Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
York Region Council Approves $25M to Support York University's School of Medicine
TORONTO, Ontario, Nov. 29 -- York University issued the following news release:
* * *
York Region Council approves $25M to support York University's new School of Medicine
By Yanni Dagonas
York University welcomes York Region's decision to make a significant contribution of $25 million to support the new School of Medicine set to open to students in 2028.
The $25 million commitment will help fund the physical infrastructure and development of the School of Medicine, which will be built in the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct, alongside the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital.
"On behalf of York
... Show Full Article
TORONTO, Ontario, Nov. 29 -- York University issued the following news release:
* * *
York Region Council approves $25M to support York University's new School of Medicine
By Yanni Dagonas
York University welcomes York Region's decision to make a significant contribution of $25 million to support the new School of Medicine set to open to students in 2028.
The $25 million commitment will help fund the physical infrastructure and development of the School of Medicine, which will be built in the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct, alongside the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital.
"On behalf of YorkUniversity, I want to express my deepest gratitude to York Regional Council members and Chairman Jolliffe for this extraordinary investment in the future of health care," said Rhonda Lenton president & vice-chancellor, York University. "Your commitment of up to $25 million for York's new School of Medicine in the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct will help us train the next generation of primary care physicians where they are needed most. This partnership reflects our shared vision to improve health outcomes, strengthen community well being, and build a resilient regional economy. Together, we are creating a model of integrated education and care that will serve York Region and Ontario for generations to come."
This significant milestone represents ongoing positive momentum as the University ramps up work to engage local physicians, collaborate with health care and tech sector partners in the medical school's future service area such as Mackenzie Health, Oak Valley Health, Southlake Health, and the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI).
"York Region is proud to support this important investment in training future physicians right here in our own community. By contributing $25 million to York University's new School of Medicine, we are helping ensure that families across our communities have better access to the care they need, closer to home. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to strengthening the health and well-being of residents and building a future where everyone in York Region can thrive," said Eric Jolliffe, York Region Chairman and CEO.
York Region's contribution builds on existing commitments from the Government of Ontario to fund the startup costs associated with establishing the medical school. The land for the new building has been generously donated by the City of Vaughan. Together, these commitments strengthen momentum for the medical school, which is a much-needed part of the Ontario government's expansion of medical education designed to address local physician shortages, enhance access to primary care, and support a long-term, sustainable health-care system.
* * *
About the York University School of Medicine
The York University School of Medicine will be explicitly structured around a community-based primary care model, emphasizing inter-professional collaboration, equity, and patient-centred practice. Its location within the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct -- next to Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital -- will facilitate strong connections between clinical training, research, and community health services.
* * *
About York University
York University is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. York's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. York's campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs, while at the Markham Campus, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship, and industry collaboration are built into every program. York's new School of Medicine, the first Canadian medical school to focus on community-based primary health-care education, will welcome its first cohort in September 2028.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.yorku.ca/news/2025/11/28/york-region-council-approves-25m-to-support-york-universitys-new-school-of-medicine/
University of Northern British Columbia: Name for Research Studio Honours Lheidli T'enneh Elder Edith (Edie) Frederick
PRINCE GEORGE, British Columbia, Nov. 29 -- The University of Northern British Columbia issued the following news release:
* * *
New name for research studio honours Lheidli T'enneh Elder Edith (Edie) Frederick
A special ceremony was held to recognize and honour the late Elder's profound impact on language preservation and revitalization, cultural learning and community connection at UNBC.
*
The First Nations Centre Research Studio at the University of Northern British Columbia has been re-named after the late Edith (Edie) Frederick, a beloved and respected Lheidli T'enneh Elder whose passion
... Show Full Article
PRINCE GEORGE, British Columbia, Nov. 29 -- The University of Northern British Columbia issued the following news release:
* * *
New name for research studio honours Lheidli T'enneh Elder Edith (Edie) Frederick
A special ceremony was held to recognize and honour the late Elder's profound impact on language preservation and revitalization, cultural learning and community connection at UNBC.
