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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Professor Eric Miller as well as lead author and PhD student Peri Dworatzek have published a report titled which examines the protected natural and agricultural lands through the lens of biocapacity 鈥� the ability of land and ecosystems to provide resources and absorb environmental impacts.

Prepared by the for the Greenbelt Foundation, the report finds the Greenbelt provides significantly greater ecological biocapacity per hectare than the rest of Ontario, averaging 2.8 global hectares versus 1.02.

This, say the authors who worked with MES students Bumika Srikanthalingam and Kaitlin Pal, demonstrates the value of maintaining and strengthening protections for the region鈥檚 agricultural and natural landscapes.

The findings provide new evidence for policymakers and planners as they consider how future growth and infrastructure projects may affect the province鈥檚 environmental assets. The analysis indicates that increasing demand for land, food and fresh water could place additional strain on these systems if development is not carefully managed.

Miller and and Dworatzek identified several actions that could help safeguard and enhance the Greenbelt鈥檚 ecological capacity. These include improving the collection and use of land-use data; expanding mapping of agricultural, water and natural heritage systems; and making geospatial information more accessible to support planning decisions.

鈥淟and cover and biocapacity data provide valuable tools for informing decisions that can help maintain protections for the Greenbelt and the ecosystems that support Ontario鈥檚 growing population,鈥� says Miller. 鈥淢easuring biocapacity helps governments track progress towards sustainability and other environmental goals.鈥�

The findings also emphasize the importance of restoring natural areas, supporting regenerative agricultural practices and improving soil health to strengthen long-term productivity. Researchers recommend integrating ecological capacity measures into municipal planning and natural asset management strategies.

Produced as part of the Greenbelt Foundation鈥檚 Visioning the Future of the Greenbelt series, the report positions the Greenbelt as a key component of Ontario鈥檚 response to environmental and resource challenges, Miller notes.

鈥淭he Greenbelt鈥檚 natural infrastructure provides significant value to Ontario. By quantifying those benefits, we can better inform planning and policy decisions that affect the region鈥檚 long-term sustainability,鈥� says Miller. 鈥淭his research demonstrates the measurable benefits natural systems provide to Ontario鈥檚 communities and economy, and offers a framework to support evidence-based planning.鈥�

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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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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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The Partnership Grants funding, announced by SSHRC on July 21, supports large-scale partnerships that bring together universities, governments, community organizations and international collaborators to address complex social, environmental and policy challenges.

The funded projects focus on issues ranging from refugee rights and climate resilience to healthy aging, youth well-being, homelessness and human-animal connections.

Leading 91亚色's participation is Sean Rehaag (), whose seven-year Algorithmic Justice for Refugees Research Network project received $2,499,995 to investigate the growing use of algorithms, AI and other digital technologies in refugee and migration systems.

The international partnership includes researchers and organizations across Canada, Europe, Africa, Australia and the Middle East and will examine how emerging technologies affect refugee rights, access to protection and government accountability.

91亚色 Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps says the project shows the impact that long-term investment in interdisciplinary reseach can have. "The project grew from years of interdisciplinary research and the strong foundation provided by the Centre for Refugee Studies, one of 91亚色's Organized Research Units to make it possible. 91亚色 is proud to stand with Professor Rehaag and his partners on this meaningful project."

91亚色 researchers are also co-applicants on five additional partnership grants that received funding ranging from $2.4 million to $2.5 million each. Together, the projects position 91亚色 researchers within some of Canada's largest and most ambitious social sciences and humanities research collaborations.

"91亚色 researchers continue to demonstrate leadership in building research partnerships that聽bring together聽scholars,聽governments and organizations to address聽complex challenges facing communities in Canada and around the world,鈥� says聽Amir Asif, 91亚色鈥檚 vice-president research and innovation. 鈥淭hese聽projects聽reflect 91亚色's聽strengths in interdisciplinary, community-engaged research and聽demonstrate how collaboration can聽generate聽knowledge that informs policy, supports聽decision-making聽and聽contributes to聽positive social change."聽

The funded partnerships involving 91亚色 researchers include:

鈥� Aging in the Margins: Building Inclusivity and Goodwill (AIM BIG), funded at $2,500,000 over seven years, with Natalia Balyasnikova (Faculty of Education) serving as a co-applicant. The project will examine the experiences of aging among marginalized populations in Canada and internationally.

鈥� (Re)Thinking Sustainability: Research Network for Global Environmental Humanities, funded at $2,499,814 over seven years, with Andil Gosine () and Jean-Thomas Tremblay (Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies) as co-applicants. The network will explore environmental challenges through humanities-based research and public engagement.

