91亚色 is poised to welcome 11 doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers through the first wave of the federal (CIRTA) initiative, reflecting the University鈥檚 strong research excellence and ability to attract top international research talent.

In total the CIRTA are worth $1.4 million in funding 鈥� $40,000 per year for three years for seven doctoral students and $70,000 for two years for four postdoctoral researchers at 91亚色 鈥� to address critical national and global challenges in some of Canada鈥檚 priority areas. Altogether, the CIRTA will go towards funding 600 doctoral students and 400 postdoctoral researchers at universities across Canada.

"We are thrilled to welcome these 11 exceptional doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers to 91亚色. They will bring an array of international experiences and perspectives to their work alongside some of our most accomplished faculty, researchers whose expertise spans multiple disciplines, methodologies, and questions. It is the strength of these mentors and the vibrancy of our research community that draws top talent from around the world to 91亚色,鈥� says Lisa Philipps, 91亚色 interim president and vice-chancellor.

The recently CIRTA results are part of the a $1.7 billion strategy to strengthen the country鈥檚 position as a go-to-place for the world鈥檚 top scientists and innovators. They are jointly administered by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

91亚色 received a large number of highly qualified candidates for the positions, which will receive funding from all three funding agencies. In addition, two of the four postdoctoral researchers are coming from the social sciences and humanities.

鈥淲e are equally grateful to the Government of Canada and to CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC, whose Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards make these opportunities possible. This kind of bold public investment in emerging academic talent is exactly what strengthens our research culture and allows ambitious ideas to take root. Together, the vision of our funders and the dedication of our scholars and supervisors will help tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time, from removing forever chemicals from our water to strengthening our preparedness against emerging diseases. I could not be prouder of what this community will achieve,鈥� says Philipps.

The CIRTA research awards target specific high priority research needs identified by the federal government across disciplines.

At 91亚色 the doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers and their supervisors will embark on a vast array of research, including a climate-sensitive disease early-warning system, advanced functional materials for low-energy carbon capture, AI forecasting tools to improve outbreak prediction and public-health decision-making, methods to remove forever chemical contamination from wastewater sludge, and a better understanding of new drivers of aging and development of new personalized therapies to improve health span.

鈥淩esearch thrives when talented people are given the opportunity, support and freedom to pursue ambitious ideas. These scholars are asking important questions and bringing fresh perspectives to issues that matter deeply to society. Their arrival enriches our academic community, and we look forward to the contributions they will make during their time at 91亚色 and throughout their careers,鈥� says Alice MacLachlan, vice-provost and dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at 91亚色.

The following 91亚色 faculty members welcome doctoral students funded by the program:

Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Global Health and Humanitarianism Godfred Boateng, School of Global Health, Faculty of Health (supported by SSHRC)

Boateng鈥檚 research interests lie in resource insecurity, health and sustainable livelihoods; environmental pollution, climate change and health effects; the socio-ecological determinants of cardiometabolic conditions in aging adults; health equity and health systems research; and implementation and scale-up science in low- and middle-income countries. The research of his doctoral student will focus on the development a climate-sensitive disease early-warning system for informal settlements in Accra, using satellite data, health records, and machine learning to predict emerging disease hotspots. By co-designing tools with local health workers and communities, the project aims to enable earlier public-health interventions and create a scalable model for climate-health resilience in rapidly urbanizing cities.

Associate Professor , Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Freire-Gormaly鈥檚 research focuses on the development of stand-alone solar powered reverse osmosis water treatment systems and energy recovery systems for remote communities that lack access to grid electricity. She also is interested in machine learning applications for smart design of innovative energy and water systems. The research of her doctoral student will foster the development advanced functional materials for low-energy carbon capture and drinking water treatment, with a focus on modular, affordable systems that can operate in remote and resource-constrained settings. By combining materials innovation, computational modelling, and life-cycle assessment, the project aims to deliver scalable clean technologies that support climate mitigation, water security, and community resilience.

