Western researchers develop new open-source app for precise brain mapping
Western News , January 12, 2023The hippocampus is a small, complex, folded brain structure that holds clues to several brain disorders. It is also one of the most difficult-to-map regions of the brain. After developing a successful technique to digitally unfold the hippocampus, researchers at the Western Institute for Neuroscience have now built a new app using artificial intelligence (AI) to precisely map the structure.
Summer Internship strengthens passion for research
Western Engineering News , December 07, 2022Lauren Douglas has always had a passion for research. So when she was presented with the option to enjoy a well-deserved break or work full-time for 16 weeks in an Undergraduate Summer Research Internship, she chose the latter.
Royal Society of Canada celebrates Western scholars
Western News , September 13, 2022Seven Western faculty members are being honoured as part of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) class of 2022. Kim Baines, Aaron Fenster, William Fisher and Adrian Owen were recently announced as RSC Fellows and Arghya Paul as Western’s newest member of the RSC’s College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists.
Western researchers are developing a tool to detect wrist injuries sooner to prevent wrist arthritis
Western Engineering News , August 05, 2022Western researchers, led by Emily Lalone with the aid of Western Engineering master’s student Max Campbell, are developing a tool to improve the detection of wrist injuries to prevent wrist arthritis.
Four BME faculty members elected into Canadian Academy of Engineering
Western Engineering News , June 17, 2022Four BME faculty members have been named among 54 new Fellows inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), effective June 13, 2022, includes: Sohrab Rohani, Kibret Mequanint, Hanif Ladak, and Ajay Ray.
New Western innovation gels engineering with medicine
Western News , May 20, 2022Western biomaterials expert Kibret Mequanint – in partnership with Malcolm Xing from the University of Manitoba – has developed the first-ever hydrophobic (water-hating) fluid, which displaces body fluids surrounding an injury allowing for near-instantaneous gelling, sealing and healing of injured tissue.
Designing frugal medical devices among projects receiving Western strategic grants
Western News , April 20, 2022With half the world having no access to essential health care, and some remote and low-resource areas littered with donated medical devices that no longer work, an interdisciplinary group at Western is devising smart solutions.
Confronting the complexities of brain diseases
Western News , March 31, 2022The brain is the most complex network of neurons and synapses, and brain diseases continue to puzzle and challenge scientists and researchers across the globe. Neurodegenerative conditions rank in the top 10 causes of death worldwide and are the number one cause of disability in Canada. The organ that makes us self-aware and intelligent also fails us at an alarming rate.
Study aims to prevent deadly sport injury in young athletes
Western News , January 12, 2022At an Arizona baseball diamond 10 years ago, a 13-year-old baseball player turned to bunt a ball that instead struck his chest. Taking two steps towards first base, he collapsed, and died from commotio cordis, the second leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.
Mitigating for angle, ‘torque’ of impact key to safer hockey helmets: study
Western News , November 10, 2021Like most sports technology, hockey helmets have evolved exponentially over the past 50 years. Gone are the days of the “egg shell” helmets worn by NHL superstars like Wayne Gretzky and Michel Goulet in the 1970s and 1980s.
Alumnus helps millions make memories with group video platform, Memento
Western Engineering News , November 09, 2021Zamir Khan, MESc ’07, could have never anticipated that, what started out as a fun way to celebrate his mother’s 70th birthday, would soon turn into a start up with over five million users from over 150 countries.
Western Engineering awards new diversity-focused fellowship
Western News , November 01, 2021“As a Black woman in engineering, peers who look like me are few and far between.” Emma Donnelly, MESc’20, and PhD candidate in biomedical engineering, received one of the first Indigenous and Black Engineering and Technology (IBET) Momentum Fellowships to be awarded by Western Engineering.
Patch could give new life to weak heart
Western News , September 30, 2021A new cardiac patch developed by a collaborative team co-led by Western University is just the stuff that could get your blood pumping – literally. The ultra-flexible cardiac patch, designed by Western Engineering professor Kibret Mequanint and his collaborators at the University of Manitoba, may one day be used to restore function to a damaged heart following a cardiac arrest.
Top 10 women leading healthcare startups
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Leila Hawkins ,Healthcare Global , September 10, 2021Dr Asha Parekh is the co-founder and CEO of Front Line Medical Technologies, a medical device company. It recently developed the COBRA-OS™, which helps front line medics control bleeding in emergency situations. Born in Canada, Parekh has a PhD in biomedical engineering with a specialty in biomaterials and medical devices. She has several patents and publications to her name, and has secured multiple grants and funding for her projects.