*
The First Nations Centre Research Studio at the University of Northern British Columbia has been re-named after the late Edith (Edie) Frederick, a beloved and respected Lheidli T'enneh Elder whose passionfor preserving the Dakelh (Carrier) language and culture has left a lasting imprint on UNBC.
Family members of Edie Frederick joined with members of the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation and students, faculty and staff at UNBC's Prince George campus on Nov. 24 for a ribbon-cutting in the Edie Frederick Indigenous Research Studio, to celebrate her impactful contributions to the University and broader community.
"It is so special to see this space named in honour of my mother," said Jason Frederick, speaking on behalf of the Frederick family. "She cared deeply about sharing language, stories and traditional skills so others could learn them. This studio will continue that spirit of connection, learning and cultural exchange."
As UNBC's first Elder in Residence, Edie supported countless students, faculty and staff in learning from Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of being.
"Edie was a teacher, a language keeper and a bridge between generations," said Lheidli T'enneh First Nation Chief Dolleen Logan. "She helped ensure that Dakelh culture and knowledge have a place at UNBC. This re-naming honours not only Edie's memory, but also our shared responsibility to carry her teachings forward."
The Lheidli T'enneh Elder's leadership and wisdom helped shape UNBC's efforts to meaningfully enact Reconciliation and advance Indigenization across the Prince George campus.
Among her many contributions, Edie was played a central role in providing Dakelh translations and names for the University and important campus spaces. She was part of the group that offered the Dakelh name for the University of Northern British Columbia -- Nizdeh Nekeyoh Hohudel'eh Baiyoh (House of Learning) -- and she personally chose the name Tseba (by the fire) for The Firepit in the Agora Courtyard.
"Through sharing her passion for language and culture preservation and revitalization, Edie's contributions are woven into the fabric of the campus," said UNBC Interim President Dr. Bill Owen. "Her guidance and generosity of spirit will have a lasting impact on the University community. This space stands as a tribute to her profound contributions and the values she embodied."
Edie's commitment to experiential learning was equally profound. Through courses co-taught with other knowledge holders, she fostered hands-on engagement with cultural practices and deep respect for the land and its teachings. In addition to helping students construct a traditional Dakelh pit house, she worked side by side with her husband Robert Frederick to offer students the unique opportunity to build a cottonwood dugout canoe.
"The studio embodies the kind of space Edie helped cultivate - one grounded in respect, reciprocity and community," said UNBC Interim Associate Vice-President Indigenous Penina Sara-Lynn Harding. "The Edie Frederick Indigenous Research Studio is a small way to acknowledge her lasting legacy at the First Nations Centre and UNBC."
An engraved wooden plaque highlighting some of Edie's many contributions will remain on display in the studio alongside her portrait.
UNBC held another special event on Nov. 25 to unveil a plaque honouring the late Sophie Thomas in Lhuhuhwhezdel: The Gathering Place. A prominent knowledge keeper and medicine woman from the Saik'uz First Nation, the plaque was mounted beneath her portrait which has long graced the space. Sophie was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree posthumously from UNBC in May 2010.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.unbc.ca/our-stories/story/new-name-research-studio-honours-lheidli-tenneh-elder-edith-edie-frederick
University of Birmingham: Invisible Again - Unpaid Carers and Disabled People are Absent From the Budget
BIRMINGHAM, England, Nov. 29 -- The University of Birmingham issued the following news:
* * *
Invisible Again: Unpaid Carers and Disabled People are Absent from the Budget
CHASM Researcher Dr. Maxine Watkins and Charlie Gosset (University of Sheffield) respond to the Budget, questioning its omission of carers and disabled people.
