Media Releases
Below is a selection of recent press releases. For all the latest news please visit www.utoronto.ca/news
General Inquires +1 (416) 978-0100 Email media.relations@utoronto.ca
Scientists at Mount Sinai Hospital and University of Toronto unlock clues to thyroid cancer
Identification of potential biomarker shows promise for the development of personalized treatment Toronto, ON ― November 15, 2010 ― Researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto have utilized proteomic technologies to discover proteins secreted by thyroid cancer cell lines to identify and characterize potential biomarkers for the future management of thyroid carcinomas. The study recently published in the Journal of Proteome Research is of particular importance because these biomarkers have the potential to aid oncologists in determining…
U of T receives research grant to study innovative teaching programs
TORONTO, ON - U of T’s efforts in developing the skills of its teaching assistants will be the subject of a research grant from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. The council announced Nov. 12 that 13 proposed research projects were selected to receive funding to assess and highlight innovative/effective teaching and learning practices at Ontario’s colleges and universities. The University of Toronto team received a grant of $30,000 from HEQCO to support this project. “These research projects will…
Creating a more collaborative Asian leadership for the G20
TORONTO, ON - On the eve of the first G20 summit to be hosted by a Asian country, leading experts gathered in Shanghai to evaluate the prospects for collaboration and leadership by key Asian nations. The discussions focused on the Seoul agenda and the perspective of the summit’s Korean host, the perspectives from the large emerging market powers, perspectives from the traditional advanced countries, other Asian countries including Singapore and Vietnam as well as the prospects for collaboration more broadly.…
Acclaimed evolutionist discusses how religious and secular meaning systems help solve the problems of modern existence
TORONTO, ON - David Sloan Wilson, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Biology and Anthropology at Binghamton University, will give the 2010 Wiegand Memorial Foundation Lecture at the University of Toronto on Monday, November 15. The lecture takes place at 6 p.m. in the George Ignatieff Theatre, 15 Devonshire Place. Admission is free, with general seating. Professor Wilson will be discussing how the experience of the religious believer differs from those who regard themselves as secular and the ways in which religious…
University of Toronto psychologists identify influence of human social interaction on sensitivity to physical pain
TORONTO, ON – Psychologists at the University of Toronto have shown that the nature of a social interaction has the ability to influence an individual’s sensitivity to physical pain. The discovery could have significant clinical implications for doctor-patient relationships and the general well-being of an individual on a daily basis. “Dozens of studies over the past several decades have demonstrated the impact of inadequate social connectedness on numerous health outcomes, including cardiovascular health, immune function, post-surgical recovery, and lifespan,” says…
Dangerous chemicals in food wrappers likely migrating to humans: U of T study
TORONTO, ON - University of Toronto scientists have found that chemicals used to line junk food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags are migrating into food and being ingested by people where they are contributing to chemical contamination observed in blood. Perfluorinated carboxylic acids or PFCAs are the breakdown products of chemicals used to make non-stick and water- and stain-repellant products ranging from kitchen pans to clothing to food packaging. PFCAs, the best known of which is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are…
Dorothy Shoichet to receive honorary degree
TORONTO, ON. – On Wednesday, November 10 at 6 p.m., the University of Toronto will award Dorothy Shoichet an honorary doctor of laws degree in recognition of her business leadership and tireless volunteer efforts, particularly in the areas of education and the arts. Shoichet, a Toronto native, earned a Political Science and Economics degree from the University of Illinois before getting her start in the business world as co-manager of the Oxford Picture Frame Company. While raising three children, Shoichet…
G20 research group experts on site at Seoul summit
TORONTO, ON - The G20 Research Group will have a team of experts available for interviews and analysis on site at the COEX International Media Centre in Seoul for the G20 Summit. John Kirton, co-director <john.kirton@utoronto.ca> Alan Alexandroff, co-director <alanintheworld@gmail.com> Donald Brean, co-director <brean@rotman.utoronto.ca> Jenilee Guebert, director of research <jenilee.guebert@utoronto.ca> Lida Preyma, director of capital markets research <lida.preyma@utoronto.ca> Netila Demneri, chair <netila.demneri@utoronto.ca> To reach us by telephone while we are in Seoul, please call +82-010-8659-6542. This number will be active…
Celebrated volunteer to receive honorary degree
TORONTO, ON – Approximately 4,200 students will graduate from the University of Toronto this fall, at convocation ceremonies taking place from Monday, November 8, to Friday, November 12. All ceremonies will be held in Convocation Hall, 31 King’s College Circle. The University will also confer an honorary degree, recognizing extraordinary achievement in community service. Dorothy Shoichet will be recognized for her leadership and tireless volunteer efforts, particularly through her steadfast commitment to education and the arts. Her accomplishments are of…
Brain’s ability to selectively focus and “pay attention” diminishes with age
TORONTO, ON - A University of Toronto study shows that visual attention -- the brain’s ability to selectively filter unattended or unwanted information from reaching awareness -- diminishes with age, leaving older adults less capable of filtering out distracting or irrelevant information. Further, this age-related “leaky” attentional filter fundamentally impacts the way visual information is encoded into memory. Older adults with impaired visual attention have better memory for “irrelevant” information. The research, conducted by members of U of T’s Department…