Yet, according to a by 91亚色 Associate Professor Kevin Lande, one of the mind's most familiar experiences remains a scientific mystery.

In a paper published in Psychological Review, Lande and co-author E.J. Green of Johns Hopkins University ask: "What role does mental imagery play in the mind?" They challenge a growing view that imagery is critical to much of perception and cognition.

Some contemporary theories propose that mental imagery is an ingredient of everything from memory and decision-making to perception. One argument, notes Lande, suggests what people perceive is often shaped by mental imagery.

For example, when part of an object is obscured from view, the brain automatically fills in the missing details 鈥� a process that a growing number of philosophers, psychologists and neuroscientists suggest is a form of mental imagery rather than direct perception.

"If most of our visual experiences involve some amount of 'filling in,' then much of what we seem to see is, in fact, imaged," says Lande.

However, as the concept of mental imagery is expanded to include a wider range of neural processes, Lande says it becomes more challenging to define a theory on mental imagery. The authors argue there is very little that connects ordinary experiences of mental imagery to the processes involved in filling in missing details.

鈥淢any want to say that visual imagery, for example, is just perceptual processing that does not depend directly on the light that hits the eye,鈥� Lande says. 鈥淚f that鈥檚 right, then it turns out that all sorts of things seem to require imagery. But when you look at the scientific research on these different processes, you find that they all function very differently.鈥�

To count 鈥渇illing in" as imagery, Lande says, one must adopt a really thin conception of imagery 鈥� which doesn鈥檛 help with making new predictions and explanations.

The study also draws on recent research on people with aphantasia 鈥� a condition in which people report little or no conscious mental imagery 鈥� which shows they often perform as well as people who experience vivid mental imagery. This evidence, notes Lande, challenges assumptions about the role imagery plays in everyday thinking and cognition.

For example, a person can navigate Toronto by vividly imagining a map in their head. But, they can also move across the city by following habits, remembering directions or using a feeling of familiarity without ever forming a clear mental picture. If this task can be achieved with roughly equal success and speed with or without mental imagery, researchers may struggle to understand the role it plays in cognition.

Lande and Green suggest that imagery is not a critical component of perception, but argue there is a deeper issue: science lacks a clear account of what exactly imagery is.

"As researchers attribute an ever-growing range of mental activities to imagery, the concept risks becoming too broad to explain anything clearly,鈥� says Lande, a philosopher at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. 鈥淚f we define mental imagery so as to encompass a diverse range of experiences and cognitive processes, researchers may find it increasingly difficult to test theories about its role in the mind.

"However, if we try to tie our theory of imagery more close to our familiar conscious experiences, the puzzle of aphantasia suggest that it plays very little role in perception and cognition."

The study highlights the value of interdisciplinary approaches to studying the mind. Drawing on philosophy, psychology and cognitive science, the authors contend that questioning basic assumptions can lead to new insights into how the mind works.

Lande, who is a Connected Minds 91亚色 Research Chair in Philosophy of Representation, says the work is closely aligned with 91亚色鈥檚 Vision: Science to Applications (VISTA) program, and the $318-million Connected Minds research initiative led by 91亚色 and Queen鈥檚 universities which focuses on bridging intelligence, technology and society. He is also affiliated with 91亚色's Centre for Vision Research and the Centre for Integrative and Applied Neuroscience.

The paper concludes that researchers may need to rethink the concept of mental imagery to get a "better picture" of how perception, memory and cognition interact.

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Razieh (Neda) Salahandish, an assistant professor at the , is developing a wearable biosensor that uses sweat to track physiological changes in real time. The tool aims to redefine preventative health care, supporting earlier detection of health conditions.

To do this, the device uses technology that combines microfluidic systems with AI to analyze biomarkers found in sweat 鈥� a body fluid Salahandish says contains valuable information about human health. A small patch collects sweat from the skin, analyzes it for disease biomarkers, and sends results to health care practitioners anytime a patient scans the device with a specific app. 

