to the boardroom, the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto supports women in their efforts to advance and be successful in their careers. On December 2, the school will be hosting the annual Rotman Women in Management Open House which allows prospective female candidates for the Rotman MBA programs to explore the benefits of pursuing the degree from many perspectives. The open house allows participants to gain insight into every aspect…
Holcim Canada, University of Toronto and the Ministry of Transportation complete first field application of Portland limestone cement
TORONTO, ON – In an effort to promote innovative and sustainable construction solutions the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO), the University of Toronto (U of T) and Holcim (Canada) Inc. recently partnered to perform the first public agency trial of a concrete pavement section using a new class of cement called Portland-limestone cement (PLC). PLC has strong environmental and sustainable construction benefits. The manufacturing of PLC generates significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and up to 10 per cent fewer…
U of T research shows workplace relationships are challenging for nurses working in prisons
TORONTO, ON - Health care needs versus security demands: What takes priority? Balancing security needs and health care services may not be the going concern of your average nurse, but the role of the correctional nurse is anything but average. Health care in provincial correctional institutions is a unique combination of all types of nursing. Approximately 500 nurses work in Ontario’s provincial correctional system caring for almost 9,000 people, yet, until now, the role of the correctional nurse had not…