The polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a multi-factorial heterogeneous syndrome with complex pathologies, affects up to 10% of women of reproductive age and accounts for 75% of anovulatory infertility. PCOS is associated with follicle growth arrest at the early antral stage, chronic anovulation, minimal granulosa cell proliferation, hyperthecosis with hyperandrogenemia, and insulin resistance.

Patients with low kidney function need to take certain medications at a lower dose because their kidneys cannot filter the medication as well from the body. Taking medications at a high dose may be harmful to a patient and lead sometimes to death. The aim of my research is to help reduce medication errors in patients with low kidney function. I will do this by conducting several large studies to determine optimal medication dosing for patients with low kidney function.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common illness that affects millions of Canadians, yet there are no effective therapies to treat it. Genes play a role in COPD development, and our proposal aims at identifying those genes in lung tissue that cause the disease. The Providence Airway Centre is very committed at helping COPD patients in Canada and worldwide. The proposed studies with Drs.

Automatic blood pressure monitors with inflatable cuff currently in use are inaccurate and produce inconsistent results. Even small movements during measurement can affect the measurement and lead to inaccurate diagnosis. This project aims to improve the accuracy of blood pressure monitors using advanced thin film sensors that can greatly improve the diagnosis. The project will enable a Canadian company to develop advanced technology that can put Canada as one of the hubs of blood pressure monitoring technology that only a few countries can boast of.

Dental caries affects the majority of the world’s population and causes tooth decay and loss. Bacteria in the mouth cause this disease. Sugar consumption plays a role in causing these bacteria to make acid that results in dental caries. Studies have shown that a type of sugar alcohol, called xylitol, can help prevent this disease. We will be studying the growth of oral bacteria that cause dental caries. We will examine this growth after applying an oral ultrasound gel (manufactured by SmileSonica Inc) that contains xylitol.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive condition characterized by the chronic elevation of pulmonary artery (PA) pressure leading to failure of the heart. In spite of recent advances in approved therapies, PAH remains a serious disease with significant mortality.

Sexual dysfunction is pervasive in our society and is associated with a blend of biological, psychological, relational and contextual risk factors. In this project we will apply machine learning algorithms on a set of known risk factors of sexual dysfunction to predict whether a new patient suffers from sexual dysfunction and whether sexual dysfunction will improve based on specific patient treatment plans.

Upper limb physical impairments complicate the patient’s everyday tasks and possibly his ability to be independent with functional activities. Robotics technology is a promising approach for the rehabilitation of upper limb physical impairment. Indeed, the use of robotic systems helps therapists apply flexible, scheduled, and consistent therapy for long period of time, and has great flexibility in performing various training scenarios.