The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

An international group of researchers is calling for adaptive regulations and more research on injectable peptides commonly used among boys and young men.

Once largely confined to research and clinical development, synthetic peptides are now widely promoted on social media platforms for muscle growth, injury recovery, anti-aging, and even cognitive enhancement. Their visibility has grown rapidly, with peptide-related content exceeding 130,000 posts on Instagram and drawing more than 230 million views on TikTok as of May 2026.

But this surge in visibility and access is not matched by a corresponding evolution in regulatory oversight. Instead, peptides have emerged into what they describe as a “grey zone” spanning medicine, wellness, and illicit drug markets, making them difficult to classify, regulate, and monitor within existing frameworks.

“Current regulatory systems were not designed for substances that operate across medicine, wellness, and illicit markets simultaneously,” said Dr. Kyle T. Ganson of the University of Toronto. “This creates instability and confusion, where changing rules may actually drive individuals toward unregulated and potentially riskier sources.”

Read more: https://socialwork.utoronto.ca/news/press-release-as-injectable-peptides-surge-online-researchers-warn-regulation-is-falling-behind/

FIFSW Prof. Tin D. Vo provides an update on their study co-creating research priorities with sexual and gender minority youth in the Waterloo region.

Read more: https://leongcentre.utoronto.ca/news/they-cant-stop-us-having-fun-using-write-draw-storying-method-strength-based-research-priority

On May 14, Carolyn Mak, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work presented the Ontario Association of Social Work's 2026 Joan MacKenzie Davies lecture.

Mak's presentation explores how social workers are "everyday heroes" who attend to clients and communities with compassion, empathy, advocacy, and values that empower in a variety of settings.

Watch the talk here:

How Everyday Social Work Competencies Benefit Clients and Communities in Challenging Times Watch the full recording of OASW's 2026 Joan MacKenzie Davies lectu...

June 11: Join Professor Carmen Logie at 9:00am for a webinar on how to write and submit a scientific manuscript, hosted by the Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS).

Learn more and register here:

https://iasociety.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__BYRl9DaRoCxmPvd6XrnUQ?fbclid=IwY2xjawSWVrtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFuTXdNZ3FtVWRNQ3FKYkhMc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrmb4NvuIkju3J7u70bTnnBT008Elo5EDTdwemqhWoS98QoftUZp2umxuYEr_aem_nV2EHLCkNGBqRW7_r0Atww #/registration

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: JIAS Webinar | How to write and submit a scientific manuscript. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. The webinar will draw on the expertise in academic publishing of the Editors of the Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS). It aims to build skills in scientific writing and provides practical information to support new- and early-career HIV researchers, as well as more experienced researc...

Understanding the experiences of social workers in primary healthcare teams is an important step in strengthening team-based primary healthcare. A new study, led by Rachelle Ashcroft, highlights opportunities to expand social workers' involvement in organizational decision making and to adopt frameworks for collaborative competency.

Read more, via Health & Social Work: https://academic.oup.com/hsw/advance-article/doi/10.1093/hsw/hlag018/8704475

The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work was well represented at the 2026 Canadian Association of Social Work Education — Association canadienne pour la formation en travail social (CASWE-ACFTS) conference, with faculty members, students, and staff sharing insights from their research and programs.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our community members' sessions and who also shared their expertise, experiences, and observations in presentations and discussions during the conference. It was wonderful to connect with and learn from others from across the field!

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work PhD Candidate Marci Gray received the Outstanding Student Proposal Award from the Canadian Association of Social Work Education, as part of its annual conference held June 3 to 7.

The Outstanding Student Proposal Awards were established to not only promote high quality social work education and practice, but to also encourage more student participants to attend and present at CASWE’s annual conference.

Gray was one of three recipients of the Award, which received 68 applicants.

Gray is the Founder and Lead Consultant of Gray Matter Health, a counselling and consulting firm based in Brampton, Ontario, that provides mental wellness services in person and virtually throughout the province.

Her proposal for the conference was a Conversation Circle on the Unspoken Realities of Workplace Life for Black Professionals, which invited participants to join “a reflective and relational dialogue about how belonging is constructed, withheld, or disrupted in organizational environments,” and “how racism operates not only through overt harm, but through the quieter absence of safety, recognition, and relational accountability.”

A dedicated scholar, Gray’s talk aligns with the focus of her PhD research, which is exploring psychological health for radicalized workers in the workplace. She is also a regular media expert, appearing on platforms like CTV, Citytv, and Global News, where she speaks on mental wellness, racial equity, and workplace mental health.

🎉 Congratulations, Marci, on this recognition!

The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work joins social workers and others throughout Canada and beyond in mourning the loss of Dr. Régine Uwibereyeho King, whose deep commitment to healing, reconciliation, and forgiveness has left an indelible mark on the field and improved the lives of many.

“This is a huge loss to social work and the world,” said Dean Charmaine Williams. “Her research was a work of love and hope for the people of her homeland in Rwanda. It was an honour to be a witness to her scholarship and her accomplishments.”

Dr. King received a Master of Education in Counselling Psychology and Community Development from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) in 2003 and a PhD from FIFSW in 2011. She completed her postdoctoral studies at CAMH and was an Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba prior to joining the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Social Work, where she became a Professor.

“Régine was one of the most fierce, dedicated and generous activist scholars who committed her life in healing the individuals and communities deeply wounded by the genocide," said Dr. Izumi Sakamoto, who was Dr. King's dissertation advisor at FIFSW. "She had an infectious laughter and brought people together to build communities wherever she went.”

In Memoriam: Dr. Régine Uwibereyeho King | Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work joins social workers and others throughout Canada and beyond in mourning the loss of Dr. Régine Uwibereyeho King, whose deep commitment to healing, reconciliation, and forgiveness has left an indelible mark on the field and improved the lives of many.

Did you miss FIFSW's May Newsletter?

If so you can find it here: https://mailchi.mp/utoronto/fifsw-march-newsletter-17997009?e=1eb16ee59b

Not yet a subscriber? Sign up to receive the latest news on research, projects and events from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work here: https://mailchi.mp/utoronto/fifsw-monthly-newsletter

View past newsletters: https://socialwork.utoronto.ca/about-us/

Professor Carmen Logie will be a panelist in the WHO partner session discussing "global normative guidelines on menstrual health and endometriosis" at the 34th International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Triennial Congress in Lisbon, Portugal on June 16.