Research & Ideas | U of T Magazine

Can a Test Really Tell Who’s Dangerous?

A U of T study questions the reliability of a psychological assessment that has been widely used in Canadian courtrooms Read More

Collage of three contemporary Indigenous artworks from the University of Toronto’s art collection.

Three Indigenous Artists Who are Challenging the Way We See 

A closer look at works from U of T’s growing collection of contemporary Indigenous art – and the ideas they bring into view Read More

Illustration of a person adjusting a wearable harness with electronic components.

This Wearable Tech Turns Touch into a Language

A DeafBlind mountaineer will put the device to the test on Everest – but its potential reaches far beyond the mountain Read More

Illustration featuring laboratory equipment, a DNA strand, molecules, medicine and a hand holding a coin.

How a New Fund Could Help University Startups Grow

Many promising entrepreneurs stall before their companies succeed. Now, a U of T collaboration aims to help them overcome one of innovation’s biggest hurdles Read More

Abstract landscape with a large dark orb suspended in a red-orange sky above flowing bands of green, gold and violet.

New Clues to How Life on Earth Began

Scientists are closing in on an answer to one of humanity’s oldest questions Read More

Blue-toned conceptual illustration of human silhouettes and circular forms against a textured landscape.

Can We Solve the Mystery of Consciousness?

For almost 150 years, we’ve struggled to explain conscious experience. One U of T philosopher thinks an answer may be within reach Read More

Coloured illustrations show a sleeping person in several sleeping positions.

Sleep Is Essential. So Why Do We Need So Little?

The answer may help explain how humans came to thrive Read More

Illustration of a woman standing beside a shadowy figure with glowing areas across the body, representing the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

How Does Alzheimer’s Begin?

We can detect Alzheimer’s years before symptoms appear. Now, researchers are racing to understand what sets the disease in motion Read More

Students conduct fieldwork in a river surrounded by trees and vegetation.

You Don’t Have to Leave Toronto to Study the Wild

UTM students waded through rivers and trekked through woodlands as they designed their own field studies Read More

Two students in white lab coats conduct an experiment in a biology laboratory.

This Lab Starts with a Cold Plunge

Students put their own bodies to the test in a biology course designed to teach science by doing it Read More

A student writes with a pixelated pencil in a classroom setting, suggesting the role of digital technology in learning.

Building a Better Way to Assess Kids’ Language Skills

While most AI tools are trained on adult language, researcher Eunice Jang has developed a platform that understands how children speak, write and learn Read More

Two young people sit face to face, concentrating as they type on their laptops, suggesting competition.

Every Crime Has a Footprint. The Challenge Is Finding It

A U of T contest asks students to use AI to detect terrorist financing and other serious crimes hidden in financial data Read More

TransCrypts co-founders Ali Zaheer (left) and Zain Zaidi stand in a high-rise office lounge, wearing suits, smiling and looking off-camera.

Never Lose Your Records Again

A U of T startup lets you securely store and share your credentials – without relying on paper documents or waiting for the mail Read More

Three schoolchildren wearing backpacks and summer clothing appear to be running away from the viewer

For a Century, This School Has Put Children First

How U of T’s Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study continues to rethink what education is for Read More

Kiwi Charge founder Abdel Ali crouches beside his company's robotic electric vehicle charger at a startup showcase, with a display screen showing the system in use.

U of T Startups Take the Spotlight at True Blue Expo

Ventures in AI, health, and cleantech showcase what’s being built right now Read More

A robot in a suit adjusts its tie beside a set of scales, suggesting the role of artificial intelligence in the legal system.

Teaching AI to Think Like a Lawyer

A platform created at U of T speeds up legal reasoning without replacing human judgment Read More

Third-year biochemistry student Johar Gilaka concentrates as he prunes leaves from plants in U of T Scarborough's vertical grow wall.

What If Farms Didn’t Need Soil?

A vertical growing system points to a lower-carbon future for food Read More

A colourful collage illustrates areas of innovation, including virtual reality, biotechnology, lab research and data-driven technologies, with scenes of scientists, digital interfaces and global impact.

How U of T is Powering Startup Growth in Canada

A network of entrepreneurship hubs is attracting billions in investment and helping keep Canadian talent at home Read More

A vibrant illustration combines images of digital identity, biotechnology, plant growth and people interacting, suggesting the intersection of health, technology and daily life.

Move Fast and Make Things

How U of T thinkers and founders are improving how we live, learn and build Read More

Medical researcher Daniel Drucker stands beside a couch at home, looking off-camera with a slight smile.

Move Fast and Heal People

How U of T researchers are turning bold ideas into better care – and healthier communities Read More

Participants in a stimming workshop draw looping patterns and interact with pens, markers and large sheets of paper around a table.

