On Thursday, February 19, Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Health & Wellness and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) students from St. John Paul II attended a certification workshop at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). The session was led by Dr. Jason Brown from the Department of Biological Sciences and Taras (Terry) Yavorskyy from UTSC’s Computational Physiology Group (CPG).
Students were introduced to HumMod, described as the most comprehensive integrative mathematical model of human physiology ever created. Designed for Windows, HumMod features more than 10,000 variables that simulate complex, time-dependent interactions across more than 14 organ systems. The platform enables researchers to simulate, analyze, and test therapies for various diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, and is used to create virtual patients to study physiological responses.
Working alongside members of UTSC’s BioSA and CPG teams, students explored HumMod’s functionality and tested its ability to simulate how different situations impact the human body. In some cases, students were able to compare their simulated results with real-life measurements taken while they performed similar exercises in the lab.
Once students became familiar with HumMod, they designed and conducted their own experiments, using the program to generate and analyze data. They then shared their findings with their peers. Throughout the process, students were also encouraged to consider the ethics of computer-based testing and the important factors that must be addressed when conducting experiments using simulation models.
Thank you to UTSC’s BioSA and CPG teams for hosting our students and supporting this engaging learning experience. A special shout-out to our TCDSB alumni who helped make this opportunity possible. We look forward to building on this partnership and providing future students with opportunities to learn more about HumMod and the innovative work taking place in this field.
