Researchers created new metal alloys using AI-driven materials design, retaining strength under extreme conditions. The alloys, made of nickel, cobalt, and chromium, outperformed industry standards in properties such as puncture resistance and oxidation resistance.
Researchers identified a protein from the quagga mussel that can stick to surfaces underwater without DOPA, a modified amino acid previously thought essential for adhesion. The findings could inform the design of future medical glues and anti-fouling technologies.
Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a new method to mature lab-grown heart cells, which exhibits greater structural organization and improved ability to contract. This advance could help create more reliable models for studying heart disease and testing new drugs.
Researchers at University of Toronto Engineering have developed a non-toxic coating made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) that prevents proteins from sticking to surfaces. The liquidlike surface covered in PDMS bristles resisted protein adhesion even better than polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
A team of researchers has developed a new microbial method for producing medium-chain fatty acids, which are used in various industries, including cosmetics and detergents. The breakthrough enables the use of waste materials as feedstock for fermentation, reducing reliance on palm oil.
Researchers have developed a new MRI technique that can track transplanted stem-cell-derived heart cells over long periods. This method allows scientists to visualize where transplanted cells survive, helping to improve therapies for patients with heart damage.
Researchers have synthesized long noncoding RNA molecules with anti-inflammatory properties, demonstrating a new paradigm in drug discovery. The team identified three lncRNA sequences that regulate inflammation and used them to create nanoparticles that reduced inflammation in human cell cultures and mice.
A new strategy for estimating storm water in sewers uses a combination of methods, including long-term average flow rate and biological oxygen demand. This approach can improve accuracy by over 10% and provide more plausible estimates for benchmarking potential improvements to sewer systems.
Researchers found that concrete slab size is the worst offender in terms of carbon emissions, with changing this feature alone able to save large amounts of emissions. Optimize design decisions such as floor thickness, building materials, and construction culture to reduce pollution.
The University of Toronto Engineering researchers have created the first-ever tool to provide construction-related greenhouse gas emissions budgets for 1,000 cities globally. The open-source model helps cities navigate between the need for new housing and infrastructure and the need to keep global warming below two degrees. The model c...
A new open-access tool, MOF-ChemUnity, offers a systematic way to organize and synthesize knowledge about metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), enabling the discovery of their potential uses in drug delivery, catalysis, carbon capture, and more. The system creates a unified foundation that both researchers and AI systems can build on, reduc...
A team of researchers from University of Toronto Engineering designed a new material that is both very light and extremely strong, even at temperatures up to 500 Celsius. This composite material has a structure mimicking reinforced concrete on a microscopic scale, providing improved strength and resistance to heat degradation.
A new AI system developed by U of T researchers can predict the potential real-world use for a new material, using early-stage data. The tool focuses on porous materials like metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which have tunable properties leading to various applications.
University of Toronto researchers have developed a new material that repels both water and grease as well as standard non-stick coatings, but contains much lower amounts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The material uses nanoscale fletching technology to achieve its performance, making it a safer alternative for consumer ...
A team of researchers from University of Toronto Engineering has discovered hidden multi-dimensional modulation side channels in existing quantum protocols. These side channels arise in quantum sources and can introduce vulnerabilities to secure communication, potentially compromising the security of quantum key distribution.
Researchers have created tiny robotic tools that can grip, pull and cut tissue in the brain using external magnetic fields. The tools, which are only a few millimetres in diameter, were tested on a phantom brain and found to make precise cuts with an average width of 0.3-0.4 millimetres.
Researchers found that placing naloxone kits in transit stations could improve availability and save more lives. By optimizing distribution strategies using mathematical models, the team discovered that just 60 kits at 650 locations could cover over half of opioid poisonings in Vancouver.
Researchers at University of Toronto develop a new framework to optimize laser Directed Energy Deposition (AIDED) for higher quality and more reliable metal parts. The AIDED framework uses machine learning to predict optimal process parameters and enhance the accuracy and robustness of finished products.
Researchers designed nano-architected materials with exceptional strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios, overcoming stress concentration issues. Machine learning optimized geometries led to over double the strength of existing designs.
University of Toronto researchers developed a new computational method to study genome organization, uncovering previously unknown patterns in human chromosomes. The method uses machine learning to analyze high-throughput chromosome conformation capture data and sheds light on chromosomal re-organization leading to disease development.
Researchers at University of Toronto have developed a new microfluidic platform, ReSCUE, that allows for unprecedented control and manipulation of tumor shapes. This enables the formation, release, and transfer of patient-derived tumoroids, providing insights into how tumor shape predicts cancer cell behavior and aggressiveness.
Researchers use machine learning to analyze optimal bike lane placement in Toronto, balancing accessibility for all with overall efficiency. Key findings include a trade-off between equity and utility, with essential routes like Bloor West's bike lanes serving neighbourhoods far from their endpoints.
A new study suggests that large-scale adoption of electric vehicles can lead to significant population-level health benefits. The research team used computer simulations to show that aggressive electrification of the US vehicle fleet, coupled with an ambitious rollout of renewable electricity generation, could result in health benefits...
Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a new catalyst that efficiently converts captured carbon into valuable products in the presence of contaminants like SO2. The discovery is an important step toward more economically favorable techniques for carbon capture and storage.
Researchers have designed a new way to recycle steel using an electrochemical pathway that removes contaminants like copper, reducing carbon emissions. The process generates liquid iron and sulfur as by-products and has potential for higher-grade product creation.
