Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada. A promising new way to treat cancer is through the administration of immune cells that target the cancer – an approach called cancer immunotherapy. The goal of this project is to engineer better culture vessels to produce dendritic cells. Dendritic cells are the "gatekeepers" of our immune system. They can have the capacity to activate other immune cells to attack cancers. The project involves two industrial partners: Kanyr Pharma, Inc. and Saint- Gobain, Inc.

Inflammatory diseases such as pulmonary inflammation, lung cancer, asthma, and fibrosis exert a great economic impact across the globe. They have a tremendous impact on health and quality of life. Proinflammatory cytokines are released by the immune system which can be activated by Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), an endotoxin which mimics infection by Gram-negative bacteria. The literature indicates that females are at an increased risk of developing inflammatory diseases compared to males. NATURES IMMUNO is an innovative formula developed by NHV Natural Pet Products to support the immune system.

Infectious diseases from a variety of pathogens can lead to serious health conditions such as sepsis. To improve the prognosis and decrease the mortality rate of infectious diseases, point-of-care testing (POCT) of blood biomarkers is a critical approach. Testing of biomarkers such as C-reactive protein, IL-6 and procalcitonin could help identify the type of pathogen and classify the progression stage of infection.

Recent scientific breakthroughs have led to the development of methods to differentiate human PSCs (hPSCs) into skeletal muscle cells. This has allowed, for the first time, the development of cellular models to study muscle diseases such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and the possibility to utilize these cells for cell therapy applications. However, the reliability, efficiency and prober characterization of cells produced from these differentiation protocols remains a roadblock for their routine utilization by the research community.

Legionnaires is a disease caused by the bacteria Legionella pneumophilia present mostly in aquatic environments. The first outbreak of this disease was recognized in 1976 in Philadelphia and the most recent one in July 2019 in Atlanta. Diagnosis of the disease isn’t early and thus need to be prevented by regular treatment. Treatment of water needs information about the water quality which needs on-site based sensors to detect the different pathogens present. At present, there is no viable solution to detect Legionella on site with confidence.

Over the past few decades, mental disorders (e.g., depressive and anxiety) have become a significant medical burden for people of all ages. According to the survey performed by the World Health Organization (WHO), at least one out of ten people in the world suffers from mental health diseases (i.e., mental disorders, neurological disorders and addition). Many factors, such as heredity, work pressure and aging, can attribute to these disorders and degradations. However, some of these mental health diseases are preventable and treatable.

Women are disproportionately affected by neuro-degenerative disorders compared to men. For years, research has attempted to identify why this phenomenon occurs. The answer may be found in the gut. The intestinal tract contains millions of bacteria that are colonized from birth; These bacteria are essential for keeping the brain and immune system healthy. Changes in the proportions of bacterial species during critical periods of development can have lasting impacts on neuro-inflammation and degradation.

Heart failure is a prevalent disease effecting 250,000 people in North America alone. This disease can be treated by the transplant of a donor organ, but insufficient donor organs have led to the development of mechanical circulatory supports which now provide a reliable alternate treatment option for patients. Unfortunately, many patients that could be helped by a mechanical circulatory support are deemed ineligible due to the invasive, open-heart surgery that is required to install such devices. Puzzle Medical Inc.

Natural extracts have potential as anti-cancer therapeutics. These botanical materials are well tolerated and are safe to be given as supplements over long periods of time. This project aims to provide scientific and clinical validation of these extracts for their anticancer effects and sensitization of cancer cells to standard chemo regiments.