Biological Sciences - University of Toronto Scarborough

BiologicalSciencesThe Australian redback spider and itsreproductive behaviours are the focus ofresearch by UTSC Biological SciencesProfessor Maydianne Andrade.At a GlanceBiological Sciences at UTSC investigate allaspects of the natural world, from the innerlife of cells to the pathology of human diseaseto the interdependencies of vast ecosystems.We constantly tailor our curriculum to keeppace with new discoveries and technologies.Our overall goal is to help students achievetheir best as they carry on to related careersor further studies in medicine and graduateprograms. In our teaching and research, thecommon thread is a concern for the Earth’sdiverse forms of life, in nearby communitiesor on the other side of the planet.Devoted to DiscoveryCurrent research within the department covers the full spectrum of biologicalinquiry, from the examination of life’s building blocks at the molecular level tostudies illuminating the causes of human disease and threats to vital food sources.With the recent addition of a Physiology specialty, we now have six clusters thatbuild on the unique strengths of UTSC faculty while facilitating the kind of collaborativeefforts that are essential in contemporary scientific research. Across allbiology-related disciplines, our commitment to exemplary scholarship is reflectedin a steady stream of publications in leading national and international journals.Neuroscience remains an area of particular focus, as its various subdisciplinesplay an increasingly important role in advancing medical treatment and care,particularly for North America’s aging population. In the past year a researchcluster focusing on Integrative Behaviour and Neuroscience moved into newlyoutfitted labs in the Science Wing. Led by Professor Maydianne Andrade, whoholds a Canada Research Chair, six principal investigators guide well-funded teamsstudying various functional and evolutionary aspects of animal behaviour. Also in2009, a related cluster at the Centre for the Neurobiology of Stress receivedsignificant additional funding (see “Stress on the Brain,” page 25).DisciplinesBiochemistryCell and Molecular BiologyEcology and Evolutionary BiologyNeuroscience and BehaviourPhysiologyPlant BiologyMeeting ofMindsIn May 2009 the CanadianSociety of Zoologists held itsannual scientific meeting atUTSC (photo above). Attractingsome 350 delegates from acrossCanada and abroad, the conferencewas the best attended in theorganization’s long history andthe largest event of its kind everhosted on our campus. ProfessorStephen Reid of the BiologicalSciences department plannedand organized the event,working closely with colleaguesacross UTSC. “The vast majorityof delegates had never visitedour campus before,” Reid recalls.“They were extremely impressedby the quality of our facilitiesand services and by the overallenvironment. I think this positiveexperience will provide a modelfor similar events down the road.”22university of toronto scarboroughannual reviewuniversity of toronto scarboroughannual review23

At a GlanceResearch Strengths IncludeBiological Dynamics of Environmental ChangeCells and InfectionIntegrative Behaviour and NeuroscienceNeurobiology of StressPlant Cellular and Molecular ProcessesPhysiologyAt a Glancefaculty & StudentsProfessor Greg Vanlerberghe, Chair4 Canada Research Chairs19 faculty members1,837 undergraduate students64 graduate students (supervised)14 post-doctoral fellowsDimensions of LearningThe Biological Sciences department offers undergraduatespecialist programs in Cell and Molecular Biology, Biodiversity,Ecology and Evolution, Human Biology and IntegrativeBiology, as well as a major and a minor in Biology. In addition,we’ve developed an undergraduate program in Neuroscience inpartnership with the Psychology department. We also offer twojoint programs with Centennial College: career-bound studentsin Paramedicine and Applied Microbiology graduate after fouryears with both college diplomas and university degrees.We add an experiential dimension to undergraduate studiesthrough a variety of avenues. A co-op program in Cell andMolecular Biology enables talented students to explore futurecareer possibilities through placements with pharmaceuticalfirms, research laboratories and government agencies. In 2009 theNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(NSERC) again funded summer jobs for several students, whilemany more were hired directly as assistants by faculty researchers.Undergraduates can also gain experience via work-study programsduring the academic year, and through initiatives such as ScienceEngagement, which invites top UTSC students to share theirpassion for learning in high school classrooms around thecommunity. In addition, the department typically provides afourth-year research project course for about 50 students annually.At the graduate level, our faculty provide on-site supervisionfor more than 50 MSc and PhD students enrolled in tri-campusgraduate programs. The Biological Sciences department excelsin graduate and postdoctoral training, offering high-qualityfacilities, well-funded research programs and the University ofToronto’s acclaimed network of resources and expertise.