Alumni to watch: Transforming industries with innovation and impact
From left: Clyde Rempillo, Computer Science (MA) ’24, and Kalysta Makimoto, Physics ’21
From advancing early disease detection to reshaping how people connect online, two alumni are using technology to solve everyday challenges in thoughtful and impactful ways. Kalysta Makimoto, Physics ’21, is improving early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using CT imaging and machine learning, with a focus on better outcomes for women. Clyde Rempillo, Computer Science (MA) ’24, is reimagining online dating with BlinDate, an app built to encourage more meaningful connections based on values and conversation — not just swipes.
These alumni are bringing fresh thinking to their fields and setting the stage for more inclusive innovation.
Frustrated with the endless swiping and surface-level connections on most dating apps, Clyde Rempillo set out to build something different. With BlinDate, he’s created a platform that prioritizes emotional compatibility, shared values and meaningful conversation. The app uses machine learning to learn from user behaviour, preferences and communication styles to recommend better matches — and even offers AI-generated conversation prompts to help users skip the small talk.
One of the biggest challenges, Rempillo notes, has been keeping the platform simple in an industry filled with distractions.
“It’s tempting to add more features to compete,” he said, “but we’ve learned that simplifying the process and focusing on quality over quantity is what truly sets us apart.”
Now based in Dubai, he leads BlinDate with a clear goal: to help people spend less time scrolling and more time connecting.
Kalysta Makimoto’s work is deeply personal. After witnessing her grandmother’s struggle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Makimoto became committed to improving how the disease is diagnosed, particularly in women, in whom the disease is often undetected. As a PhD candidate in biomedical physics at TMU, she uses CT imaging and machine learning to identify early signs of COPD before more severe symptoms appear. Makimoto’s research focuses on building AI models that help clinicians to identify subtle changes in lung structure that traditional methods often miss. These tools could lead to earlier, more accurate diagnoses and more personalized treatment options.
In 2024, Makimoto received the Ontario Women’s Health Scholars doctoral award for her work developing sex-specific models that improve COPD care for women. She hopes to translate these models into clinical practice, providing doctors with more detailed insights and ultimately improving patients’ quality of life. Makimoto believes that more diverse perspectives in research lead to better health-care outcomes for all.
“It is important to have women represented in STEM,” Makimoto said. “Especially in biomedical physics, to allow for research to be conducted that contains perspectives from everyone.”
Through their innovation and dedication, Makimoto and Rempillo are paving the way for future advancements in health care and technology, showcasing the role TMU alumni can play in shaping industries for the better.
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