Associate Professor , Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Ghafar-Zadeh鈥檚 research focuses on microelectronic and biosensing technologies for clinical diagnostics and environmental monitoring to address critical challenges in health care, environmental monitoring and scientific research through his Biologically Inspired Sensor and Actuator Laboratory. The research with the doctoral student will develop a new version of DePerio, an AI-powered saliva screening tool that uses deep learning to detect oral neutrophils as biomarkers of periodontal disease and potential neurological disorders, enabling earlier, non-invasive diagnosis. Building on proof-of-concept results achieving 88 per cent precision and 94.7 per cent mAP, the project aims to validate a clinically deployable system that links oral inflammation to disease progression and improves preventive care for both oral and brain health.

Associate Professor , Department of Social Science, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (supported by SSHRC)

Hamraie鈥檚 doctoral student will be part of 91亚色鈥檚 Science and Technology Studies graduate program. His research will address the tensions between approaches to accessibility based in mass standardization and those that are rooted in disability activism. In particular, he is interested in how disability activists and technologists have shared information, theories and concepts, and how accessible computing, in particular, has influenced architectural practice. As a graduate student, he will also continue to work in Hamraie鈥檚 , a collective of disabled artists, designers and researchers who approach accessibility through disability cultural frameworks. 

Professor , Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Hu鈥檚 research focuses on developing scalable and interpretable AI approaches for forest characterization, carbon estimation, biodiversity assessment and environmental monitoring using multi-source remote sensing data. Her doctoral student鈥檚 research will develop multimodal AI techniques that combine LiDAR, multispectral imagery and forest inventory data to identify individual tree species in Ontario鈥檚 mixed and transitional forests. By enabling scalable species-level forest monitoring, the project will improve biodiversity assessment, forest carbon quantification, and evidence-based forest management to support nature-based climate solutions in Canada.

Professor and 91亚色 Research Chair in Mechanisms of Cardiometabolic Disease Gary Sweeney, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science (supported by CHIR)

Sweeney鈥檚 doctoral student鈥檚 research will build on evidence that high adiponectin levels are linked to exceptional longevity and protection against age-related diseases, while low levels are associated with poorer health outcomes. It proposes combining adiponectin biology with extracellular vesicle science to identify new drivers of aging and develop personalized therapies to improve health span in individuals with low adiponectin.

Associate Professor , Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Tabassum鈥檚 research focuses on developing trustworthy AI for wireless sensing, localization, spectrum intelligence, and next-generation communications. Her work combines optimization, machine learning, large language models, and multimodal AI to advance intelligent resource management, integrated sensing and communications, wireless forecasting, and energy-efficient 5G/6G networks, with applications in digital health, smart infrastructure, and connected and autonomous systems. The research of her doctoral student will develop multimodal AI techniques for wireless localization and spectrum intelligence by combining radio-frequency measurements with complementary sensing modalities to enable accurate positioning and automated understanding of complex wireless environments. By integrating trustworthy AI, deep learning, and large language models, the project aims to improve spectrum awareness, network intelligence, and wireless resilience, supporting the deployment of next generation 5G/6G systems for smart infrastructure, public safety, and autonomous applications.

The following faculty members will welcome postdoctoral researchers funded by the program:

Professor and James and Joanne Love Chair in Environmental Engineering and Director of the One WATER Institute , Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Brar is a globally recognized researcher with expertise in value-added waste processing through the development of bioproducts from wastewaters and sludge using fermentation technologies and the removal of emerging contaminants, such as microplastics and pharmaceuticals. She also works on innovative treatment technologies for environmental remediation. The postdoctoral researcher鈥檚 work will address the wastewater sludge contamination of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of 4,700 man-made 鈥渇orever chemicals鈥� found in non-stick cookware, cosmetics and waterproof textiles, and everywhere from groundwater to human blood. Current wastewater treatment plants were not designed to primarily remove PFAS, however, if they are not properly treated prior to discharge, it can lead to contamination of soil and groundwater. Conventional PFAS removal methods like sludge pyrolysis, incineration, electrochemical oxidation are energy and cost intensive and cannot be easily integrated into existing plants. Through their research, Brar and her postdoctoral researcher will develop a circular-economy pretreatment approach using ultrasonication and biochar to reduce 鈥渇orever chemicals鈥� while enhancing biogas production. Through lab and pilot-scale testing on anaerobic digester sludge, the research aims to optimize conditions for PFAS removal in a way that is compatible with existing treatment infrastructure.