"We believe sweat has the potential to become an important source of health data," says Salahandish. "Because it contains valuable biological information, our goal is to use that data to provide health insights in a way that is continuous, accessible and non-invasive." 

Unlike traditional diagnostic methods that often require blood samples or laboratory testing, wearable sweat-sensing technology offers a non-invasive approach to monitoring physiological changes as they occur. 

To advance the technology, Salahandish worked with 91亚色's YSpace and the IP Innovation Clinic to launch WearDOXX, a health technology company focused on developing biotechnology and AI-enabled health care devices. Through WearDOXX, Salahandish and her collaborators are working to translate years of research into commercially viable health technologies.聽

The project has attracted support from investors, industry partners and funding agencies as researchers work to bring the technology from the lab to everyday use. In 2025, the initiative received a $300,000 Ontario Centre of Innovation Collaborate 2 Commercialize grant and a $345,000 Mitacs Business Strategy Internship grant. 

The recent $5-million infusion from investors allows the work to move toward clinical validation and support continued technology development, testing and commercialization efforts. 

"The support we've received reflects growing interest in technologies that make health monitoring more accessible and proactive," says Salahandish. "Our focus now is to continue to build the evidence and infrastructure needed to for broader adoption." 

Over the next two years, Salahandish and her team will refine and test the technology, with plans to bring it to market soon after. While no launch date has been set, she is enthusiastic about its potential impact. 

鈥淭his is about giving people control over their health in ways we haven鈥檛 seen before,鈥� she says. 

Salahandish is also earning recognition for her work. She was recently named one of five finalists for the Ontario Centre of Innovation's 2026 Baylis Ontario Life Sciences Innovator Award, with the recipient to be announced in September. She is also the recipient the 2026 Young Woman Researcher in Biomedical Devices award from the Venus International Women Awards. 

With files from Deirdre Kelly

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Announced July 21, SSHRC will provide funding through three of its programs: Insight Development Grants: February 2026 Competition; Partnership Development Grants: 2025 Competition; and Connection Grants: May 2026 Competition.

More than $2.5 million will support 33 91亚色-led Insight Development Grants for early-stage projects and help researchers pursue innovative questions, methods and approaches that can lay the groundwork for larger research programs.

Close to $1 million will support five 91亚色-led Partnership Development Grants, helping researchers build new collaborations with universities, community organizations, governments and industry partners. Knowledge mobilization will also be supported through Connection Grants, with close to $50,000 for a 91亚色 initiative.

The projects cover a wide range of topics, including Indigenous health and decolonization, democratic discourse, climate adaptation, financial vulnerability, labour and social justice, migration, cultural identity and AI.

"These investments in research are investments in our collective future," says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. "These projects empower researchers to test new ideas, forge meaningful partnerships and generate knowledge that addresses complex societal challenges. Together, they are laying the foundations for discoveries and innovations that will create meaningful benefits for communities in Canada and around the world."

The projects reflect 91亚色鈥檚 commitment to community-engaged research, interdisciplinary collaboration and generating knowledge that addresses real-world challenges.

Insight Development Grants

The 33 Insight Development Grants demonstrate the diversity and breadth of emerging research underway across the University. Among the funded projects are those that examine topics such as Indigenous knowledge systems, public health, democratic discourse, AI and financial vulnerability:

• Dayna Scott () 鈥� Visualizing Cumulative Effects: Anishinaabe Counter-Mapping on the Extractive Frontier
• Emily Kuang () 鈥� Multicultural and Multilingual Family Bonding and Knowledge Sharing Across Generations: A Culturally Responsive Approach to Generative AI Application
• R茅mi Viv猫s (Glendon College) 鈥� Measuring Populist Discourse: Canada in Comparative Perspective
• Ashley Day () 鈥� Wiisokotaatiwin 鈥� gathering to re-imagine decolonial health education
• Peiya Cao (Faculty of Health) 鈥� Intergenerational Minority Stress and Child Well-Being in LGBTQ+ Families: A National Census-Linked Study in Canada
• Zissis Paraskevas Poulos (Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies) 鈥� Risk-Sensitive Learning and Tacit Coordination in Algorithmic Financial Markets

Other initiatives examine corporate accountability, Black Canadian history, labour law, climate resilience in public infrastructure, machine ethics, innovation and entrepreneurship, disability rights, migration, Indigenous knowledge systems and social inclusion. View the of recipients and their projects.