*
Following extensive media briefings, the Autumn Budget statement, delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on 26 November 2025, was a defining moment for this government's economic strategy. With a budget shortfall estimated at between pound sterling20 billion and
... Show Full Article
BIRMINGHAM, England, Nov. 29 -- The University of Birmingham issued the following news:
* * *
Invisible Again: Unpaid Carers and Disabled People are Absent from the Budget
CHASM Researcher Dr. Maxine Watkins and Charlie Gosset (University of Sheffield) respond to the Budget, questioning its omission of carers and disabled people.
*
Following extensive media briefings, the Autumn Budget statement, delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on 26 November 2025, was a defining moment for this government's economic strategy. With a budget shortfall estimated at between pound sterling20 billion andpound sterling40 billion, the Chancellor's statement was always going to be an attempt to balance the competing pressures of self-imposed fiscal rules, growth ambitions, and the increasing need for investment in public services. In this context, the decision to remove the two-child benefit cap that could lift 350,000 children out of poverty came as a welcome (though not unexpected) announcement. For those who provide or receive care, however, the budget offered no such measures to celebrate. As Ed Davey noted in Parliament on the day of the Autumn Budget:
* * *
"There was little for carers in this budget... carers who keep our NHS going, carers who keep our society going. They deserve far more support from their government."
- Ed Davey, House of Commons Chamber, 26.11.25.
* * *
His comments reflect the deep frustration shared by many, that unpaid carers remain overlooked despite their vital contributions. High living costs continue to erode already fragile household budgets, while the demands of caring intensify as health and social care systems strain under pressure. Without additional financial support or investment in social and respite services, carers face heightened risk of burnout, increased isolation and increasing financial strain.
While this week's Carers Allowance Review has been welcomed, it was disappointing that the Chancellor offered no new policy measures specifically targeted at carers, nor any further reforms to Carer's Allowance or the related system of financial and social support. The Centre for Care had been cautiously optimistic that the government might build on last year's modest but important step of raising the Carer's Allowance weekly earnings threshold from pound sterling151 to pound sterling196 from April 2025; a policy change that has given many carers the ability to earn a little more without losing vital financial support. The absence of new measures will represent a profound disappointment to the millions of people who provide unpaid care for loved ones across the UK.
A new social contract for unpaid carers
The Centre for Care has previously called for a new social contract for unpaid carers, with a national carers strategy to include long term, sustainable investment to address the crisis in access to social care, and support for carers' incomes and financial wellbeing. Even modest interventions could have included a further increase in the Carers Allowance earnings threshold, a taper system to prevent sudden loss of entitlement, or recognition of carers within broader cost-of-living measures. None of these materialised.
Any new social contract must also recognise that disabled people are at the sharpest edge of the cost-of-living crisis. Disabled households face some of the highest rates of poverty in the UK, and need substantially more financial support to afford the same standard of living as non-disabled households. Higher energy costs, the need to run medical equipment, and the cost of accessible transport, mean that disabled people face extra unavoidable expenses. Cold homes and inadequate nutrition worsen health conditions and increase long-term healthcare costs, creating a vicious cycle of deprivation that seems to have no end. Yet many disabled people report having to choose between heating, food or running essential medical equipment, or relying on food banks to survive; recent survey data suggests that 64% are making these impossible choices, and 68% say financial pressure is harming their mental health.
Invisible again
Despite this, for disabled people in the UK, many of whom are unpaid carers themselves, the budget offered almost no recognition for potential support. The budget contains no targeted measures to address rising food and energy poverty, or commitments to safeguard schemes that disabled people rely on to travel to medical appointments and to remain independent.
At the same time, proposed reforms to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - which remain paused rather than abandoned - and the Motability scheme threaten to strip away vital support; they risk making accessible transport unaffordable, deepening isolation, and undermining disabled people's ability to work, care or even meet basic needs. A genuinely inclusive social contract must protect disability benefits, guarantee accessible transport, and ensure disability and carer voices are central to reform. Instead, the budget provided no targeted support to help disabled households keep warm, stay mobile or power essential equipment.