Associate Professor , Department of Sociology, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (supported by SSHRC)

Jean-Pierre鈥檚 research in the sociology of education, sociology of race and ethnicity, youth studies, and research methodology. She focuses on school and postsecondary trajectories, policies and interventions, and qualitative research. The research of her postdoctoral researcher will redefine democracy as every day, community-based practice by examining how Black women in Brazil, Argentina, and Canada build collective infrastructures of care, mutual aid, and political organizing amid systemic exclusion and democratic crisis. Through comparative ethnography, it shows how these grassroots practices sustain and reimagine democratic life beyond formal state institutions, challenging dominant models shaped by anti-Blackness and inequality.

Professor and Scientific Director of the Artificial Intelligence for Public Health Advancement Seyed Moghadas, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science (supported by NSERC)

Moghadas鈥檚 research involves advanced theoretical and computational methods for modelling and analysis of infectious disease dynamics, evaluating public health interventions and policies, and health economics of healthcare programs. The postdoctoral researcher will develop transparent, uncertainty-aware AI forecasting tools that combine machine learning with mechanistic disease-transmission models to improve outbreak prediction and public-health decision-making. By integrating diverse data sources and explicitly quantifying uncertainty, the project aims to strengthen preparedness, resource allocation, and health system resilience against emerging infectious disease threats.

Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Social Reasoning , Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (supported by SSHRC)

Rini is an internationally recognized expert in the philosophical disciplines of ethics and epistemology. In ethics, she specifically examines structural injustice and the complexities of moral disagreement, while in epistemology, she has studied the effects of online misinformation on public debate and the erosion of digital recording as a regulator of testimony. Rini will supervise a postdoctoral researcher examining how testimonial narratives in the Colombian and Canadian truth commissions contribute to reparative justice by helping survivors reclaim agency, foster collective understanding and rebuild social trust after systemic violence. Through a comparative philosophical analysis, the project develops a framework for understanding narrative as a tool for epistemic repair and reconciliation while exploring its limitations in addressing ongoing structural inequalities. The research will look at the following three questions: The guiding questions are: What is the relationship between testimonial narrative and reparative justice; How does narrative support individual healing, collective recognition and the rebuilding of social trust; and What tensions arise between individualized testimonies and structural accounts of systemic injustice?

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TORONTO, June 18, 2026鈥�鈥�鈥�Despite growing competition, 91亚色 has climbed 11 spots in the  released today.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

It is the highest ranking the University has scored in more than a decade, showing its increasing leadership in academic and employment measures. Jumps in research measures included academic reputation, international research networks and citations per faculty member. 

91亚色 scored 6th place across the country for employability of it graduates and nurturing future leaders for two consecutive years. Employers are noticing 91亚色鈥檚 talented and motivated students through the University鈥檚 growing offerings for co-ops, internships, placements and more. Two years after graduation, close to 90 per cent of graduates are employed. 

"These results are a testament to the talent and drive of our students and the creativity and dedication of our faculty, post-doctoral scholars and professional staff. Climbing 11 spots to our highest ranking in more than a decade reflects the exciting momentum building across 91亚色,鈥� says Interim 91亚色 President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps. 鈥淲ith our leadership in transdisciplinary research and innovation, and growing partnerships with industry and community partners locally and globally, this is a university on the rise 鈥� and we are just getting started.鈥� 

Across Canada 91亚色 held onto its number 14 position for a second consecutive year. 

These rankings reflect the positive momentum and growth 91亚色 is experiencing with major collaborative research initiatives, global partnerships, a dynamic innovation ecosystem, and new program offerings across disciplines, including preparations for opening its new School of Medicine in 2028 (subject to accreditation).  