Understanding Repetitive Behaviours in Autism

A workshop explores how rhythm and pattern can soothe, express and build connection Read More

Writer Leanne Toshiko Simpson looks off-camera with a soft smile, in front of a bookshelf.

A Comedy About Mental Health? It’s More Than Self-Therapy

Novelist Leanne Toshiko Simpson on why she found comedy to be a powerful tool for talking about mental health Read More

An illustration of two dentists examining large teeth, with one dentist pointing at a blue rectangle between two teeth, suggesting the chewable dental tablet.

A New Way to Protect Your Teeth

A U of T alum’s dental chew aims to tackle one of the world’s most widespread – and overlooked – health problems Read More

A smartphone screen shows a person mediating under a sky with clouds.

Training the Mind, One Breath at a Time

A U of T-developed app takes a game-like approach to meditation, helping users listen to their bodies – and manage stress Read More

U of T Mississauga professor Ghazal Fazli looks slightly upward with a joyful expression.

Better Diabetes Screening – and Faster Access to Care

How U of T researcher Ghazal Fazli is helping identify diabetes earlier – and connecting patients with the follow-up they need Read More

$A splintered collage of wildlife, plants and scientific imagery suggests the impact of hydraulic fracturing on traditional Indigenous food sources.$

Is the Land Still Safe?

Partnering with Treaty 8 First Nations, researcher Élyse Caron-Beaudoin is studying whether industrial contaminants are endangering traditional foods Read More

Cove Neurosciences co-founder Nardin Samuel in a three-quarter portrait, looking toward the camera with a confident, slight smile

AI Gives Doctors a New Way to Track Brain Health

A U of T startup’s platform could help detect Alzheimer’s earlier and monitor concussion recovery Read More

Xatoms founder and U of T student Diana Virgovicova rests her chin on her hand, looking upward in a thoughtful pose.

She Designed a Water-Purifying Molecule at 17

Now a U of T student, Diana Virgovicova is using AI to help tackle global water pollution Read More

A surgical team in an operating room, with connected devices and monitors feeding into a “black box” system that records the procedure for later analysis.

What Really Makes Surgery Safer

By analyzing operating-room “black box” data, researcher Patricia Trbovich is showing that better systems – not just better surgeons – prevent harm Read More

U of T medical researcher Daniel Drucker sits on a couch at home, looking toward the camera with a calm expression.

The Story Behind Ozempic

A scientific detour reshaped how we treat diabetes and obesity Read More

Rotman School of Management professor Ajay Agrawal smiles at the camera against a colourful abstract background.

Canada Needs an AI ‘Moonshot’

Five bold goals to guide how AI could help Canadians in health care, literacy and more Read More

A man stands facing forward with his arms crossed.

Rethinking How Materials Are Made

Alum Michael Helander’s company is using simulation to speed the development of materials for electronics, energy and more Read More

A hand holds a pill marked with a circuit symbol in a lab, as a scientist works at a microscope, evoking tech-driven drug development.

A Better Way to Build Cancer Drugs?

Using artificial intelligence combined with peptide design, a U of T–linked startup takes its first treatment into clinical trials Read More

Graphite drawing of a tea bag falling in the air and a hand with the index finger and thumb curved close together

How to Avoid Ingesting Plastic

Some of us may have a small spoon’s worth of plastic in our bodies. But you can minimize your exposure to this health risk Read More

Models of tiny people around a giant beige toque, with evergreen trees and mountains in the background

Big Country, Big Ideas

Unapologetically bold solutions for a better Canada Read More

Digital illustration of people operating a machine. A person is pushing a garbage bag through one end, and a dollar sign is coming out the other end.

Turn Waste into Wealth

Recycling rare-earth elements and critical minerals could make Canada a global leader in sustainable tech Read More

Models of tiny people, trees and benches in a park setting, with a giant, copper,

Build Homes for Everyone

Canada’s housing crisis is squeezing families at every income level, but U of T experts say solutions are within reach Read More

Illustration depicting an AI prompt field, a student raising their hand, a close-up of an eye, grey rings of circles and three books on philosophy

Teaching in the Age of AI

As machine learning reshapes higher education, U of T is preparing students to become ‘super humans’ Read More

Digital illustration of tiny people looking at a maple leaf with white light shining out of the top. Three tiny people are tipping a giant red maple leaf to cover the top.

