by Kristen Ashworth, Kyla Trkulja, & Suraiya Mangra

Welcome to our Spring 2025 issue of the IMS Magazine!

In true Canadian fashion, we endured a harsh, snowy winter. I think we can all agree that the arrival of warmer weather is particularly welcomed this year. What follows suit with blooming tulips and a visit from the Easter Bunny, however, is the not-so-desirable–yet just as emblematic–signs and symptoms of spring: sneezing, a runny nose, and unbearably itchy eyes. Ah yes, allergy season. And for those with chronic inflammatory conditions such as eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, and autoimmune disorders, a seasonal shift can further exacerbate inflammation.

In this issue, we put inflammation and allergy under the microscope–something many of the researchers featured here do in a literal sense. We are excited to showcase an exceptional group of IMS faculty members contributing groundbreaking work in the world of inflammatory disorders: Dr. Amanda Boyle, who is investigating the new potential of neuroinflammation as an early diagnostic marker for neurodegenerative disease; Dr. Benjamin Steinberg, who is unlocking the secrets of cell rupture to pave the way for new treatments for inflammation-induced cell death; Dr. Lihi Eder, who is revolutionizing the treatment of inflammatory rheumatic disease through advanced imaging techniques; and, Dr. Andrea Knight, who is reimagining our approach to mental health care for patients with childhood-onset lupus. In the realm of allergy, we highlight the work of Dr. Julia Upton, who is looking beyond avoidance to treat food allergies by identifying predictive and patient-specific allergy markers.

This issue, we are honoured to spotlight Dr. Lisa Robinson, Dean of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Clinician-Scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children. We highlight her innovative research in kidney inflammation and her trailblazing academic and career journey that led to her historic appointment as the second female Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. In addition, our IMS Alumni and Student Spotlights feature Dr. Mikaeel Valli and Stefan Aguiar, both of whom have made a lasting impact on IMS and the community more broadly. Our Viewpoint articles for this issue explore inflammation and allergy as it relates to our world in 2025: the rise of mast-cell instability in the post-COVID-19 era; the growing impact of our climate and environment on immune conditions and aging; and the latest treatments on the verge of breakthrough, including CBD for inflammation, micro-dosing for allergies, and anti-inflammatory eating for longevity.

As always, thank you to our incredible team of journalists, editors, and designers at the IMS Magazine for their hard work and dedication in bringing this issue together. We hope you enjoy the read, and all the rest of the blossoming joy that springtime brings (with some good ol’ antihistamines in the back pocket). 

Sincerely,

Kristen Ashworth

Kristen is a PhD student studying the use of a human-based retinal organoid model to investigate cell therapies for genetic eye disease under the supervision of Dr. Brian Ballios at the Krembil Research Institute.

Twitter: @K_Ashworth01

Kyla Trkulja

Kyla is a PhD candidate studying novel lymphoma therapeutics under the supervision of Dr. John Kuruvilla, Dr. Rob Laister, and Dr. Armand Keating at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

Twitter: @kylatrkulja_

Suraiya Mangra

Suraiya is a 2^nd year MSc student investigating the effects of neuromodulation interventions on brain morphology in patients with neurodegenerative disorders at the Krembil Research Institute under the supervision of Dr. Andres Lozano.