Staff vitreoretinal surgeon at St. Michael’s Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children, and the Kensington Eye Institute. Vice-Chair of Clinical Research in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Toronto.
Assistant Professor at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto and an Investigator at Unity Health Toronto.
Tyler Hornsby, a former iBEST trainee, completed both his MSc and PhD studies while training in iBEST’s interdisciplinary, collaborative research environment. During his graduate studies, Tyler developed expertise at the intersection of medical physics, nanotechnology, and biomedical ultrasound, preparing him for a career that combines both patient-focused clinical work and academic research. Following his time at iBEST, he completed a Radiation Oncology Physics Residency program through McGill University before recently securing a faculty position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Duke University Hospital.
Reflecting on his experience at iBEST, Tyler shared:
“iBEST provided a collaborative research environment, which prepared me well for the combination of clinical and research work seen at academic cancer centers.”
Tyler now works at Duke University Hospital as a Clinical Medical Physicist on the
brachytherapy team, where he supports advanced gynecological brachytherapy, low
dose rate eye plaque treatments, and intraoperative radiation therapy, while continuing his research in radiation oncology and medical physics. His research work focuses on advancing radiation therapy treatment planning workflows, enhancing CT image quality and quality assurance, and ultrasound-guided radiation therapy, contributing to the development and advancement of cancer treatment technologies within an academic hospital setting.
Source: TMU FEAS Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Are you a former iBEST trainee or affiliate? We’d love to stay in touch! Please register through our Alumni Formor share it with past iBEST members.
Have an alumni success story to share? Contact us at ibest@torontomu.ca.
This term, iBEST welcomed over 150 high school students from across the GTA through the SciXchange outreach program at Toronto Metropolitan University. Participating schools included A.R.S. Armenian Private School, Jarvis Collegiate Institute, Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, St. Jean de Brebeuf, and Bishop Reding HCDSB. The tours were led by iBEST trainees Michael Nguyen, Mahshid Yaali, Daron Savaya, Sharon Binstock, and Kangni Zou, who developed and delivered engaging, hands-on activities introducing students to real-world research environments and pathways into STEM and graduate studies. We sincerely thank the trainee volunteers for their time, dedication, and commitment to making these experiences meaningful and inspiring for visiting students.
Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with hands-on components consistently highlighted as a key strength of the experience. Lab tours for high school students are an important outreach activity, helping to build early awareness of research careers by exposing students to active research environments. For trainees, these tours also provide valuable professional development opportunities, including strengthening leadership and public-speaking skills while showcasing the research conducted in their labs.
The iBEST Women in STEM Summer Internship Program, supported by the Leacross Foundation, is excited to welcome its fifth cohort of trainees for Summer 2026. The program provides female-identifying undergraduate students from Toronto Metropolitan University’s Faculties of Science, Engineering, and Architectural Science with hands-on research experience in interdisciplinary healthcare and innovation environments, while fostering the technical and professional skills needed for careers in STEM.
Among the cohort is Aswah Butt, a Computer Science student working with Dr. Glaucia Melo and Dr. Benita Hosseini on evaluating how large language models interpret and communicate health-related data. Yustyna Hankevych, a Biomedical Sciences student, will be contributing to research with Dr. Darius Rackus and Dr. Rajeev Muni focused on optimizing ophthalmology point-of-care sensors for biomarker detection. Catherine Arguello will work with Dr. Marc Adler and Dr. Warren Lee to track deuterated cholesterol transport using Raman spectroscopy to better understand cardiovascular disease mechanisms. At the same time, Saarah Erfany will collaborate with Dr. Naimul Khan and Dr. Jane Topolevec-Vranic to help develop an AI-driven digital patient care assessment platform.
The cohort recently participated in a tour of the CRAFT Lab, where they were introduced to advanced research technologies and ongoing projects. The visit provided students with an opportunity to connect with scientists, learn about translational research environments, and further explore the intersection of engineering, medicine, and healthcare innovation.
In addition to their research placements, trainees will participate in mentorship and professional development programming designed to support their growth as emerging leaders in STEM. As iBEST and the Leacross Foundation continue this partnership into its fifth year, the program remains committed to empowering the next generation of women in science, engineering, and healthcare innovation.
iBEST recently hosted a Trainee Advisory Group (TAG) Breakfast, bringing together students across the iBEST network for an open discussion focused on trainee experiences, professional development, and community building. The event created an opportunity for trainees to share feedback, connect with peers across research groups, and discuss ways to strengthen collaboration and engagement within the iBEST community.
Throughout the discussion, trainees expressed strong interest in increased networking opportunities, particularly with industry professionals and students from different lab groups. Participants also highlighted the value of more hands-on workshops focused on areas such as academic writing, research strategies, networking skills, and career exploration beyond academia, including pathways in medical affairs, regulatory affairs, and medical communications.
The session also emphasized the importance of building stronger peer-to-peer connections through informal discussion groups, collaborative learning spaces, and smaller networking events designed to foster a more connected and supportive trainee community.
The feedback gathered during the breakfast will help guide future trainee programming and reinforce iBEST’s ongoing commitment to supporting trainee development, collaboration, and mentorship across its interdisciplinary research network. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please reach out to TAG directly at tagibest@torontomu.ca. Trainees interested in staying connected, sharing ideas, and participating in ongoing discussions are also encouraged to join the iBEST Trainee Discord community.
Dr. Nicholas Simard wins this year's 5 Minute Research Talk
Congratulations to Dr. Nicholas Simard, postdoctoral researcher at TMU FEAS Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, for winning this year’s 5 Minute Research Talk (5MRT) competition. He delivered an engaging TED-style talk competing with 25 researchers, highlighting his work in multimodal medical imaging and machine learning approaches that translate CT scans into MRI-level insights to improve stroke diagnosis and care. Read More
Dr. Dafna Sussman is using AI to speed up endometriosis diagnosis in Canada.
TMU professor Dr. Dafna Sussman, PhD, PEng, is leading efforts to improve endometriosis diagnosis through DANA, an AI-powered app designed to identify the disease earlier and connect patients with specialist care faster. Supported by a $5M investment, the initiative aims to address the long delays many patients face in receiving a diagnosis. Read More
Dr. Sridhar Krishnan’s Team Creates Wireless Neonatal Heart Monitoring System
TMU researcher Dr. Sridhar Krishnan, dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, is leading the development of the infant Heart Rate Detector (iHRD), a wireless device designed to measure a newborn’s heart rate within seconds during critical emergencies. The technology aims to support faster and more effective neonatal care during the crucial first moments after birth. Read More
TMU Researcher Kim Connelly Receives Heart & Stroke Grant to Advance Heart Failure Research
Dr. Kim Connelly is advancing regenerative medicine research aimed at helping damaged heart tissue repair itself after heart attacks and heart disease. Through an innovative clinical trial, the team is exploring how modified patient-derived cells could restore heart function and potentially transform treatment options for heart failure. Read More
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Morris I.S., Bihari S., Goligher E.C., Brochard L., Hodgson C., Saxena M., Serpa Neto A., Telias I. Monitoring respiratory effort during invasive mechanical ventilation: a multinational survey of clinical practice
(2026) Intensive Care Medicine, 52 (3), pp. 596 - 598, Cited 0 times.
Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Technology, 209 Victoria Street, Li Ka-Shing Knowledge Institute, 7th Floor, LKS 735, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada
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