Invest in Innovation

U of T experts argue that the country’s economic future depends on turning ideas and resources into high-value industries Read More

Models of tiny people standing and sitting on the tube of a giant stethoscope that is hovering over a field of wheat

Update the Canada Health Act

After four decades, the landmark law still protects universal care – but U of T experts argue it must evolve to face modern pressures Read More

Indigenous singers seated around a drum, singing and drumming

Advance Justice for Indigenous Peoples

A decade after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, U of T experts weigh the gains, the gaps and the next steps Read More

Digital illustration of an interracial couple standing on a wooden bridge suspended between two cliffs made of different rock types

The Science of ‘Us’

A strong sense of togetherness helps mixed-race couples handle unique social stresses, U of T Mississauga scholars find Read More

A red compass pointing north resting on snow in an Arctic setting, with snow-covered mountains in the background

Lead the Way in the Warming North

As melting ice reshapes the Arctic, U of T experts say Canada must act quickly to safeguard sovereignty and seize new opportunities Read More

A two-storey building with light-coloured panelled walls, black-framed windows and a recessed entrance painted in yellow

Designing for the Arctic

In Canada’s northern communities, U of T architect Mason White works with Indigenous partners to create buildings that are resilient, sustainable – and distinctly local Read More

Vandana Maharaj onstage in costume, wearing a white frilly dress and a headpiece that looks like a sandpiper's head

A Winged Revival

U of T Mississauga drama students take on central roles in their final-year performance Read More

Coloured graphite illustration of two people sitting around a table having a discussion, with one person taking notes

The Art of the Ask

Think requesting what you want will ruin the deal? Think again. Read More

Digital illustration of a mobile phone screen showing a selfie image of a woman yawning

Can I Have Your Attention, Please?

A U of T Scarborough psychology professor explores why we’re more distracted than ever Read More

Isaiah Grewal, wearing headphones and typing on a laptop, with Morgan Barense seated next to him, both smiling

When Words Won’t Cooperate

Psychology professor Morgan Barense aims to crack the mystery of non-speaking autism Read More

Illustration of speech bubbles above several people, a few blank, a few with different colour gradients, and a few in the shape of landscapes, such as trees and water

The Hidden Power of Words

How verb tenses, word sounds – even abbreviations – shape perceptions, behaviour and trust in a digital world Read More

A collage of two toddlers playing with building blocks and figurines, and a rectangle filled with words in different languages behind them

The Science of Baby Talk

A U of T Mississauga lab finds that children pick up on a lot more than just words as they learn how to speak Read More

Digital illustration of a speech bubble with red maple leaves and question marks inside. Three people are looking at the speech bubble, with two thinking of answers and one appearing to have the answers.

From ‘Rink Rats’ to ‘Bunny Hugs’

How well do you know Canadian words? Read More

Illustration depicting the flow of water: rain is funnelled to a reservoir, to grow food and to sustain people's brains and hearts, and also to research and to buildings

A Blueprint for Global Prosperity

Researchers across U of T are banding together to help the United Nations meet its 17 sustainable development goals Read More

Illustration of a train coming out of a tunnel and people waiting on the far side of the track. A bus and a golf cart are on a road running parallel to the train tracks.

Can We Learn from Other Cities How to Build Transit Better?

U of T students in a new course team up with community partners in Pune, India, to solve real-world urban problems Read More

Allen Toulouse, wearing rubber boots, stands on the rocky shore of a still lake

In Ontario’s North, An Indigenous Community Digs Into Its History

U of T archaeologists are working with Sagamok Anishnawbek to learn more about thousands of ancient objects discovered along the shore of Lake Huron Read More

Mathew Okwoli in a blue, pin-striped suit, sitting on a wooden block on the left. Mahlodi Letsie in a green strapless gown standing on the right.

Where the World Meets

As much of the globe turns inward, U of T is doubling down on the value of international education Read More

A researcher is pulling a ground-penetrating radar across a cemetery along a marked line. Another researcher is carrying a backpack and operating a monitor.

How Modern Technology Is Helping to Locate Long-Forgotten Graves

U of T Scarborough students are using ground-penetrating radar and lidar to search for unmarked burial sites Read More

A woman has one arm stretched in front of her as she tries out an augmented reality simulation. She is wearing a headset and holding hand devices.

Humans Are Wired to Learn Through Gaming

Educators are using everything from Minecraft to Dungeons and Dragons to enhance education for students of all types Read More

Outdoor photo of Mathew Okwoli in a blue, pin-striped, double-breasted suit

Startups Could Help Solve Some of Africa’s Biggest Health Challenges

African entrepreneurs are working with U of T to build their businesses and – they hope – save lives Read More

John English in a wide-brimmed hat, operating an aerial drone over an open field bordered by trees

Which Plants Work Best to Keep Cities Cool?

U of T Scarborough researchers are using thermal cameras, drones and AI to learn more about how urban parks affect the climate Read More