Partnership Development Grants

The six 91亚色-led Partnership Development Grants will support collaborations focused on financial vulnerability, youth in care, planetary health, workers鈥� education and Canadian computing heritage and include:

• Ida Ferrara 鈥� (LA&PS) Addressing Financial Vulnerability Through Inclusive Insurance
• Jennine Rawana (Faculty of Health) 鈥� Exploring the Needs of Youth Transitioning Out of the Care of Child Welfare Agencies
• Kate Tilleczek (Faculty of Education) 鈥� Planetary Health Partnership: Mapuche-Williche Youth-Led Research as Practices of K眉me Mogen
• Katherine Nastovski (LA&PS) 鈥� Re-Imagining Workers鈥� Education in the 21st Century
• Mark Hayward (LA&PS) 鈥� Preserving, Promoting and Researching Canadian Computing Heritage
• Sarah Rotz (Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change) 鈥� Confronting Financialization, Consolidation, and Settler-colonial Agri-food Land Governance in Canada

91亚色 researchers are also directly involved as co-applicants for six other Partnership Development Grants totaling $1.19 million. See the of projects and recipients.

鈥淭he awards underscore 91亚色's leadership in advancing research that connects disciplines, sectors and communities in pursuit of positive social change. By fostering collaborations across local, national and international networks, our researchers are generating knowledge and solutions that help build a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future for all,鈥� says Asif.

Connection Grants

SSHRC鈥檚 Connection Grants competition, which funds short-term knowledge mobilization initiatives, will provide $49,974 to Richard Saunders (LA&PS) to examine the social and environmental dimensions of critical mineral extraction through knowledge-sharing and public engagement activities through his project Image as Voice: Perspectives on Lithium Extraction in Argentina and Zimbabwe. 

Two other projects that focus on aging and Asian Canadian studies include co-applicants from 91亚色. View the  of recipients. 

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This summer, YFile examines how 91亚色-led researchers move ideas into impact through the Connected Minds Prototyping Awards. This series shows innovation in practice 鈥� how socially responsible technologies are tested in real-world settings and how this work drives meaningful change.

In an era where health information is only a few clicks away, finding answers that are accurate, trustworthy and easy to understand can still be a challenge.

Scientific databases contain vast amounts of knowledge about human health and disease, but much of it is written for researchers and clinicians using specialized language and technical terminology. For other individuals trying to understand a diagnosis, assess a health risk or learn about a specific condition, navigating this complex landscape can be overwhelming.

91亚色 is collaborating with researchers at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) to break down these barriers through an AI-powered chatbot that provides accessible, easy-to-understand health information.

The chatbot serves as a conversational interface for Reactome, one of the world's largest curated databases of biological pathways and processes that drive human health and disease. While widely used by biomedical researchers, Reactome's technical language can make its information difficult for non-experts to understand.

Amin Mawani, director of the Master of Health Industry Administration (MHIA) program at 91亚色鈥檚 , contributes patient and user perspectives to the project, which also brings together Lincoln Stein, scientific director (interim) and head of Adaptive Oncology at OICR; Helia Mohammadi, a graduate student at the University of Toronto; and Adam Wright, a scientific software engineer at OICR.

Drawing on the power of AI, the chatbot allows users to search Reactome in natural language and receive answers in a clear, user-friendly format tailored to their level of understanding. Whether someone wants to know what causes diabetes, learn more about a genetic predisposition to cancer or explore why they feel tired after eating carbohydrates, the tool is designed to translate complex scientific concepts into plain language.