In the end, the Autumn Budget 2025 will have left disabled people and unpaid carers feeling invisible and unheard once again. Unpaid carers will undoubtedly continue to shoulder their responsibilities with resilience and compassion. Yet the lack of recognition in this budget fails to reform a social care system that depends on unpaid labour while offering little in return. The Chancellor made a political decision to prioritise what she believes will deliver growth, rather than focusing on the broader health and wellbeing of the citizens in this country.
Rachel Reeves may argue that hard choices had to be made, but the cost of overlooking carers will be measured not just in economic terms, but in the health, well-being, and dignity of those who provide, and those who rely on, unpaid care. A fair budget would recognise that disabled people and unpaid carers are central to the social and economic fabric of the UK. Neglecting them is not just a policy omission, it is a political choice that undermines any commitment to social justice.
Dr Maxine Watkins is a qualitative researcher who joined CHASM in July 2021. She is currently working with the Centre for Care on a project that explores the decisions that family (unpaid) carers make in relation to caring responsibilities and employment, to understand the short and longer term impacts on their financial wellbeing.
Charlie Gosset is a PhD student at the University of Sheffield, researching Critical Disability Studies, Social Policy, and Care. Their PhD explores the experiences of disabled people who are family carers, using biographical life interviews and creative qualitative methods to highlight disabled people's care work, interdependent care, and the impact of austerity and ableist social care systems.
* * *
Towards a New Economics of Care
* Professor Gwilym Pryce from the Centre for Care is delivering this year's CHASM Annual Christmas Lecture: 'Towards a New Economics of Care', exploring the striking and persistent absence of economic research on care and offering an alternative. Find out more and register here: Towards a New Economics of Care (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/chasm-annual-lecture-2025-towards-a-new-economics-of-care)
* * *
Original text here: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/invisible-again-unpaid-carers-and-disabled-people-are-absent-from-the-budget
Technical University of Munich: International Award for Assistive Technology
MUNICH, Germany, Nov. 29 -- The Technical University of Munich issued the following news:
* * *
International award for assistive technology
First place for TUM team at iCANX in Hong Kong
*
With their interactive glasses for people who are deaf, the student team Sonovision won first prize at the international innovation competition iCANX in Hong Kong. The glasses transcribe conversations and provide visual alerts to potential danger - and could sustainably change the everyday lives of people with hearing impairments.
As third place and then second place are awarded at the iCANX ceremony in
... Show Full Article
MUNICH, Germany, Nov. 29 -- The Technical University of Munich issued the following news:
* * *
International award for assistive technology
First place for TUM team at iCANX in Hong Kong
*
With their interactive glasses for people who are deaf, the student team Sonovision won first prize at the international innovation competition iCANX in Hong Kong. The glasses transcribe conversations and provide visual alerts to potential danger - and could sustainably change the everyday lives of people with hearing impairments.
As third place and then second place are awarded at the iCANX ceremony inHong Kong, the name Sonovision has still not been called. The three team members - Dragan Raseta, Paula Ruhwandl, and Daniel Martin - are unsure whether to hope or to doubt. "In that moment, it is clear: either we receive no prize at all, or we get first place," recalls Dragan Raseta, who is responsible for Sonovision's hardware. A few seconds later, the name of their project is announced. First comes relief, then celebration - it is the moment in which months of work turn into international success.
Glasses against invisible barriers
The origins of Sonovision lie in a simple question: in which everyday situations do people encounter barriers that could be reduced with the help of sensors and microsystems? When their advisor, Dr. Yushen Zhang, draws the team's attention to the COSIMA competition (Competition of Students in Microsystems Applications), an intensive research phase begins. "We wanted to develop an idea that truly adds value in everyday life," emphasizes Daniel Martin. The business informatics student is responsible for Sonovision's software. Soon, one group comes into focus whose challenges are often overlooked: "We realized that people with hearing impairments cannot perceive many everyday dangers because acoustic warning signals are missing or difficult to detect."