It also shows the University鈥檚 expanding research capacity as it attracts additional highly talented faculty, post-doctoral scholars and students from diverse backgrounds. The University鈥檚 leadership in transdisciplinary research in areas of pressing need, such as socially responsible development of artificial intelligence solutions through its Connected Minds initiative, is also having a positive impact.   

Although an additional 400 institutions were evaluated this year and 1,504 were ranked, 91亚色 moved up to 322 in the world from 333 last year. 

In other rankings鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

This is not the first good news from QS the University has received this year. 

91亚色 also landed six鈥痵ubjects in the top 100鈥痝lobally in the QS University Rankings by Subject, the most ever, reflecting its growing academic and employer reputation.聽In addition to its top 100 Subject rankings in English, History, Performing Arts, Psychology, Social Policy & Administration, and Sociology, 91亚色 had 12聽additional聽subjects recognized among the top 300 in the world.聽As a leader in sustainability, 91亚色聽placed in the top six per cent of universities internationally and in the top three per cent across Canada in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026.聽聽

91亚色 was also placed in the top five among comprehensive universities in Canada in the Maclean鈥檚 national rankings, landing fourth for reputation and third for student scholarships and bursaries.  

The University placed in the top five among comprehensive universities in the 2025 Research Infosource Canada鈥檚 Top 50 Research Universities and took the top spot out of 13 comprehensive universities nationally in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) publications category.  

91亚色 was nationally recognized for the 14th consecutive time as one of Canada鈥檚 Greenest Employers and as one of Canada鈥檚 Best Diversity Employers for the third year in a row. 

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At this point, Avian flu H5N1 is thought to have very limited ability to transmit between humans, but a recent case in British Columbia with an unknown source of transmission has piqued the curiosity and concern of scientists, including 91亚色 Professor Seyed Moghadas.

Did this lone case come about through transmission from an animal or another person, and if it was via human transmission, what methods will control its spread in the human population? Director of 91亚色鈥檚 Agent-Based Modelling Laboratory in the Centre of Excellence in AI for Public Health Advancement, Moghadas and a group of researchers used modelling to understand the best spread control measures should human-to-human transmission become possible.

鈥淭he idea was, let's evaluate some of the interventions that we usually implement at the very earliest stage of a disease outbreak or emerging disease, which we know very little about,鈥� he says.

For the research, ",鈥� published today in Nature Health, various scenarios from isolation to vaccination before or after a spillover event were modelled. It is one of only a few studies that have explicitly modelled outbreak dynamics following spillover into humans or the effectiveness of public health interventions in early and highly uncertain phases of virus development.

As a professor of computational epidemiology and vaccine science in 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Science, Moghadas and his colleagues were already collecting data on H5N1 cases in the United States when the Canadian case arose. Given the unknown nature of transmission, the team decided to pivot their work to look at what was happening in B.C.

鈥淭he case in B.C. was of particular interest for us because no definitive source of exposure was identified, including no direct contact with infected animals or known high-risk settings such as poultry farms,鈥� says Moghadas. 鈥淏ecause of that, it came to our attention that maybe there is some sort of transmission going on between humans.鈥�

As far as health and science experts know, H5N1 can only be transmitted among poultry and dairy cattle on farms, as well as through wild birds, and from these animals to humans, but sustained human-to-human transmission has not been established. The person from B.C., however, had no clearly identified exposure and even though human infection from animals is rare, avian influenza H5N1 is considered highly pathogenic and a potentially serious and evolving threat to global public health.

鈥淭his virus was first identified in 1997 in Southeast Asia. This kind of zoonotic virus essentially jumps from the bird or animal side to human side sometimes, mostly it circulates among wild birds,鈥� says Moghadas. 鈥淭here is no confirmation that human-to-human transmission happens as yet in North America.鈥�

The virus has only been in North America since 2022, but surveillance monitoring for it began in 2003 and up until recently there have been close to 1,000 cases reported globally in humans and just under 500 deaths, although the number of cases could be higher because not all cases are likely reported or symptomatic. The virus has not only expanded its geographical range, but also the animal species it can infect.