Mawani says the broader goal is to make trusted scientific knowledge more accessible and strengthen connections between researchers and the public. 鈥淭his tool helps to close the gaps in understanding between the research community and the citizens whose tax dollars support them,鈥� he says.

The project received support through the Connected Minds Prototyping Award, a program that helps researchers translate promising ideas into practical tools. The funding supported a graduate student and a scientific software developer who moved the project from concept through prototype development and into production. The project's emphasis on accessibility and inclusivity reflects the mission of Connected Minds 鈥� a multi-million-dollar transdisciplianry research initiative led by 91亚色 and Queen's universities to develop socially responsible technologies that benefit diverse communities.

Today, the chatbot is fully operational and serves approximately 500 unique users each month. Users can ask for information on a range of topics, from everyday health concerns to more complex scientific concepts.

As more people turn to online tools for health information, the team notes the source of the chatbot's answers is central to its value.

One of the project's key goals is to combat health misinformation by drawing its responses from curated databases rather than unverified online sources. By providing scientifically grounded answers, the platform helps users make more informed decisions about their health.

The team also sees the chatbot as a tool for improving health equity. By offering information in multiple languages, it is able to serve users from diverse backgrounds, regardless of health knowledge or familiarity with English.

"Our goal is to bring structured and accurate scientific medical information to people from all backgrounds and communities in a way that removes barriers created by technical language and accessibility challenges," says Mawani.

According to Mawani, better access to reliable health information can have impacts that extend beyond individual users. More informed patients may be better equipped to recognize misleading or false claims, seek timely medical care and take preventive steps before conditions become more serious.

In addition to helping members of the public better understand their own health, the technology has potential applications for researchers. Future enhancements will allow users to analyze large biological datasets and interpret results through simple natural-language prompts.

As the project gains momentum, the team plans to expand awareness of the tool through publications, conferences, workshops and tutorials, while integrating the chatbot more deeply within the Reactome platform.

By making trusted biomedical knowledge easier to access while supporting future scientific discovery, Mawani and his colleagues hope the platform will improve health outcomes for communities and offer researchers a more streamlined way to access knowledge.

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Cities are often designed with an assumption that residents are able-bodied, leaving many older adults and people with disabilities to face barriers in their daily lives. Gebresselassie, an assistant professor at the , argues that urban planners have an opportunity to better serve both groups by recognizing overlapping needs and developing more integrated planning solutions.

The paper, published in the , emerged from a roundtable co-organized by Gebresselassie at the 2024 annual conference of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning. The discussion brought together researchers examining accessibility issues in transportation, housing and planning processes that affect older adults and people with disabilities.

According to the study, transportation remains one of the most significant challenges for both aging populations and people with disabilities. Older adults may face mobility limitations as they age or stop driving, while people with disabilities often encounter inaccessible transit systems or limited transportation options.

These barriers make it more difficult to reach jobs, services, social activities and health care, increasing the risk of isolation.

Housing presents similar concerns. Most homes lack basic accessible design features such as single-floor living, no-step entry and wide doorways. Accessible homes can be difficult to find and costly. Even when suitable housing is available, it may be located far from transit, amenities and community services, creating additional barriers to participation in daily life.

Although these issues are often examined separately, the researchers argue they are closely connected. Governments, planners and researchers often address aging and disability through separate policies and programs, which can lead to fragmented approaches to transportation, housing and community development.

"Previously, researchers on these topics investigated accessibility issues for the two populations in silos, despite the common challenges they face," says Gebresselassie.

To address these issues, the authors propose an anti-ableist framework that encourages planners to consider accessibility from the beginning of the planning process.

Instead of treating aging and disability as separate concerns, the researchers argue that municipalities should integrate policies, services and decision-making processes. The paper outlines a framework to bring together government departments, community organizations and residents to ensure barrier-free design is considered across transportation, housing and public infrastructure.