> FACULTY profileIndependentThinkersWhen lecturer Aarthi Ashok joined the BiologicalSciences department in 2009, she set to workcreating a course on the pathobiology of humandisease. An introduction to current research onviral infections, the course also reflects recentevents. “Students in the GTA have seen thetorment of pathogens such as SARS and H1N1,”says Ashok (pictured below with UTSC students),“so it’s important for them to understand themolecular details of these infections while alsoappreciating their impact on global public health.I believe it’s critical for biologists to stay abreast ofresearch on emerging human pathogens, so thiscourse will be designed to evolve with the field.”Another key aspect of Ashok’s mandate is tomake fourth-year students’ independent researchprogram a more well-rounded experience. In additionto their lab work, students will now spend timedeveloping written and oral presentation skills;they’ll also discuss issues such as research ethics.“The goal is to supplement undergraduates’research experience with the skills that arerequired of budding scientists,” Ashok explains.“And as they address important research questions,it also expands my own scientific horizons.”degree of InterestPlanning is well under way for a new undergraduateprogram leading to a Biodiversity,Ecology and Evolution Specialist degree – withthe apt acronym BEES. Slated for the fall of 2010,the program develops students’ understanding ofhow ecology and evolution shape the morphology,physiology and behaviour of individual organisms,as well as the nature of entire ecosystems.Challenges such as habitat destruction, biologicalinvasions and climate change will be examinedwithin a global framework. Among those launchingthe program is new faculty member ProfessorMarc Cadotte, an ecologist who studies extinction,invasions and other factors driving diversitychanges in plant communities.The new BEES degree will prepare graduatesfor roles in government, NGOs and consultingfirms, as well as business or law with an environmentalfocus. The program can also lead to graduatestudies – including a Professional Master’sdegree in Conservation and Biodiversity thatour department has proposed to complement theMaster of Environmental Science degree.Recognizing StudentsThe many dedicated students in Biological Sciencesare ably represented by Edward Eng (picturedbelow), winner of the 2009 PhD Graduate StudentResearch Award for his academic achievementsand contributions to campus life. Having earnedBSc and MSc degrees at UTSC, he is completing hisdoctoral research on macrophages – white bloodcells that are crucial to the body’s defense againstinfection. Outside the lab, Eng founded a chapterof the national Let’s Talk Science program,volunteering to promote science in local schoolsand encouraging fellow students to follow suit.Recognized by his professors as a natural teacher,Eng has treasured his 10 years at UTSC: “I feel likeI’m part of a community here, which is why I’ve puta lot of time and energy into different activities.”> Research ShowcaseStress on the BrainThe aging of Canada’s population over the next decade will bringa steady rise in the incidence of heart attacks and strokes, alongwith Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerativediseases. Critical research on the brain’s role in these conditionsgot an important boost this past year when the Centre for theNeurobiology of Stress (CNS) secured additional infrastructuresupport from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. With amatching grant from the Ontario Research Fund, the new fundingtotals more than $4 million.The CNS was founded in 2001 by Professor Ian Brown, amolecular biologist who holds a Canada Research Chair in theneurobiology of stress. The centre is home to a cluster of UTSCresearchers who bridge the molecular, cellular and physiologicalaspects of neuroscience. Virtually all of the new funding will go totechnology that aids in examining the nervous system’s responseto biological stress. The researchers also explore new therapeuticapproaches – often in partnership with Canadian companies – fortreating cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative disorders.Among the beneficiaries is Professor Michelle Aarts (shownbelow with Professor Ian Brown), a cell and systems biologistand Canada Research Chair whose team studies the impact ofstrokes at the level of single neurons. “Our research targets themechanisms of neuronal death following a stroke injury,” explainsAarts. “The underlying causes of cell death and the progressionof the brain lesion are still poorly understood. We hope to gaininsights into which signal pathways influence cell survival.”While Aarts and her colleagues work in a highly technical fieldwith a language all its own, the reality of the afflictions they studyis never far away. “Stroke is a devastating disease with a severeimpact on quality of life for patients and their families. It’s also thethird leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Canada and coststhe healthcare system almost $3 billion annually,” she notes. “Ouraim is to understand how cells communicate, recover from injuryor die, so we can develop the first effective treatments toprotect the brain from damage and speed functional recovery.”24university of toronto scarboroughannual reviewuniversity of toronto scarboroughannual review25