鈥淓volution of influenza viruses of any type is always a challenge for humans. The flu virus is one of the very rapid mutating pathogens,鈥� he says. The concern is it will mutate to be able to transmit between humans. How viable is it? How easily can it spillover from animals to humans, and how long could the potential chain of transmission from human-to-human become? These are still open questions.

鈥淨uantifying that risk was important for us because that could also give us direction in terms of how bad the disease could be and what strategies will work to contain it,鈥� says Moghadas. 鈥淲e have very few measures in place or a strategy to deal with it at this point, given that the transmission between humans is not established.鈥�

As it is an avian flu virus, it will likely require two doses of a similar vaccine to what was used during the H1N1 pandemic to reduce the risk and severity which often triggers a higher viral load.

The researchers used Abbottsford, B.C. as the location as it is a highly dense poultry farming area. The starting point is after a spillover has happened. 鈥淚f a human became infected, how do we block this single individual to trigger a large outbreak? Or if the infection is going on between humans, can we block these chains and to what degree we can block them?鈥� asks Moghadas. 鈥淲hat is the effectiveness of either self-isolation of symptomatic cases or vaccination of farmers or vaccination of farmers and their household members?鈥�

Even with mitigation measures, someone in the farmer鈥檚 family could potentially be infected by the farmer and then transmit it to someone in the community.

The team evaluated two different types of vaccination strategies. One was reactive, which means that you trigger a vaccination program after a case has been identified somewhere. The second strategy was pre-emptive 鈥� individuals, such as farmers, are vaccinated before any case is identified.

What they found is that reactive vaccination has very limited additional benefits outside of self-isolation, but pre-emptive vaccination adds substantial additional benefits on top of self-isolation.

Should the virus be confirmed to be capable of human-to-human transmission, Moghadas says they want to limit the chain of transmission and minimize the risk of evolution of the virus to become more adapted to human conditions. For now, he says, when cases are identified, the person should self isolate immediately. For the authorized vaccine, it should be meted out quickly to target populations, but that could take several weeks to have population level effectiveness.

鈥淭imely action is a critical part of controlling the spread. Self-isolation of symptomatic cases has a significant effect, but that comes with the caveat that we don't know if everybody who is infected will develop symptoms,鈥� says Moghadas. 鈥淭here could be potential asymptomatic cases we don't identify and by the time we do identify them, they've been already infecting others in the chain of transmission. This case in B.C. was particularly concerning because they could not find the source of infection.鈥�

The concern is not only that the virus might be able to jump from animals to humans, but also the potential for it to mutate during early human transmission chains making it more adaptable to infecting humans. This underscores the risk of local outbreaks with global implications, he says.

鈥淢y research is all about evidence generation for governments, health-care providers and policymakers in public health organizations. We are generating evidence that can be used to at the very least limit the potential for this virus to become another pandemic,鈥� says Moghadas.

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Researchers say findings point to the need to recruit beyond universities when doing cross-cultural investigations聽

TORONTO, March. 26, 2026 鈥� A new study in Nature Communications聽finds that world-wide, people with higher levels of education are more culturally similar to those in Canada, the U.S. U.K. and other Anglo, industrialized countries and countries in Western Europe.

Lead author and 91亚色 Faculty of Health Assistant Professor says the study shows that solely recruiting from university students and educated people when doing cross-cultural comparisons will not fully capture the cultural variability we see in the world.

鈥淓ducation doesn鈥檛 just teach skills or facts, to a certain extent it also shapes how people think about the world, so the findings make sense,鈥� says White, in the Department of Psychology. 鈥淲hile Western countries continue to be over-represented in research in general, our study suggests that even where participants are recruited from non-Western countries, cultural bias may continue to persist.鈥�

Analyzing data from nearly 270,000 people across 95 countries captured in the World Values Survey, the study shows that higher education is strongly associated with cultural values typical of so-called 鈥淲EIRD鈥� societies (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic). For example, Russians with lower education levels were very culturally distant from American values, but Russians with a university degree were much more culturally similar to the U.S.

