University of Toronto

Temerty Faculty of Medicine S/S 2026

It’s the
unmentionable.
Or is it?

Poop.

It’s not a topic that comes up in polite conversation but there’s gold in what we can learn from it for health.

In this issue: New research is flushing out how the gut microbiome—found in stool—shapes immunity, metabolism, and even mental health; scientists uncover how changes in fecal biomarkers can signal early disease, from colorectal cancer to inflammatory bowel conditions; and emerging therapies turn to stool transplants and microbiota-based treatments to restore health.

Cover Story

Betty Zou

The Power of Poo

What Poo Can Do for You

Hand holding a bio hazard bag with vial of poop.

Feature

Betty Zou

Mystery in a Bottle

I was excited to find out what was living inside my gut

Feature

Erin Howe

Mind Your Gut

Does the ‘second brain’ hold the key to mental health?

Snapshots

Erin Howe

Using Poop to Improve Lives

How does bodily waste get turned into a highly effective therapeutic?

Feature

Sadaf Ahsan

Mistaken Identity

How a hormonal disorder can masquerade as a gut problem

Feature

Heidi Singer

Flush with Insight

Seeking knowledge in the sewers

Feature

Blake Eligh

Science Versus Sales Pitch

Snake oil and the endless scroll

Profile

Lauren Baerg

Living Proof

What it’s like having ulcerative colitis?

Short Takes

Julie Carl

Eliminating Stigma, Promoting Health

Three perspectives on how we can change our views

Alumni Profile

Emma Jones

Ambition Through Compassion

Donor Profile

Heather McCall

Raising the Alarm on Colorectal Cancer

Short Takes

From Intake to Output

From the Archive

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Winter 2026

Standing Up for Science

Cover

Standing Up for Science

Now, more than ever, we must stand up for science

Feature

Betty Zou

Instinct for Integrity

Safeguarding Science in Uncertain Times

Feature

Scott Fotheringham

Fixing a Troubled Peer Review System

With concerns about cost, delays and lack of transparency, some experts are questioning whether the peer review system needs change.

Feature

Erin Howe

Charting a New Course

What if the path you envisioned for yourself ended up taking you places you never expected?

Feature

Alison Motluk

Altered State

When Deepfakes Pose as Doctors

Feature

Blake Eligh

Feedback Forward

Embedding research into care

Best of UofTMed

Check out the feature articles from the last few years of different issues.

Death | Winter 2019

Jim Oldfield

Stumbling Toward Death

How do Canadians die? Often not how or where they want.

Heal Thyself | Summer 2017

Jim Oldfield

Who Heals the Healer?

Burnout. Depression. Suicide. For physicians, these serious job hazards are reaching epidemic proportions.

Sex | Summer 2019

Andrew Gurza

I’m Disabled, I’m Sexual, and We Need to Talk, Doc

Drawing on his own experiences, Andrew Gurza examines the stigma, assumptions and systemic barriers surrounding disability and sexual health.

Touch | Summer 2024

John Lorinc

The Looming Public Health Threat Touching Us All

From hospital outbreaks to emerging superbugs, researchers are advancing new strategies to tackle the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

Memory | Winter 2024

Blake Eligh

Why It’s Hard to Shake Medical Misinformation

Fear, memory and social media can make health misinformation hard to shake—but trust and dialogue can help.

Sleep | Summer 2023

Megan Mueller

How the circadian rhythm keeps the beat of our biological clocks

The science of sleep reveals how circadian rhythms influence everything from alertness to long-term health.