Province announces $2.6M for novel 3D imaging research
Western News , July 19, 2021Medical biophysicist Aaron Fenster is getting a $2.65-million boost for his imaging research lab through the Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence.
Life-saving snake venom
Western News , July 14, 2021Researchers create reptile-derived ‘super glue’ that stops bleeding in seconds using visible light.
Improving antiepileptic drug delivery
Western News , July 07, 2021Research is underway at Western that can help improve antiepileptic drug delivery through optimized dosing.
12 Western scientists and scholars named Canada Research Chairs
Western News , June 15, 2021Twelve Western researchers – who delve into mysteries as deep as the human mind and as vast as the universe itself – have been named Canada Research Chairs as they bolster their place among the top scholars and scientists in their fields.
New tool helps cochlear implant patients hear with improved clarity
CTV News , May 31, 2021Advancements in cochlear implant research at Western University might just be music to the ears to the deaf or hard of hearing.
Feature: Engaging the community in cancer research
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry , May 01, 2021The Canadian Cancer Society’s Research Information Outreach Team (RIOT) was created to spread the word about the progress and promise of cancer research. Established in London in 2010, RIOT has since grown into a national network of trainees and community members. The London RIOT team recently launched a blog, called News and Views, to showcase cancer research taking place locally and provide trainees with an opportunity to write about research in an accessible and compelling way. We spoke to Madeleine Van de Kleut, PhD’20, MSc'21 (CAMPEP) ...
Alumna creates groundbreaking medical device to control blood loss
Western Engineering News , April 06, 2021Passion, motivation, and taking calculated risks are all inherent parts of an entrepreneurial mindset. Western Engineering alumna Asha Parekh (BESc’07, MESc’11, PhD’15) never planned on co-founding medical device company Front Line Medical Technologies, but she was willing to take the risk of transitioning to entrepreneurship and hasn’t looked back since.
BME grad and alumnus place top two at Mayo Clinic competition
Western News , March 03, 2021Last month, students from all over North America competed virtually in the inaugural Mayo Clinic Innovation Sprint — a competition meant to foster collaboration among business, IT and clinical professionals in a 24-hour effort to solve problems and develop solutions.
Medical device to manage blood loss approved by Health Canada
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry , March 01, 2021After a traumatic injury from an event such as a car crash or industrial accident, many patients die from blood loss before even entering the operating room. If health-care providers can keep the blood that wasn’t lost through the injury flowing to the heart and the brain, the chances of survival are dramatically increased. This was the aim of Dr. Adam Power, a vascular surgeon who regularly confronts these types of injuries on the operating room table, and biomedical engineer and Western alumna Asha Parekh, PhD'15. The team developed a small device that could be quickly inserted into an injured person's femoral artery to keep blood pumping to these vital organs.
Funding: Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping receives $2.85 million grant
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry , February 01, 2021Ravi Menon, PhD, Professor at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry and his research team have received $2.85 million to support neuroscience research at the Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping (CFMM), at Robarts Research Institute.
Combined forces help combat the pain and the disability of arthritis
Western News , January 14, 2021Getting dressed, brushing teeth, opening a jar to make a meal: many Canadians can take performing these tasks for granted. But for those living with osteoarthritis in their hands, the gripping and twisting motions of daily life are a regular source of pain and frustration. “It can affect everything. Living with pain certainly has an impact, but it extends to all dimensions of life,” said Joy MacDermid, professor of physical therapy and co-director of the clinical research lab at the Roth | McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre.
Excellence in Sensorimotor Neuroscience
Robarts Research Institute , December 18, 2020Robarts Scientist, Andrew Pruszynski, PhD, was renewed as a Canada Research Chair for continued excellence in neuroscience.
Governor General’s Academic Medal to Armin Geraili
Western News , October 27, 2020For more than 140 years, the Governor General’s Academic Medals have recognized outstanding students across Canada. The Gold Medals are awarded for academic excellence at the graduate level. Three Western graduates are among the recipients of Gold Medals this year. Armin Geraili, MESc, Biomedical Engineering Armin Geraili completed his MESc at the School of Biomedical Engineering in September, 2019, under the supervision of Prof. Kibret Mequanint. Geraili’s course work average was 94.25%, and his multidisciplinary research produced several high-impact publications in prestigious journals.
Grad’s pitch for sport science helps Blue Jays
Western News , October 26, 2020When the Toronto Blue Jays made it to the playoffs this year, Clare Padmore celebrated with them as more than a fan. And when they aim for even greater heights next season, Padmore hopes to share in their success too: not as an athlete, coach or front-office executive but as an engineer working to help ballplayers achieve their athletic potential.
