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Security AI Networks Lab

SAIN is a collaborative research environment focused on addressing critical challenges at the intersection of cybersecurity, machine learning, and distributed systems. The lab brings together expertise from three core domains: password security and broader cybersecurity frameworks, advanced machine learning techniques with a specialization in graph neural networks, and scalable distributed computing systems. With a team comprising experienced faculty researchers, master’s and Ph.D. students, the lab conducts interdisciplinary research to develop innovative solutions for secure, intelligent, and efficient systems.


Julie Thorpe, PhD, Ying Zhu, PhD and Amirali Abari, PhD founded the Security, Artificial Intelligence, and Networks Lab (SAIN Lab) in 2017. The SAIN Lab performs applied, multidisciplinary, and innovative research on networks, computer systems, data, and intelligent decision systems. Our research touches many vibrant and exciting disciplines such as information security,  privacy,  artificial intelligence, application networks, and human computer interaction. Our motto is simple: “Do sane research at SAIN,” where sane research is defined as impactful research that enhances the daily lives of people, nations, and organizations, as well as being the foundation of other impactful research and development.   Lab members have access to high-performance GPU servers, high-performance traditional servers, and web servers.   Members also have access to the Human-Centred Computing Lab for running studies with human subjects. 

SAIN

Research topics

  • Cybersecurity
  • Machine Learning
  • Distributed Systems
  • AI
  • Computer Security
  • Information Privacy
  • Application Networks
  • Network Science
  • Recommendation Systems
  • Usable Security

SAIN Lab Works

  • Partners

    The SAIN Lab is a proud partner of NSERC and SSHRC 

    NSERCSAIN

  • Our Research Areas

    Research areas include:

    • Information Security and Privacy
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Application Networks
    • Network Science
    • Recommendation Systems
    • Usable Security
  • Awards & Accomplishments
    Dr. Julie Thorpe is a full professor in the area of cybersecurity. Dr. Abari is an experienced researcher in machine learning and graph neural networks, having earned the distinction of Excellent Researcher Award in 2024 at Ontario Tech University.
  • Technologies
    High performance computing systems & graphical processing units (GPUs)

How you can reach us

Location: Software and Informatics Research Centre (SIR), Room 3160 
Contact: Julie Thorpe, Amirali Salehi-Abari, Ying Zhu

Check out the SAIN Lab Website here!