"This means moving toward a planning culture that is anti-ableist and can address the accessibility needs of both groups," says Gebresselassie.

The researchers also call for greater involvement from people with lived experience in urban design decisions, as well as enhanced access training in planning education and professional practice.

The authors hope the study will encourage further research on the subject.

"As one of the pioneering studies to illuminate the need to explore the overlap, our study encourages other researchers to follow suit," says Gebresselassie.

The study has also led to an ongoing research collaboration between 91亚色 and the University of Utah. Gebresselassie and collaborator Andy Hong are currently completing another study that examines historical trends in transportation accessibility research involving older adults and people with disabilities.

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outlines priorities for higher education institutions as they work to advance sustainable development and contribute to discussions about sustainable development beyond 2030.

Introduced July 13 during the Global Higher Education Symposium at United Nations Headquarters in New 91亚色, the work was developed through a drafting process including global consultation led by Katrin Kohl, co-chair of the UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability at 91亚色.

The project brought together partners including UNESCO, United Nations Academic Impact, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the International Association of Universities and the International Science Council to build consensus around the role of higher education as a catalyst for positive change.

鈥淯niversities have an important role to play in helping society respond to global challenges, including climate change, inequality and emerging technologies,鈥� says Kohl. 鈥淭his statement brings together voices from around the world to identify how higher education can contribute to building a more sustainable future."

Perspectives from higher education leaders, researchers, international organizations, students and policymakers shaped a shared vision for priorities in higher education. The priorities include integrating sustainability across teaching, research and operations; strengthening democratic values and public trust; advancing inclusion and decolonization; using science and emerging technologies responsibly; and supporting changes to governance and funding systems.

UNESCO Chairholder Charles Hopkins says the initiative originated at 91亚色 and grew into an international collaboration with UN agencies concerned with higher education that resulted in the consensus statement.

The final document emerged from a global consultation process involving participants from around the world to build agreement on higher education's role in creating more sustainable, equitable and resilient societies.

The launch marks the latest contribution from 91亚色's UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability, established in 1999 as the first UNESCO Chair dedicated to education for sustainable development. For more than two decades, the Chair has worked with governments, international organizations, educators and institutions around the world to advance sustainability through education.

Hopkins says the statement represents an opportunity to strengthen the role of universities as partners in addressing complex issues beyond 2030 as conversations are beginning to emerge.

鈥淭he challenges the world faces do not exist in isolation, and neither can the solutions,鈥� says Hopkins. 鈥淯niversities have an important role to play as conveners, collaborators and catalysts for change.鈥�

The statement is expected to inform ongoing international discussions about the future of higher education and sustainable development and provide a framework for institutions seeking to strengthen their contributions to social, environmental and economic well-being.

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鈥淎MR, which is often described as a 鈥榮ilent pandemic鈥�, threatens our ability to effectively treat infectious diseases in humans, animals, plants and the environment around the world,鈥� says Arne Ruckert, director of research at the 鈥檚 (GSL) AMR Policy Accelerator.

In response, international health organizations and policymakers have increasingly turned to a framework known as One Health, which recognizes that the health of people, animals and ecosystems is interconnected. The approach calls for an equally interconnected response.

鈥淥ne Health governance is comprised of the structures, processes and mechanisms that enable and support coordination and collaboration between these sectors, as well as with actors outside government, such as the private sector, academic experts, health professionals and civil society,鈥� says Taylor Hecker, research fellow at GSL, which is headquartered at 91亚色 and the University of Ottawa.

But recognizing the need for collaboration is only the first step. While One Health has gained widespread support among governments, international organizations and public health experts, less is known about how those collaborations should be organized, managed and evaluated, or how policymakers can determine whether they are achieving their intended goals.

To address that gap in knowledge, GSL worked with colleagues from the World Health Organization.

鈥淲e wanted to synthesize what is known about One Health governance globally, and especially how its mechanisms have been implemented in different institutional, social, economic and political contexts,鈥� says Ruckert, adding the team also wanted to understand how success has been defined and measured, and what barriers and facilitators influence implementation.