Robert Koch, BME Alumnus, Combats COVID-19
CTV News , June 23, 2020BME alumnus Robert Koch was recently featured on CTV News. Robert completed his BESc in 2016 in Electrical & Computer Engineering and his MESc in 2018 in Biomedical Engineering both at Western. His MESc was done under the supervision of Profs. Hanif Ladak, Sumit Agrawal and Susan Scollie and focused on sensorized manikins for training in Audiology. The Nasal EDucation (NED) simulator builds on Robert's expertise in training simulators and responds to a critical need to quickly train individuals to perform accurate nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19.
‘Perfect fit’ opens door to new opportunities
Western News , June 09, 2020It was quite the finish to Ian Villamagna’s PhD career at Western. In January, he successfully defended his thesis, was lauded by the Arthritis Society of Canada for being part of the Top Research Advancements of 2019 and had already began his new job at a nanomedicine development company in the San Francisco area.
Homegrown idea looks to solve ventilator shortage
Western News , May 25, 2020A homegrown idea to create a 3-D printed ventilator might be the answer to a global problem first exposed in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Matthew Teeter named Petro-Canada Young Innovator
Western News , May 12, 2020Medical Biophysics and Surgery professor Matthew Teeter has been named recipient of a Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award.
Hanif Ladak and Cheryle Seguin named Faculty Scholars
Western News , April 08, 2020Hanif Ladak and Cheryle Seguin of Biomedical Engineering named Faculty Scholars.
CBC Listen - Three-minute thesis
CBC Listen , March 12, 2020Western University students Trent Gordon (Biomedical Engineering), Sheetala Bhat and Li Li are gearing up to deliver their three-minute thesis tonight. The students join London Morning to share even more condensed versions of their work.
London, Ont. scientist one of 21 appointees to province's highest honour
Global News , February 27, 2020A local leader and scientist known worldwide for his work in medical imaging has been appointed to the Order of Ontario, along with 20 others. Londoner Aaron Fenster is a scientist at the Robarts Research Institute at Western University and is involved in the field of biomedical physics.
Joint research on target for arthritis sufferers
Western News , January 21, 2020One is developing a drug to attack the disease. The other is designing an innovative way to deliver it.
Regional imaging excellence at heart of partnership
Western News , December 10, 2019A new partnership between Western, London hospitals and a medical technology pioneer will make southwestern Ontario a “global powerhouse” when it comes to state-of-the-art imaging research and clinical application.
New tool developed in London, Ont. expected to drastically reduce repeat breast cancer surgeries
Global News , October 30, 2019
Jeffrey Carson and his team have developed a new tool that they believe can greatly improve surgery outcomes and reduce time in the operating room for breast cancer patients.
Salma Dammak featured as "Next Generation Scientist"
Ontario Institute for Cancer Research , October 23, 2019“I’m excited by the human challenges that technology can address – like recognizing small patterns in chest scans that indicate early traces of a recurring tumour — that give patients more treatment options,” says Salma in her interview with the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research.
Knowles wins top Schulich award
School of Biomedical Engineering , October 18, 2019Nikolas Knowles, a recent Biomedical Engineering PhD graduate, has earned the top PhD thesis in a Schulich graduate program award – the Collip Medal Award.
Chief resident of neurosurgery earns PhD in Biomedical Engineering
School of Biomedical Engineering , October 16, 2019
Jonathan (Jon) Lau, MD, PhD, hopes his research will result in safer and more precise surgical therapies for patients suffering from neurological illnesses. The recent alumnus shares the importance of collaboration for improving healthcare.
Willing earns fellowship for promising technology
School of Biomedical Engineering , October 15, 2019Mechanical and Materials Engineering assistant professor Ryan Willing has been awarded the Peter C. Maurice Research Fellowship in Biomedical Engineering for his innovative research on knee biomechanics.
Faculty members earn Ontario research fund awards
Western News , October 08, 2019Ryan Willing earns Early Researcher Award; Ali Khan receives Research Infrastructure Funding.
CARL revolutionizing audiology education
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Western News ,Western News , October 01, 2019
BME alumnus Rob Koch, founder and president of AHead Simulations, created CARL patient simulators. CARL is used for research, training and product demonstrations.
Terry Peters honoured with COMP Gold Medal
Robarts Research Institute , September 27, 2019The Gold Medal is the highest award given by the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists. Peters has been recognized for his outstanding career and significant contribution to the field of medical physics in Canada.