This realization leads to the idea of visualizing acoustic signals -- directly in the wearer's field of vision. Today, the glasses transcribe spoken language in real time and display it. At the same time, microphones analyze the surroundings and provide direction-based warnings of potential danger. "If, for example, a car is approaching from behind on the right, an LED lights up on the right side of the glasses frame and a warning appears in the display," explains Paula Ruhwandl, who is responsible for organization and public relations. The project is supported by the Friends of TUM association as well as the Chair of Electronic Design Automation under the direction of Ulf Schlichtmann.
From an early stage, the team speaks with people with hearing impairments and collects feedback at presentations -- including individuals outside the originally intended target group. On this basis, the students develop an initial prototype, which they enter into the COSIMA competition. The team convinces the twelve-member jury and qualifies for participation in iCANX.
From prototype to startup vision
The road to Hong Kong is not entirely smooth. Time and again, the technology does not work as planned; components have to be replaced and solutions rethought. "Especially at the beginning, we couldn't get our ideas to work the way we wanted," says Paula Ruhwandl. Preparing the presentation together also proves to be a challenge: in the months leading up to the competition, the three live on different continents and only see each other again on site.
Yet their commitment pays off. The jury honors Sonovision not least for the social impact of its innovative glasses. "Many of the other projects were technically very interesting, but either had no clear everyday benefit or did not stand out sufficiently from existing solutions," explains Martin.
As a next step, the students plan to miniaturize the hardware to make it even easier and more discreet to use in everyday life. They also plan to optimize the software and its recognition algorithms so that the system can respond even more quickly and accurately. Further testing with people with hearing impairments is particularly important to them: "We want to find out which functions help them the most and what we should improve based on their feedback," says Raseta.
"In the long term, we would like to explore potential partnerships with companies and research groups as well," adds Martin. "This will allow us to see whether Sonovision can develop from a student project into a market-ready product and perhaps even form the basis for a future startup."
* * *
Original text here: https://www.tum.de/en/news-and-events/all-news/press-releases/details/first-place-for-tum-team-at-icanx-in-hong-kong
TUM IDEAward for Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Teams
MUNICH, Germany, Nov. 29 -- The Technical University of Munich issued the following news:
* * *
Start-up ideas from research
TUM IDEAward for biotechnology and nanotechnology teams
*
A filtration technology for volatile organic compounds, a stable source of terahertz radiation and an edible coating that extends the shelf life of fruit and vegetables - three research teams have been honored with the TUM IDEAward for these pioneering start-up ideas. They will now receive intensive support as they work toward founding their companies.
Which ideas can be turned into successful products? What
... Show Full Article
MUNICH, Germany, Nov. 29 -- The Technical University of Munich issued the following news:
* * *
Start-up ideas from research
TUM IDEAward for biotechnology and nanotechnology teams
*
A filtration technology for volatile organic compounds, a stable source of terahertz radiation and an edible coating that extends the shelf life of fruit and vegetables - three research teams have been honored with the TUM IDEAward for these pioneering start-up ideas. They will now receive intensive support as they work toward founding their companies.
Which ideas can be turned into successful products? Whatstart-up team is addressing the challenges facing society? Which start-up will create sustainable value in the future?
In the final round of the TUM IDEAward, 10 teams aiming to launch start-up companies presented their ideas to the public. The award for the best ideas is granted by the Technical University of Munich (TUM), UnternehmerTUM, the Center for Innovation and Business Creation, and the Zeidler Research Foundation, which provides a total of 37,500 Euros in prize money. The winners also receive individual coaching from TUM Start-up Consulting up to the time of market launch.