The researchers reviewed studies and policy documents exploring how governments and organizations were putting One Health into practice. These included national AMR plans, disease surveillance systems, cross-sector coordination bodies and responses to infectious disease outbreaks. After screening more than 3,000 records, the team examined 171 documents representing more than 50 countries.

A key aspect of the review was its focus on how local context shapes the design and implementation of coordination systems.

鈥淓xisting literature and guidance often does not differentiate between different country contexts and how this may impact or result in barriers to certain mechanisms,鈥� Hecker says. 鈥淭herefore, we approached and performed this research through a context-specific lens as there is no one-size-fits-all solution to support effective One Health governance.鈥�

That analysis identified six dimensions that consistently inform One Health governance: participation, leadership, coordination, decision-making, resourcing and accountability. Together, these factors determine who is involved, who is responsible for leading efforts, how information is shared, how priorities are set, how activities are funded and how progress is monitored.

Despite differences in political structures, funding models and government institutions, several barriers appeared repeatedly across the literature. These include challenges coordinating action across multiple levels of government, dependence on donor funding, siloed departments and weak information-sharing. The review also found that while disease outbreaks often created momentum for cross-sector cooperation, many countries struggled to maintain those partnerships once the immediate crisis had passed.

The researchers say the goal was to catalogue the challenges countries face and identify approaches that could help policymakers design more effective and sustainable systems for AMR policy implementation.

鈥淎s the first phase of a broader , this article also provides a conceptual foundation for how governance approaches can be implemented going forward, as well as how they can be assessed across different contexts,鈥� says Ruckert.

Among the factors associated with stronger adoption were political commitment, clear coordination mechanisms and effective systems for sharing information across sectors. Successful initiatives foster a sense of shared ownership, with participants viewing One Health as a collective responsibility rather than the domain of a single department or sector. Previous disease outbreaks, meanwhile, sometimes helped build support for these approaches by demonstrating the value of sustained cross-sector collaboration.

The review calls for more rigorous evaluation of One Health initiatives so policymakers can understand what works, where and why. As countries continue searching for ways to slow the spread of AMR, researchers suggest that building stronger evidence around governance may be just as important as developing new policies.

Effective approaches must account for the political, institutional and economic realities of individual countries, say researchers. Governments also need to move beyond outbreak-driven collaboration and establish lasting structures capable of addressing long-term challenges such as AMR.

鈥淲e hope that this review encourages researchers and policymakers to look beyond one-size-fits-all approaches of One Health governance and pay attention to how context shapes what is feasible, effective and sustainable during AMR policy implementation,鈥� says Ruckert.

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In oncology clinics, diagnosing disease, monitoring treatment response and tracking tumour growth often begin with a meticulous review of medical images. For oncologists and radiologists, this can mean spending hours measuring tumours and comparing scans to understand how a patient's cancer has changed over time.

Much of that work is still done manually, even when clinicians are carrying out many of the same assessments across large numbers of cases. "There are many occasions where the time of oncologists and radiologists is spent reviewing cases that are very similar," says Sadeghi-Naini.

Spending significant time reviewing scans and performing routine assessments, he says, leaves less time for patients who require more urgent attention.

Sadeghi-Naini and his team at the QUANTIMB Lab are working to change that.

The 91亚色-based lab, led by Sadeghi-Naini, develops AI-powered imaging tools to support cancer care with a focus on helping clinicians process medical scans more efficiently.

鈥淭he idea is to automate things 鈥� to detect the location of the disease, quantify it and generate a report so the clinician can quickly review it,鈥� says Sadeghi-Naini, who teaches in the .

Rather than replacing clinical expertise, the goal is to develop AI tools that act as decision support systems, helping care providers assess scans and prioritize care. The tools are trained using large collections of medical scans, allowing them to identify patterns associated with disease progression and treatment response, which can then be flagged for clinical review.