Ravi Menon was named a Fellow of the Royal Society
School of Biomedical Engineering , September 10, 2019
Ravi Menon has been elected by his peers in recognition of outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievement. Election to the academies of the RSC is the highest honour a scholar can achieve in the arts, humanities and sciences.
Lauren Flynn named one Western's newest College members
School of Biomedical Engineering , September 10, 2019
Lauren Flynn was named among the newest members of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. She is one of two of Western's newest College members. Part of the Royal Society of Canada, College membership represents the emerging generation of scholarly, scientific and artistic leadership in Canada.
Knee ligament research earns CFI backing
Western News , August 13, 2019July award recipients
School of Biomedical Engineering , July 30, 2019
Congratulations to Jessica Rodgers who has won a top award at the American Association of Physics in Medicine (AAPM) Scientific Meeting.
BME Fall 2019 timetable now posted!
School of Biomedical Engineering , July 29, 2019Dr. Walter Siqueira internationally recognized for oral health research
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry , July 02, 2019“Without question, this is one of the most prestigious International awards in oral health research,” said Dr. Siqueira. “I’m pleased that this award recognizes my dedication to oral health research and also positions Schulich Dentistry internationally as a centre of excellence in salivary research.”
June award recipients
School of Biomedical Engineering , June 19, 2019Congratulations to BME faculty and students who have been recognized for their research at various conferences.
Baron, Parraga, and Paul named CRCs
Western News , June 17, 2019
Faculty members Corey Baron and Grace Parraga, and incoming faculty member Arghya Paul have been named Canada Research Chairs in the latest round announced by Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport.
2019-20 scholarship recipients
School of Biomedical Engineering , May 28, 2019
Congratulations to 10 BME students receiving scholarships for the upcoming school year.
Coley named Western Engineering Dean
Western News , May 21, 2019Nationally renowned researcher, educator, and administrator Ken Coley has been named the next Dean of Western Engineering.
Researchers awarded $750,000 from inaugural New Frontiers in Research Fund
School of Biomedical Engineering , May 17, 2019
Biomedical Engineering faculty members Baron Corey, Emma Duerden, and Haojie Mao have been awarded $250,000 each over two years from the first New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), representing three of the five awarded Western researchers.
Meet Matthew Teeter, PhD
Robarts Research Institute , May 14, 2019
Through his research, Teeter is using medical imaging tools to evaluate implants and surgical techniques used in total joint replacements.
BME students honoured at LHRD for impactful research
London Health Research Day , May 07, 2019
Ian Villamagna, PhD, supervised by Drs. Frank Beier and Elizabeth Gillies, won a Feature Platform Presentation award for his research on polymeric drug delivery systems for the intra-articular treatment of osteoarthritis. Michael Lavdas, MESc, won the Poster Award for the "Detection, screening and diagnosis of health and disease" category. Michael is supervised by Drs. Matthew Teeter, David Holdsworth and Brent Lanting.
Innovative ACEB on track to achieve LEED platinum certification
Business Elite Canada , May 07, 2019Through a combination of new innovative and collaborative learning spaces for students, to the building’s sustainable features, to new program offerings, the Amit Chakma Engineering Building establishes Western University and its Faculty of Engineering as a leader both nationally and globally.
BME students thrived at Imaging Network Ontario Symposium
April 30, 2019
Mahsa Bataghva won first place in the Poster Awards category; Jessica Rodgers and Hui Wang were honourable mentions. Seva Ioussoufovitch was an honourable mention in the Oral Awards category. Congratulations Masha, Jessica, Hui, and Seva!
Professor Jun Yang honoured for Excellence in Research
April 29, 2019
Yang is an established researcher in additive manufacturing, printed electronics and advanced materials. He also played a major role in the successful submission of an Interdisciplinary Development Initiative to develop an Industry 4.0 Network at Western.
Three students represent BME at Western Top 20 Finals
School of Biomedical Engineering , April 12, 2019
Three biomedical engineering students earned Western's Top 20 finalists spots through their engaging, concise, and creative presentations.
Award-winning imaging technology promising for clinical use
School of Biomedical Engineering , April 10, 2019
Jessica Rodgers' 3D transvaginal ultrasound technology has been recognized for its clinical application potential. She was awarded first place in the Young Investigators Symposium at the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Spring Clinical Meeting.
New valve gets to heart of implant issue via design
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Western News , April 03, 2019
A team including Biomedical Engineering faculty member Kibret Mequanint has developed a next-generation heart valve that may provide patients with a safer, longer-lasting implant alternative.