Contrary to modernization theories, when analyzing income and social status, the researchers did not find the same association.

White paired up with London School of Economics and New 91亚色 Professor Michael Muthukrishna for the study. They found that in 70 per cent of the countries they looked at, highly-educated people were significantly closer to the United States than people with low education in those countries. However, the researchers say the pattern reflects a broader alignment with Western cultural norms, including individualism and an emphasis on personal freedom, analytical thinking, lower conformity to social norms, and a greater generalized trust, not just American values specifically.

Muthukrishna explained, 鈥淪chooling is one of the most powerful systems of cultural transmission ever invented. Education doesn鈥檛 just change what you know, but how you think and what you value. What our results reveal is that school systems around the world still carry the fingerprints of their Western origins. That means if you鈥檙e a researcher recruiting university students in Nairobi or S茫o Paulo and comparing them to university students in New 91亚色, Toronto or London, you may be dramatically underestimating how different those cultures actually are.鈥�

White emphasizes that the findings in no way suggest that highly-educated people in non-Western countries are culturally the same as those in the West.

鈥淲e're not saying that being highly educated makes everyone the same, there's still a lot of diversity within highly educated groups around the world. It's just that the diversity has shifted in the direction of being more Western,鈥� says White, who recently also published a paper with a University of California researcher looking at . 鈥淲e are saying that you do need to look at education, in addition to things like nationality, ethnicity and religion, when considering why someone thinks the way they do.鈥�

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91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for meaningful life and career paths. 91亚色's Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campus in Costa Rica offers students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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A new study out of 91亚色 shows autistic individuals more likely to use both hands

TORONTO, Jan. 19, 2026 鈥� Most people take for granted which hand they use to reach for a cup of coffee or a puzzle piece. However, a new study out of 91亚色 suggests that for autistic individuals, which hand they use for various tasks is highly variable, which points to profound differences in the brain.

The research, published today in the journal Autism Research, found that even autistic adults who are right-handed demonstrate a reduced specialization of hand use and more distinctive movement patterns when compared to non-autistic peers.

鈥淗andedness is one of the most visible markers of how our brain's left and right hemispheres specialize for different tasks,鈥� says 91亚色 Associate Professor , who conducted the study with lead author and Master鈥檚 student Emily Fewster. 鈥淚n the neurotypical population, about 90 per cent of people show a strong right-hand dominance, reflecting the left hemisphere鈥檚 specialization for fine motor skills. Our study shows that in autism, this specialization is less pronounced, leading to a unique and highly individualized motor signature.鈥�

The LEGO Building Task

To observe these behaviours in a real-world context, researchers asked 54 right-handed adults, half with an autism diagnosis, to recreate complex LEGO models. Unlike traditional questionnaires that ask which hand someone uses to write, this naturalistic task allowed researchers to track thousands of dynamic movements in 3D space.

By analyzing how people actually move during the LEGO building task, researchers found that the right-handedness of autistic participants鈥� function quite differently than that of the non-autistic participants. Despite both groups identifying as right-handed, the autistic participants used their right hand much less often for grasping and did not show the typical dominant preference for using their right hand when reaching across their body.

The autistic participants also tended to shrink their workspace by focusing on blocks placed closer to them, suggesting a more cautious or individualized strategy for managing the space around them. In addition, their movements followed highly unique, idiosyncratic paths. While non-autistic participants tended to follow a similar sequence of actions, each autistic participant moved in a distinct, more variable way.

Together, these findings suggest that the autistic brain organizes movement in a less specialized, more variable manner than previously understood.

Implications for Earlier Identification

While the study focuses on brain organization, these "motor signatures" have significant clinical potential. Because motor skills often emerge in infancy, long before the complex communication skills typically used to diagnose autism, identifying these subtle motor differences could open a window for much earlier support.