鈥� Connecting to Place Through Disaster Response: New Opportunities for Community-Campus Partnerships, funded at $2,417,600 over five years, with Ali Asgary and Eva Bogdan (LA&PS) serving as co-applicants. The project focuses on strengthening community resilience and disaster response through collaborative research.

鈥� Establishing a Network for Human-Animal Connections Research and Collaboration, funded at $2,500,000 over five years, with Cheryl van Daalen-Smith (Faculty of Graduate Studies) serving as a co-applicant and Leesa Fawcett (EUC) as a collaborator. The partnership will examine the role of human-animal relationships in health and well-being across diverse settings.

鈥� Pathways from Child Welfare and Community Services to Stable or Precarious Living Conditions, funded at $2,500,000 over seven years, with Stephen Gaetz (Faculty of Education) serving as a co-applicant. The project will investigate the experiences of young people transitioning from child welfare systems and community services and identify pathways to long-term stability and 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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After two years of inactivity, the Google Developer Group (GDG) chapter at 91亚色 has been revived by a first-year student focused on hands-on learning and long-term leadership.

Soroush Baraouf, a computer engineering student at the , was appointed by Google's regional program team as the founder and organizer of the newly relaunched GDG on Campus at 91亚色 chapter earlier this year.

Part of a global Google-supported network, GDG chapters are student-run organizations that host workshops, project-based learning experiences and hackathons, giving students hands-on exposure to technologies such as cloud computing and AI. The 91亚色 chapter shut down after previous student leaders graduated or moved into upper-year studies.

Baraouf, who moved to Canada from Iran where he had spent years following the GDG network, hoped to be a part of 91亚色鈥檚 chapter. When he arrived at the University, however, he learned the chapter was inactive 鈥� so he took action to relaunch it.

"I could feel the bulb kind of turn on in my mind," he says. "Maybe I can be the person who can build this community."

Beyond his own ambitions, Baraouf saw a broader need: a stronger technical community that could help 91亚色 students make their work more visible to employers 鈥� especially in a competitive recruitment landscape.

"There are so many students at universities like U of T or Waterloo who just get more exposure simply because they attend those schools," he says. "What I wanted to fix was to create a serious community and do serious stuff so recruiters and employers can understand that people at 91亚色 can also get things done."

The chapter's programming is built around that goal. Rather than hosting speaker panels that students leave with little to show, Baraouf is centring the group on what he calls a builder mindset: workshops that begin with a real problem, guide participants through Google tools like Firebase and Google Cloud Platform, and end with a working project students can add to their portfolios.

First-year students are a particular focus, since many are entering the workforce without practical project experience.

"We want to help people actually build solutions 鈥� real-world stuff that solves real problems that they can showcase," he says.

The chapter's scope extends beyond engineering students. Baraouf sees tools like Google's Gemini AI models and cloud hosting as relevant across disciplines 鈥� for business students exploring fintech ideas, arts students using image generation tools or students who want to build and host a portfolio without a technical background.

"No matter what discipline you're in, what level you're at, there's still something you can do with AI," he says.

To keep the chapter from repeating the previous group's fate, Baraouf has built in structural safeguards. The executive team of approximately 23 students is organized into five groups 鈥� technology, academics, operations, finance, and outreach and growth 鈥� each deliberately staffed with both junior and senior students. If upper-year leaders graduate, there are always newer members ready to step into leadership roles.

The relaunch would not have happened without external support. Professor Jeff Harris helped Baraouf navigate 91亚色's club ratification process, while Adeola Omojola, former student and the previous chapter lead, shared key documents and guidance on the Google application process. Becky Phan, Google's regional program lead for North America, helped guide the Google collaboration.

For Baraouf, long-term success of the program means helping 91亚色 students build a stronger technical profile with employers and creating a club that continues well after he graduates. He envisions the club as one that contributes to students鈥� academic experience by partnering with professors on hands-on course projects.

On July 3, the group hosted the Engineering & AI Innovation (EAII) Case Competition at Google's Toronto headquarters 鈥� an event where students learn how Google is evolving in engineering, and then pitch AI-based solutions to Google engineers for feedback and discussion.

"We set out to prove GDG 91亚色 U is different: a club built on real technical depth, real ambition, real standards," says Baraouf. "Judging by the room that day, we made our case."

Students interested in joining can become members through the chapter's website at .

Executive applications for the current cycle are now closed, but general membership is open and a new round of leadership recruitment is planned for September.

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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