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Q&A Stephanie Williams Research Highlights

TECHNA 2.0

In 2022, Dr. Shaf Keshavjee was appointed as
What brought you to UHN? Techna Scientific Director and Chief of Clinical
My passion is engineering. After completing a Innovation at UHN. These roles will advance
Bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at the UHN’s commitment to translating world-class
University of Guelph, I applied for a job in the discoveries into treatments and technologies. The
Surgility program and joined during the pandemic. appointments follow Dr. Keshavjee’s 12-year
tenure as UHN’s Surgeon-in-Chief. Under his
During your childhood, what got you guidance, Techna will be transformed from a
interested in science? research institute into a technology accelerator
I had a great childhood. Both of my parents are platform. Full Story
engineers, so they always challenged me and
my sister to learn. An unconventional game that AUGMENTED REALITY FOR SURGERY
they devised for road trips involved asking math
questions, where the right answer won you a
potato chip.

How would you describe what you do to
someone without a scientific background?
I discover new things by applying science and
math to the real world. It’s not as far-fetched or as
difficult as one might expect.
(L-R) Drs. Jonathan Irish and Axel Sahovaler
Why engineering? found that augmented reality can serve as a
Every day is an adventure. A typical day for me powerful tool to help guide surgeons. Current
could involve computer coding, 3D modeling and image-guided surgical systems require surgeons
testing of our designs. In short, we design, build, to look back and forth between the patient and a
test, often fail, and repeat until it works. computer screen. Using augmented reality enables
the image to be projected directly on the patient.
How do you stay positive when a design fails? When augmented reality was added to a surgical
There is always a silver lining to failure. When navigation system, the error rate in a simulated
setbacks force you to try a different approach, you surgery dropped from 1.2% to 0%. Full Story /
can often find solutions that are even better than Scientific Article / Podcast Interview
what you had originally hoped for.

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