One area of the lab's work focuses on monitoring brain tumours using MRI scans. For some patients whose cancer has spread to the brain, disease may appear as numerous small lesions scattered throughout the organ. In some cases, Sadeghi-Naini says, patients may have 10, 20 or 30 tumours that must be identified and monitored individually over time to determine whether treatment is working.

To help with that task, the lab has developed AI models that can analyze MRI scans, identifying and tracking small cancerous growths across a series of scans. The technology can automate much of that work and generate information to support treatment decisions, reducing the time clinicians spend manually locating and measuring each tumour over successive scans.

Another long-running project examines how tumours respond to treatment. For patients undergoing chemotherapy, one challenge is determining early on whether a tumour is responding to the drug. In some cases, this may only become clear after months of treatment, by which point valuable time and opportunities to adjust a patient's care may have been lost.

Using ultrasound data, Sadeghi-Naini and his team train AI models to look for biological changes that signal whether tumour cells are dying. By assisting in identifying those signals earlier than conventional monitoring approaches, the technology could give clinicians faster insight into whether a treatment is working. Detecting those changes earlier could help determine whether a different approach is needed.

鈥淚f a patient can be identified as not responding as early as possible, that spares months of ineffective chemotherapy and unnecessary side effects,鈥� says Sadeghi-Naini.

Although the projects focus on different clinical challenges, they are built around the same idea: using AI to extract useful information from medical images and help clinicians make decisions more quickly.

Across these projects, collaboration and human insight play a central role. The lab works closely with hospitals and clinicians, including researchers at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, to access patient data, test new technologies and ensure the tools being developed address real-world clinical needs.

Feedback and guidance from clinical collaborators on the brain tumour monitoring technology have already been positive, says Sadeghi-Naini, who notes that some have expressed interest in using it as a support tool.

The lab is also designing interfaces that make the technology easier for practitioners to use, recognizing that ease of use is key to adoption in real-world settings.

Collaboration with those working directly in the field also helps accelerate the work. The ultrasound project, for example, has advanced to a clinical trial, a milestone that reflects growing interest among health care experts in evaluating the technology.

Although much of his work involves advanced technologies, Sadeghi-Naini says the motivation behind it is simple: helping patients receive the right care at the right time. Tools that monitor disease more efficiently, or determine sooner whether a treatment is working, could improve decision-making throughout the course of treatment and offer more time to focus on patient care.

"At the end of the day, this clinician time can be spent on somebody who actually urgently needs it," he says.

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is an AI platform built for real estate and asset management co-founded by Gaurav Madani and Arunabh Dastidar, who met as Schulich MBA students in 2017 and graduated together in 2019. The tool鈥檚 third co-founder, Zain Nathoo, is also a Schulich alum.

The platform was created to solve fragmented data challenges in real estate investing by using AI to organize information and provide customizable systems that help investment teams analyze data, automate tasks and make faster decisions. These were challenges both Dastidar and Nathoo encountered while working in real estate investment and helping to manage more than $1 billion in property assets.

Frustrated by delays in financial reports 鈥� which often arrived in spreadsheets weeks late and slowed decision-making 鈥� they turn to Schulich for guidance and support to bring their solution to market.

Early on, the founders brought their idea to Chris Carder, executive director of Schulich's Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Madani recalls approaching Carder, who at the time was alone in the Schulich cafeteria, and sharing the team鈥檚 idea. Carder offered the team direction, facilitated important connections and amplified the company within his own network.

"He was a sounding board, which is what founders need in the early days," Madani says. "Especially in the early days when no one knows you, those kinds of things are really important."

Beyond Carder, the company drew on other forms of support at Schulich. Andre Kuzmicki, retired professor, introduced the team to senior professionals at large Canadian institutions who would become some of Leni's first clients.

As well, Schulich's Entrepreneurial Studies program has partnered with Leni to create student internships.

