Frontiers in Physiology Research Symposium
Frontiers in Physiology (FIP) is the largest annual research symposium in the Department of Physiology at the University of Toronto. Every spring, FIP brings together world-renowned researchers, clinicians, trainees and students from all major Toronto research institutes.The symposium features research conducted by our students and trainees in four research categories: Cardiovascular & Respiratory, Neuroscience, Reproduction & Development, and Endocrine & Diabetes.
This year, FIP will take place online via Zoom. Please refer to Conference Schedule for more information.
This year, FIP will take place online via Zoom. Please refer to Conference Schedule for more information.
Chair's Welcome
On behalf of the Department of Physiology, it gives me great pleasure to welcome everyone to the annual “Frontiers in Physiology (FIP) Research Day” to be held entirely on-line again this year. This Annual Symposium highlights the outstanding research and leadership efforts of our graduate trainees, who have organized and run this event for the past 41 years. Today will showcase the exciting and innovative work conducted by our trainees, who represent the future of Physiology in Canada, and around the world. We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of our graduate cohort and their dedication to science and research, and look forward to a great day of presentations.
It is also my pleasure to welcome Dr. Gina Turrigiano to the Department of Physiology. Dr. Turrigiano is an internationally recognized investigator of Brandeis University, and the Levitan Professor of Vision Science in the Department of Biology. Her work has focused on identifying the cellular and circuit mechanisms that stabilize neural circuit function, especially the discovery and characterization of homeostatic forms of synaptic and intrinsic plasticity. Dr. Turrigiano has received numerous awards for this research, including a MacArthur fellowship, an NIH director’s pioneer award, and the HFSP Nakasone Award. She is a fellow of AAAS and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences.
Lastly, a special thanks and acknowledgement is owed today to Ms. Yasaman Mostafaie and Mr. Xavier Lee, FIP co-Chairs and Vice-Presidents of the Graduate Association of Students in Physiology (GASP). This team has managed to put together an outstanding online program in spite of the many challenges we are all facing at this time. A special thank you also to Ms. Elisabeth Grande, GASP President, and to everyone else who helped make this year’s research day possible.
We hope you enjoy the day. We invite you to take full advantage of this opportunity for cross-platform interaction and collaboration between members of our exceptional scientific community.
Thank you for helping to make this day an enormous success!
Best regards,
Scott P. Heximer
Chair, Department of Physiology
Temerty Faculty of Medicine
University of Toronto
It is also my pleasure to welcome Dr. Gina Turrigiano to the Department of Physiology. Dr. Turrigiano is an internationally recognized investigator of Brandeis University, and the Levitan Professor of Vision Science in the Department of Biology. Her work has focused on identifying the cellular and circuit mechanisms that stabilize neural circuit function, especially the discovery and characterization of homeostatic forms of synaptic and intrinsic plasticity. Dr. Turrigiano has received numerous awards for this research, including a MacArthur fellowship, an NIH director’s pioneer award, and the HFSP Nakasone Award. She is a fellow of AAAS and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences.
Lastly, a special thanks and acknowledgement is owed today to Ms. Yasaman Mostafaie and Mr. Xavier Lee, FIP co-Chairs and Vice-Presidents of the Graduate Association of Students in Physiology (GASP). This team has managed to put together an outstanding online program in spite of the many challenges we are all facing at this time. A special thank you also to Ms. Elisabeth Grande, GASP President, and to everyone else who helped make this year’s research day possible.
We hope you enjoy the day. We invite you to take full advantage of this opportunity for cross-platform interaction and collaboration between members of our exceptional scientific community.
Thank you for helping to make this day an enormous success!
Best regards,
Scott P. Heximer
Chair, Department of Physiology
Temerty Faculty of Medicine
University of Toronto
FIP Planning Committee Chair's Welcome
On behalf of the Graduate Association for Students in Physiology (GASP) and the Frontiers in Physiology Planning Committee, we are excited to present the 41st Annual Frontiers in Physiology (FIP) Research Symposium. It is our great pleasure to once again celebrate the amazing research that has continued to go on in our department despite this global pandemic.
FIP2021 will bring together trainees from all four departmental platforms to showcase their cutting-edge research, while celebrating their diverse achievements across Toronto’s large research community. We hope that this symposium increases intradepartmental awareness of the innovative work being done in our department, and encourages scientific discussion between all presenters and attendees. We are confident that all attendees will benefit from the exchange of scientific ideas as well as the development of new collaborations.
The success of FIP 2021 is dependent on the combined efforts of several individuals and groups. We would like to extend our gratitude to GASP for their involvement in the planning, organizing and running of FIP. Special thanks to our Chair, Dr. Scott Heximer, and the Neuroscience Platform leader, Dr. Steve Prescott, for their help and guidance in planning FIP2021. We are also thankful for the support of the Department of Physiology, and all of the platforms for their contributions to this event. Thank you to the administrative staff, Paula Smellie, Jenny Katsoulakos, and Rosalie Pang, as well as all our trainees who generously volunteered their time to judge abstracts. Finally, we would like to thank our keynote speaker, Dr. Gina Turrigiano and all the presenters for sharing their research, as well as all the attendees for your contribution to scientific discussion. Last but certainly not least, thank you to all our institutional sponsors for their support. Without each and every one of you, FIP2021 would not be possible.
Sincerely,
Xavier Lee and Yasaman Mostafaie
Vice Presidents | Graduate Students Association for Students in Physiology
Co-chairs | FIP Planning Committee
FIP2021 will bring together trainees from all four departmental platforms to showcase their cutting-edge research, while celebrating their diverse achievements across Toronto’s large research community. We hope that this symposium increases intradepartmental awareness of the innovative work being done in our department, and encourages scientific discussion between all presenters and attendees. We are confident that all attendees will benefit from the exchange of scientific ideas as well as the development of new collaborations.
The success of FIP 2021 is dependent on the combined efforts of several individuals and groups. We would like to extend our gratitude to GASP for their involvement in the planning, organizing and running of FIP. Special thanks to our Chair, Dr. Scott Heximer, and the Neuroscience Platform leader, Dr. Steve Prescott, for their help and guidance in planning FIP2021. We are also thankful for the support of the Department of Physiology, and all of the platforms for their contributions to this event. Thank you to the administrative staff, Paula Smellie, Jenny Katsoulakos, and Rosalie Pang, as well as all our trainees who generously volunteered their time to judge abstracts. Finally, we would like to thank our keynote speaker, Dr. Gina Turrigiano and all the presenters for sharing their research, as well as all the attendees for your contribution to scientific discussion. Last but certainly not least, thank you to all our institutional sponsors for their support. Without each and every one of you, FIP2021 would not be possible.
Sincerely,
Xavier Lee and Yasaman Mostafaie
Vice Presidents | Graduate Students Association for Students in Physiology
Co-chairs | FIP Planning Committee