鈥淪tandard questionnaires often miss these nuances because they don鈥檛 capture the dynamic nature of real-life movement,鈥� says Freud. 鈥淏y looking at how people actually move in a natural setting, we can identify objective markers that might eventually help us provide more tailored support strategies much earlier in development.鈥�

The researchers suggest that this "noisy" or variable motor processing supports the theory that autism involves broader, less specialized neural representations across the brain.

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91亚色 placed in the top five for comprehensive universities in the 2025 Research Infosource Canada鈥檚 Top 50 Research Universities.

91亚色 also ranked number one out of 13 comprehensive universities nationally in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) publications category within the ranking鈥檚 Spotlight on University Publication Performance 2019 to 2023 section and number two for SSH publications as a percentage of total publications.

鈥淭hese rankings highlight not only the vital and expanding contributions 91亚色 researchers are making across the social sciences and humanities, but also the profound and growing impact of our work in engineering, the natural sciences and the health sciences,鈥� says Amir Asif, vice-president, research and innovation. 鈥淲ith our new School of Medicine set to open in 2028, we are poised for an exciting new era where our research across all fields will surge even further, shaping discoveries, informing solutions and driving lasting, global change.鈥�

In addition, the University placed in the top five for health sciences and cross-sector AI collaboration publications in the comprehensive tier.

For university research partnerships, 91亚色 was number one in the comprehensive tier with a 70 per cent increase in funding over the 2023 to 2024 period in the International Government Research Income Growth category.

91亚色鈥檚 research income remained stable at about $120 million, but it jumped one spot to place 21 overall in the research income category among Canadian universities.

Research Infosource Inc., a research, consulting and publishing firm, is billed as a source of research and development intelligence for all of Canada. Annually, it also ranks the nation鈥檚 research universities.

In the latest聽,聽91亚色 placed in the top five as one of the best comprehensive universities in Canada. The University has for years consistently ranked in the top five.

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New findings reveal how sensory expectations help the brain prepare for disturbances, enabling seamless movement in complex environments

A groundbreaking study led by Jonathan Michaels, a Faculty of Health professor at 91亚色鈥檚 School of Kinesiology and Health Science, reveals how the brains of humans and monkeys use sensory expectations to prepare for unexpected disturbances, enabling faster and more accurate motor responses.

, the study demonstrates that motor circuits across the brain do not passively wait for sensory signals. Instead, they proactively anticipate potential challenges, configuring themselves to respond effectively to disturbances. The research represents a significant leap forward in uncovering the brain鈥檚 predictive capabilities and its role in motor control.

This advancement provides a clearer picture of the neural mechanisms underlying movement preparation and response, illustrating how expectation itself enhances precision and stability. The discovery opens new pathways for improving rehabilitation techniques and advancing brain-computer interface technology.

鈥淲hen we move through the world, our brains don鈥檛 just plan our own actions 鈥� they also prepare for surprises,鈥� says Michaels. Imagine yourself standing at the entrance to a packed live music venue. You check your ticket and plan the most direct route to your seat. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e planning where you鈥檙e going, but things might also happen in the environment,鈥� explains Michaels. 鈥淭here are people walking everywhere. You鈥檙e constantly trying to anticipate who might bump into you.鈥�

As you step into the bustling crowd, your brain begins processing visual cues 鈥� excited concertgoers, empty cups strewn about and other obstacles in your way. Without conscious effort, your brain anticipates potential disturbances and prepares to respond. When a person walks into you, your brain quickly adjusts your muscle activity to keep you on track. This seamless ability to predict and adapt to unexpected challenges reflects the findings of Michaels鈥� recent research.

Predicting the unpredictable: inside the brain鈥檚 response system

The team of researchers from Western University conducted experiments using a Kinarm robotic exoskeleton device that applied mechanical perturbations to participants鈥� arms. By providing visual cues about the likelihood of disturbances, the researchers observed that both humans and monkeys adjusted their movements based on these probabilities. When the disturbance matched the brain鈥檚 prediction, participants鈥� muscles responded more efficiently, showcasing the brain鈥檚 ability to use sensory expectations to optimize motor control.

