The COVID-19 virus causing the current pandemic leads to severe illness and death when it involves the lungs. This occurs in a way that conventional X-Rays often cannot show. Experience in other countries and with a similar condition known as ARDS suggests that lung ultrasound can accurately detect COVID-19 lung involvement. Lung ultrasound is harmless and can be done with small handheld, easily cleaned portable probes, but the images are difficult for non-experts to interpret.

We propose utilizing real-time image detection of humans (visitors and healthcare workers) using personal protective equipment (I.e. masks, gloves, and gowns) in healthcare settings. This system would ensure proper compliance of PPE use to reduce the transmission COVID and other healthcare based infections, thereby saving lives, reducing hospital stays and costs. This builds off literature of the importance of strict adherence to best practices in hospitals as well as pathogen transmission from healthcare workers to patients via hospital uniforms.

Despite the stigma attached to single-room occupancy (SRO) housing, it can provide good quality, low-cost housing. However, the high cost of upgrading to meet zoning and other regulations, and the low rents that tenants can afford, make it difficult to manage and maintain. As a result, SRO housing is always at risk of gentrification and conversion to other forms of housing. This project will identify examples of successful SRO housing from other cities and will assess the policy frameworks that makes these success stories possible.

The current global health emergency surrounding the coronavirus outbreak highlights the need for new treatments to combat virus infections and ways to prevent similar outbreaks in the future. Our research team has devised novel strategies to develop an effective vaccine and anti-viral drugs to treat and prevent infections by such viruses. This grant application is designed to rapidly develop and test these therapies for use in the current outbreak and to limit the spread and health consequences of any similar outbreaks in the future

The successful development of new drug formulations, delivery vehicles, and devices for the eye requires testing in physiologically relevant in vitro eye models. The use of cell tissue culture plates provides a good model for testing toxicity, but they lack some of the important factors present on the eye. There are microfluidic chips that have been developed for toxicity testing, but they are too expensive for use in early screening protocols.This project aims to develop a cost-effective microfluidic chip for rapid assessment of cytotoxicity of ophthalmic formulations and devices.

Destinations have quickly become victims of their own success. Destination Management Organisations (DMO’s) worldwide are making a much needed shift towards the inclusion of management alongside their marketing priorities for destination management, but are often ill equipped. There is a current gap in the marketplace for useful, comprehensive and user-friendly tools to assist them.

COVID-19 patients have a higher incidence of thrombotic events. Increased hypercoagulability was found in severe COVID-19 patients, but the mechanism of how SARS-CoV-2 virus affect our blood coagulation system is not fully understood. Platelet activation and blood coagulation are complementary, mutually dependent processes in haemostasis and thrombosis. Platelet contains large amount of integrin ?IIb?3 on the surface which is required for platelet aggregation/thrombus formation.

Grocery Response NDG is a grocery ordering and delivery program for seniors 70+ who are confined to their homes during the pandemic. The project is a joint initiative of Concordia University (Ageing + Communication + Technologies – ACT) and New Hope Seniors Centre. The Québec response to the COVID-19 pandemic requires seniors 70 and over to self-isolate Seniors with limited or no social networks and no access to the Internet are especially at risk.

The global challenge for COVID-19 is to create a vaccine. A key step in the development of a subunit vaccine is the identification of the parts of viral proteins (epitopes) that will trigger immune protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The purpose of this work is two-fold: 1) On the computer, we will develop and test the functionality of a new algorithm for selecting optimal epitopes for vaccine construction and for creating a diagnostic assay; 2) In the lab, we will identify SARS-CoV-2 peptides directly from cells infected with the virus or challenged with viral proteins.

Depuis plusieurs semaines, la COVID-19 bouleverse plusieurs aspects de la société, tels que les liens sociaux ou économiques. Parmi les nombreux secteurs affectés, le domaine de la culture est particulièrement touché au Québec et partout dans le monde. Par exemple, les regroupements tels que les festivals, expositions ou spectacles sont maintenant annulés. Cela pose donc des conséquences économiques importantes pour le secteur.