Hareem Nissar wins best poster at SPIE Medical Imaging conference
School of Biomedical Engineering , March 14, 2019
Congratulations Hareem Nissar, PhD Biomedical Engineering student, for winning best poster award at the SPIE Medical Imaging conference in the Image-Guided Procedures, Robotic Interventions, and Modelling category!
Innovation puts charge in smart knee implants
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Western News ,Western News , January 31, 2019
An international research team, including BME faculty member Ryan Willing, has solved one problem with cutting-edge smart knee implants by developing a novel technique that harnesses friction from an individual’s own movements to charge the implant.
Two Biomedical Engineering researchers named Canada Research Chairs
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Western News , November 15, 2018
Professors Ali Khan and Rajni Patel have been named Canada Research Chairs by the Minister of Science and Sport in Computational Neuroimaging, and Advanced Robotics and Control, respectively.
Professor Elizabeth Gillies elected to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists
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Western News , September 10, 2018
College membership represents the emerging generation of scholarly, scientific and artistic leadership in Canada. Gillies has been recognized for her innovative research with degradable polymers.
Alumni get AHead of the curve with simulations startup
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Western Engineering News , July 19, 2018What started out as a fourth-year undergraduate project is now a fully developed medtech startup, AHead Simulations.
Corey Baron receives Petro-Canada Young Innovator
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Research Western , July 04, 2018Congratulations to Robarts scientist Corey Baron, PhD, on receiving a 2018 Petro-Canada Young Innovator award.
Future Focused: What's next for Western Engineering?
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Western Engineering News , July 03, 2018Western Engineering is gearing up for an exciting year of new initiatives and opportunities for its students.
Grant backs work offering tremor relief
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Western News , June 24, 2018Imagine not being able to brush your teeth, button your shirt or even lift a book to read. For the millions suffering the effects of Parkinson's Disease, these simple tasks can be an arduous endeavour.
Grant fuels work into chronic wound care
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Western News , June 22, 2018Douglas Hamilton anticipates the day when people with vascular disease (such as diabetes) will no longer fear that a simple wound will lead to horrible outcomes.
Professor Kibret Mequanint honoured for Excellence in Research
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Western Engineering News , May 08, 2018Each year, Western Engineering presents a faculty member with the Engineering Award for Excellence in Research to recognize their outstanding research contributions.
Professor Elizabeth Gillies honoured for Excellence in Teaching
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Western Engineering News , May 02, 2018Chemical and Biochemical Engineering professor Elizabeth Gillies is this year's recipient of the R. Mohan Mathur Award for Excellence in Teaching.
New Fellow stands among his heroes
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Western News , April 12, 2018Kibret Mequanint now counts his heroes among his peers. And he could not be more excited.
Five BME students head to 3MT finals
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Western Engineering News , April 03, 2018The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition is a series of three-minute talks by Western University graduate students who discuss their exciting research and creative activities.
New tech may benefit Parkinson's Sufferers
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Western News , March 02, 2018A new prototype for wearable tremor suppression gloves has a team of Western researchers believing real change is on the way for the more than six million people in the world afflicted by Parkinson's disease.
Engineering a solution for brain trauma
February 01, 2018
Haojie Mao is working to understand traumatic brain injury (TBI) through collaborations with Western neuroscientists and neurobiologists. And those researchers are looking to crack the brain-injury code with help from Mao, a world-class engineer.
Device helps correct atrial fibrillation
January 25, 2018
A patient with an irregular heartbeat often requires multiple hospital visits and procedures, called catheter ablation treatments, to restore the heart to good health. One Western Biomedical Engineering PhD student, however, is using robotics to change that to a 'one-and-done' procedure.
Mai Elfarnawany research paper
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ScienceDirect , October 02, 2017Mai Elfarnawany's research paper "Improved middle-ear soft-tissue visualization using sychrotron radiation phase-contrast imaging was published with ScienceDirect.
Louis Ferreira receives Ontario Early Researcher Award
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Western News , June 07, 2017Five up-and-coming Western researchers will share in $700,000 in research funding, thanks to the Early Researcher Awards, all part of a larger $10-million provincial program supporting 77 researchers at 17 institutions across Ontario.
Jim Johnson receives Faculty of Engineering Award for Excellence in Research
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Western Engineering News , April 18, 2017Western Engineering announced recently that Jim Johnson, a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, is this year’s recipient of the Engineering Award for Excellence in Research.
Elizabeth Gillies awarded NSERC E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship
February 08, 2017
Elizabeth Gillies’ development of degradable polymers (plastic) could soon benefit everything from fertilizer used by farmers to cancer drugs administered by physicians.