To uncover the neural mechanisms behind this phenomenon, the team recorded activity from thousands of neurons in monkeys performing the tasks. The data revealed that motor circuits represent sensory expectations as simple patterns of neural activity, directly reflecting the likelihood of each possible event. These findings were further validated through computer models of the arm, which developed similar predictive strategies when trained under comparable conditions.

Conducted while Michaels was a Banting Fellow in the lab of Andrew Pruszynski, a Canada Research Chair in sensorimotor neuroscience and Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry professor, the research benefited from cutting-edge Neuropixels technology, which enabled the simultaneous recording of hundreds of neurons, providing unprecedented insights into the brain鈥檚 motor circuits. The study was strengthened by collaboration with leading experts at Western, including the other members of Western鈥檚 Sensorimotor Superlab, J枚rn Diedrichsen, Western Research Chair for motor control & computational neuroscience, and psychology professor Paul Gribble.

The implications of this research are far-reaching. By understanding how the brain uses sensory expectations to prepare for disturbances, scientists can develop innovative approaches to stroke and injury rehabilitation, helping patients regain motor function more effectively. The findings could also inform the development of brain-computer interfaces, like those currently being pioneered by Neuralink, Paradromics, Synchron and others based on decades of neuroscience research.

鈥淭his study, which took years of effort, highlights how much we still have to learn about how the brain works 鈥� and it underscores the importance of basic research in making such discoveries,鈥� says Michaels.

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Research found users more likely to combine substances in times of high stress and challenging emotions in order to achieve a greater high

TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2025 鈥� A new longitudinal study led by 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Psychology finds that young adults experiencing periods of high stress, anxiety and depressed mood more frequently combined binge drinking with cannabis use in order to get more high and drunk, and were also likely to report more adverse life consequences when combining these substances. Lead author , associate professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Health, says that since cannabis use among young adults has increased after Canada legalized the drug, understanding why people combine the drug and outcomes when they do is important.聽

鈥淪tudies suggest that human brains are still developing into their 20s and alcohol and cannabis dependencies are more prevalent in this age group than any other,鈥�  says Wardell, also director of the at 91亚色. 鈥淲hile occasional combined use may not be a cause for concern, the study clearly shows increased risk when combining these substances. Understanding combined use can help young adults mitigate the risk, understand when they might have an issue and seek support to develop healthier coping mechanisms.鈥�

For the paper, published in the journal Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research and funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Wardell and his research team recruited 151 young adults, ages 19 - 25, in Ontario who already used cannabis and alcohol. The participants were asked to complete daily surveys on their cannabis and alcohol use and any negative consequences they experienced as a result on their phones for three 21-day periods spaced 6 months apart. Participants also filled out surveys about their stress, anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as their motives for co-using alcohol and cannabis.

The results showed a clear link between mental health symptoms and motivation to combine alcohol and cannabis use.

鈥淲hen they were feeling depressed or anxious, the participants were motivated to double things up because the thought was that it would make them feel better,鈥� says Wardell. 鈥淭hey also reported that they were combining cannabis with binge drinking more frequently during these times.鈥�

Wardell says that while studies show that over the short term, using substances can give people temporary relief from feelings they are seeking to escape, they can often lead to more adverse outcomes over the long term, both in terms of mental health and negative life consequences.

Other coping mechanisms that can be more helpful include breathing exercises, meditation, physical activity, talking to a friend and seeking out help from a peer-support hotline or medical professional. Wardell says there are a number of questionnaires young adults can access online that can help them determine if their use of a substance might be problematic, with one big clue being a reliance on substances to cope with stress and unwanted feelings.

While young adults are the most likely age group to develop an alcohol or cannabis use disorder, Wardell says it is also the age where early interventions can be helpful.

鈥淲hile they are not immune to effects on the developing brain, they're also at a stage where most of the time these behaviours are just getting started, or the patterns are just getting laid. It's a good time to give people feedback, give them advice, give them the information so they can make changes before their substance use habits become too ingrained.鈥� 

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91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91亚色's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future. 

Media Contact: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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