First place: Verdira Biotech
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are used in numerous industrial products, such as paints, adhesives, solvents, furniture and fuels. If they are released into the air in large quantities, they can pose a risk to health and the environment. For product manufacturers, this means both a great responsibility and significant economic efforts to ensure safe production processes. The Verdira Biotech team is therefore developing an efficient bio-based filtration technology that can capture escaping volatile organic compounds and degrades them into harmless substances. The technology and business idea are based on research conducted by the Chair of Chemistry of Biogenic Resources at the TUM Campus Straubing and expertise from the Chair of Technology and Innovation Management.
Second place: FIRsense
Terahertz radiation is located between microwaves and the infrared range in the electromagnetic spectrum. For a long time, it could hardly be used because it was not possible to construct continuous, compact and cost-effective sources - the problem became known as the terahertz gap. The FIRsense team at the Walter Schottky Institute has now developed such a terahertz radiation source, which uses a nanotechnologically manufactured surface. The technology is intended to be used for measuring gases, non-destructive testing and chemical analysis, among other applications.
Third place: ARPOSO Biotech
Every year, tons of spoiled fruit and vegetables and tons of plastic packaging are thrown away. The team at ARPOSO Biotech has therefore developed a coating that is designed to extend the shelf life of fruit and vegetables many times over. It is made from agricultural by-products, is edible and is water-soluble. In a next step, the team, which comes from the Chair of Brewing and Beverage Technology, wants to offer the preservation technology for flowers, meat, fish and dairy products as well.
Further information and links
The innovation ecosystem with TUM at its center is considered one of the most successful deeptech hubs in Europe. Its particular strengths are its strong, diverse network and extremely specific support. In initiatives and co-labs, start-ups work on innovations with established companies, experts, investors and administration. The TUM Venture Labs offer direct access to cutting-edge research, technical infrastructure and market expertise in twelve fields of technology. Most recently, more than 100 companies were founded at TUM in one year and more than 1,100 start-up teams were supported by UnternehmerTUM and the Venture Labs. UnternehmerTUM, which invests with its own venture capital fund, has twice been voted Europe's best start-up center by the Financial Times.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.tum.de/en/news-and-events/all-news/press-releases/details/tum-ideaward-for-biotechnology-and-nanotechnology-teams
McGill University: Scientists Decode the Full Range of Oat Genomes, Opening the Door to More Nutritious, Climate-smart Crops
MONTREAL, Quebec, Nov. 29 (TNSjou) -- McGill University issued the following news release:
* * *
Scientists decode the full range of oat genomes, opening the door to more nutritious, climate-smart crops
Complexity of the oat's DNA has long resisted detailed study; this first-ever oat pangenome was built by an international consortium that included researchers at McGill's Macdonald Campus
*
Researchers have cracked one of agriculture's most complicated genomes, revealing long-hidden DNA rearrangements that could help scientists breed oats that are more resilient, nutritious and sustainable.
The
... Show Full Article
MONTREAL, Quebec, Nov. 29 (TNSjou) -- McGill University issued the following news release:
* * *
Scientists decode the full range of oat genomes, opening the door to more nutritious, climate-smart crops
Complexity of the oat's DNA has long resisted detailed study; this first-ever oat pangenome was built by an international consortium that included researchers at McGill's Macdonald Campus
*
Researchers have cracked one of agriculture's most complicated genomes, revealing long-hidden DNA rearrangements that could help scientists breed oats that are more resilient, nutritious and sustainable.
Thestudy, by an international consortium that included researchers from McGill University and published in Nature, presents the first-ever "pangenome" and "pantranscriptome" of oats. These map all known oat genes and track how they behave across 33 varieties that grow around the world.
Unravelling a sixfold genome
Oats are valued for their heart-healthy fibre and central role in plant-based foods like oat milk. Yet, because the crop carries six sets of every chromosome, a genetic complexity known as hexaploidy, its DNA has long resisted detailed study.