Researchers developed an AI model to optimize the macronutrient content of pooled human donor milk recipes, decreasing production time by 60%. The model improved protein and fat levels in milk bank products without compromising bacterial safety, benefiting preterm and sick babies.
Researchers found that smaller subsets of data can be just as effective in training AI models, reducing the need for massive computing power. The study suggests that information richness is more important than dataset size.
Researchers from University of Toronto Engineering, Dalhousie University, Iowa State University, and Peking University have successfully controlled the motion of dislocation in a single-crystalline zinc sulfide using an external electric field. This discovery has significant implications for improving the properties and manufacturing p...
Researchers at University of Toronto Engineering have developed a sustainable solution to remove phosphate and ammonium from wastewater by utilizing advanced membranes incorporating inorganic particles. This method recovers these nutrients for future use, providing a new source of materials for agricultural fertilizers and helping addr...
Researchers from University of Toronto Engineering demonstrate that bending silicone rubber medical devices can form 'microcracks' perfect for colonizing bacteria. Bacteria prefer to attach in these microscopic cracks, leading to the formation of potentially harmful biofilms.
A multilayered fluidic system inspired by squid skin can optimize the wavelength, intensity, and dispersion of light reaching building interiors. This could lead to significant savings on heating, cooling, and lighting energy costs, with annual reductions of up to 50%.
Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a two-layer coating made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) brushes that significantly reduces microfibre shedding from synthetic fabrics. The coating, which can reduce pollution by more than 90%, is environmentally friendly and has been shown to work on various surfaces including gla...
A team of researchers from the University of Toronto and Northwestern University has developed an all-perovskite tandem solar cell with extremely high efficiency and record-setting voltage. The prototype device demonstrates the potential of this emerging technology to overcome key limits associated with traditional silicon solar cells.
Researchers at University of Toronto Engineering use supercritical carbon dioxide to recover lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. The process matches conventional extraction efficiency while using fewer chemicals and generating less secondary waste.
A new 'optofluidic' system designed at the University of Toronto Engineering can enable buildings to save energy by dynamically changing the appearance of their exteriors. The system uses carefully controlled fluid injections to create a dynamic shading system, reducing the need for heating, cooling and lighting systems.
University of Toronto researchers develop a lab-grown model of the human left heart ventricle made with living heart cells. The bioartificial tissue construct beats strongly enough to pump fluid inside a bioreactor and offers new possibilities for studying heart diseases and testing potential therapies. Future work aims to increase the...
Researchers created a computer model that simulates the way slime moulds construct their network, finding networks with improved travel time or resilience to disruption. The models were validated using three key metrics and showed good correlation with actual slime mould results.
Researchers discovered a graphene-like material called magnetene that exhibits ultra-low friction, contrary to predictions based on Van der Waals forces. Quantum effects play a crucial role in its behavior, making it suitable for use in micro-electro-mechanical systems and implantable devices.
Professor Willy Wong has discovered a mathematical relationship in the sensory adaptation response curve that is true for all sensory modalities and all organisms. This finding, supported by 250 measurements of adaptation from different branches of sensory physiology, presents a single, simple equation that holds across all species.
Researchers at University of Toronto develop polymer coating that enables low surface tension liquids to be transported over distances up to 15 times longer than currently possible. This technology has important implications for microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip devices and point-of-care diagnostics.
Researchers at University of Toronto have developed a new metamaterial that can channel light to enable more wireless data transmission over a single frequency, potentially doubling the capacity of existing networks. The 'full-duplex' intelligent metasurface has the potential to revolutionize wireless communication.
A new study from the University of Toronto suggests that social robots could be more persuasive if they project less authority. The research found that people are more likely to accept advice or instructions from a robot when it is presented as a peer helper rather than an authoritative figure.
Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a new electrochemical system that converts more than 50% of CO2 into valuable products. The system runs under acidic conditions, which reduces undesired side reactions and enhances efficiency, making it an economically viable solution for carbon capture and utilization.
Researchers at University of Toronto have developed an electrochemical method to convert captured carbon into commercially valuable products, such as fuels and plastics. The new process significantly lowers the overall energy cost of combined capture and upgrade, making it more economically attractive.
A University of Toronto study found that drivers can become over-reliant on automated vehicle displays, leading to decreased monitoring of the road. In contrast, an in-vehicle display system providing information on surrounding traffic showed promise in ensuring driving safety by keeping drivers engaged and attentive.
A new study published in Nature Climate Change estimates that meeting UN climate targets would require up to 90% of US passenger vehicles to be electric by 2050. The researchers found that a fleet of 350 million EVs would increase electricity demand by 41%, posing significant technological and infrastructure challenges.
Researchers at University of Toronto Engineering and University of Michigan have modified an enzyme from bacteria to promote regrowth of nerve tissue following injury. The new version is more stable than the natural enzyme, which could lead to new treatments for reversing nerve damage.
A team at University of Toronto Engineering has developed a method to inject healthy cells into damaged eyes, showing promise for treating forms of vision loss. Co-injection of retinal pigmented epithelium and photoreceptor cells improved vision acuity in mouse model, with restored activity in dark chambers.
University of Toronto researchers found a dose threshold that greatly increases nanoparticle delivery into tumors, improving treatment outcomes and reducing side effects.
Researchers developed a microfluidic device to study breast cancer cells' invasion process, identifying 244 different genes that enable invasive cells. The tool mimics human tissue environments, offering new avenues for biomarkers and targeted therapies.