"Schulich gave us a community of people who believed in what we were building and opened doors that would have been much harder to access on our own," says Dastidar. "That early support was instrumental in helping us gain traction and credibility as we scaled."

While Leni began by connecting industry systems to track performance in real time, it evolved to integrate AI, which became central to its development from 2022 onward.

Today, it helps investment teams evaluate deals, conduct research and automate reporting tasks that would otherwise take days.

Madani says Leni stands out for its focus on accuracy. It is trained to break complex questions into parts, route them across multiple AI models, evaluate whether the responses meet its threshold, and surfaces an answer only when it passes 鈥� along with the reasoning and source data behind it.

"Leni will always treat any output as a hypothesis that needs to be proven," he says.

As the company expands, the relationship with Schulich continues in both directions. Leni's founders now serve as mentors, judges and guest lecturers with Schulich Startups, where they contribute to the same ecosystem that helped them get started.

For students who are thinking about building their own tool, Madani's advice is simple: "No two entrepreneurial journeys look the same," he says, adding that Schulich鈥檚 support was instrumental to Leni鈥檚 success.

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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That question is at the heart of 91亚色 PhD student Ayesha Menezes鈥� doctoral research. Through her work, Menezes explores how mud play helps children see themselves as part of the natural world, fostering care, responsibility and belonging.

Her research comes as many children have fewer opportunities for unstructured outdoor play and engagement with nature. Risk-averse settings and busy urban lifestyles have reduced interaction with the natural world, prompting Menezes to understand how learning might look different if it emerged through children鈥檚 relationships with the land, water, weather and natural materials around them.

To explore this idea, Menezes took her research outside the University for Mud Day 2026, an event developed as part of her doctoral work. Held at Evergreen Brick Works children鈥檚 garden, the Mud Day invited children and caregivers to explore and create with mud.

Instead of planning structured activities with predetermined outcomes, the event invited children to engage in open-ended play experiences that included a mud kitchen, construction site, gardening, seed bomb making, beading and a collaborative mural. An interactive performance also encouraged participants to explore relationships between the sun, wind, rain and mud.

For Menezes, the goal was to encourage outdoor play and shift how children experience the natural world.

鈥淚nstead of learning about nature, participants were learning with nature,鈥� she says. 鈥淐hildren shaped their own experiences by choosing the activities they wanted to participate in.鈥�

The event demonstrated how nature-based play can strengthen relationships and foster a sense of belonging. Menezes observed that children who typically play independently began playing collaboratively, while parents engaged as co-creators rather than observers.

Parents noted the atmosphere nurtured connections among children, caregivers, educators as well as the natural materials and environment.

Menezes says that of the 47 participating children 鈥� ranging in ages from 11 months to 11 years 鈥� only one had previously experienced muddy play. This, she says, shows how uncommon the experience is and reinforces the importance of spaces where children can explore freely, take manageable risks and build relationships with their environment.

The activities also encouraged children to see themselves as active participants in caring for the environment, says Menezes, which resulted in a child-led land acknowledgement during the event鈥檚 closing circle 鈥� a moment that one parent described as particularly meaningful.

鈥淩eflections shared during the鈥痗losing circle suggested that children left with a greater sense of connection to their environment,鈥� she says.鈥�

Developed as part of Menezes' doctoral research and dissertation, Mud Day 2026 was supported by a cross-Faculty team of 91亚色 student collaborators from the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Science, with mentorship from Professor Lucy Angus and support from Evergreen Brick Works. Collaborators also included undergraduate, master鈥檚 and doctoral students: Ari Para, Catalina Ramirez, Ian Chan, Tristan Castro Pozo, Elise Nicolas and Rachel Leveille.

Moving forward, Menezes is working to develop what she calls a 鈥渃urriculum of muddy worlding鈥� 鈥� a relational framework that reimagines learning through children鈥檚 encounters with mud and the natural world. She is also expanding the Mud Day model into a co-design approach that brings together educators, researchers, families and local communities.

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