Using advanced sequencing technologies, the PanOat consortium assembled complete genomes for 33 wild and domesticated oat lines and analyzed gene activity in six plant tissues, from roots to grains. The resulting genetic atlas shows how oats "compensate" for missing or inactive genes by increasing activity in related ones. This adaptation helps maintain yield and stability despite their intricate DNA structure.
Clues from the past, tools for the future
The team also uncovered large chromosomal inversions and translocations that influence key traits such as flowering time, plant height, and yield. Remarkably, some of these genetic changes trace back to mid-20th-century "mutation breeding," when radiation was used to accelerate crop improvement. Those changes, the researchers found, persist in oat varieties today.
"This is a major leap for oat genomics," said Jaswinder Singh, professor of plant science at McGill and co-author of the study. We now understand how structural changes in oat DNA continue to shape modern varieties and how that knowledge can drive the next generation of climate-smart crops." Mehtab Singh, a PhD student in Professor Singh's lab who collaborated on the research, is now hoping to develop a new oat that is adapted to Canadian climate window using the resources developed in this study.
McGill researchers sequenced the genome of Park, an oat variety prized for its ability to be genetically transformed. That breakthrough opens the door for precision breeding and gene-editing using tools like CRISPR to improve nutrition, yield and resilience, said Rajvinder Kaur, a research associate in Professor Singh's lab and plant transformation expert.
"The Park genome is a gateway to fine-tuning traits that matter most to farmers and consumers," Singh said. "It allows us to engineer oats that thrive in a changing climate."
A new era for oat research
Beyond its impact on crop science, the oat pangenome will help breeders worldwide develop more sustainable, productive and nutritious oats, said Zhou Zhou, another contributor from McGill University, now a professor at Purdue University.
"Oats have always been good for people," Singh added. "Now, with this genetic roadmap, we can make them even better for the planet."
About the study
A pangenome and pantranscriptome of hexaploid oat by Raz Avni et al, was published in Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09676-7
This research was supported by multiple international funding sources, with the McGill component funded by Genome Quebec in collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Ottawa.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.mcgill.ca/channels/channels/news/scientists-decode-full-range-oat-genomes-opening-door-more-nutritious-climate-smart-crops-369327
Lighting the way in biophotonics
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Nov. 29 -- The Texas A&M University College of Engineering issued the following news:
* * *
Lighting the way in biophotonics
*
The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University is expanding its biophotonics faculty group by welcoming two new assistant professors, Dr. Layla Pires and Dr. Zachary Steelman.
The biophotonics group at Texas A&M University aims to investigate cancer and microbiological control using light-based therapies, including photodynamic (PDT) and sonodynamic reactions (SDT).
"Both offer distinct but complementary strengths," said
... Show Full Article
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Nov. 29 -- The Texas A&M University College of Engineering issued the following news:
* * *
Lighting the way in biophotonics
*
The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University is expanding its biophotonics faculty group by welcoming two new assistant professors, Dr. Layla Pires and Dr. Zachary Steelman.
The biophotonics group at Texas A&M University aims to investigate cancer and microbiological control using light-based therapies, including photodynamic (PDT) and sonodynamic reactions (SDT).
"Both offer distinct but complementary strengths," saidDr. Vanderlei Bagnato, biomedical engineering professor, CPRIT Scholar and lead for the biophotonics group. "Dr. Pires is a specialist in photodynamic therapy and the development of treatment protocols for melanoma. Dr. Steelman has strong expertise in instrumentation and developing advanced diagnostic techniques. Their combined knowledge enhances the group's ability to address challenges in both diagnosis and treatment, with real clinical potential."
According to Bagnato, applying biophotonics enables safer, faster, and more precise medical technologies.
"As we are developing a new research group, it is crucial that our faculty are willing to work on topics that foster cooperation and promote synergy," he said. "That spirit is precisely what Dr. Pires and Dr. Steelman are bringing."
***
Original text here: https://engineering.tamu.edu/news/2025/11/lighting-the-way-in-biophotonics.html
