The Sorensen laboratory-based Childhood Cancer Research Program is specifically focused on elucidating the genetic and biological determinants of the metastatic process in childhood cancer. Metastatic disease remains the single most dominant driver of adverse outcome in most childhood cancers, particularly in childhood sarcomas. Cancer stem cells, malignant cells that share many characteristics with normal stem cells, have been implicated to have a central role in the metastatic process.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis, is characterized by chronic, relapsing, or progressive inflammation of the intestine. Canada has among the highest incidences and prevalence of IBD in the world with as many as 1 in 160 people with disease [1]. In ulcerative colitis, inflammation predominantly occurs in the epithelia cell lining of the colon, whereas in Crohn’s Disease extends through the entire thickness of the gut wall and most frequently occurs in the distal ileum.
Accurate weather forecasts are extremely important when managing power production athydroelectric dams. BC Hydro uses weather forecasts to predict the amount of water flowing into reservoirs due to rainstorms and snowmelt. This project develops a system that improves these weather forecasts by correcting them based on how the forecasts performed in the past. The system finds days in the past that are similar to the forecast day and makes a correction based on what the forecast errors were on those days.
This research project will investigate local economic impacts resulting from municipal government procurement through locally-owned suppliers in comparison to procurement through national or multinational suppliers with local operations. The objective of the project is to determine a BC analysis to quanitify the economic impact of local purchasing decisions.
This SEF/MITACS proposal seeks to develop a curriculum about mining and local economic development. The content of the curriculum is divided into two main parts: a) mining life cycle and its phases and b) the opportunities that mining activities can create to local communities.
Lime is an inorganic compound also known as Calcium Oxide. It is used as a coagulant (charged solid that helps remove smaller particles from water). It is also used as an acid neutralizer. The purpose of this research project is to quantify the use of lime for lime slurries and lime slaking applications. A lab test for lime slurry reactivity will be developed as a part of this project. Compounds affecting the slaking reaction and rate will also be examined and quantified. The main objective is to determine if slaking temperature can improve the chemical properties and reactivity of lime.
Biochar is charcoal that is used as a soil amendment to increase plant productivity and as a means of keeping carbon out of the atmosphere. Although a number of voluntary carbon standards allow for soil carbon projects to generate carbon offsets, no protocol has been developed for biochar.
The focus of this research project is possibilities of increasing the capacity of overhead power transmission conductors using Carbon Nanotubes (CNT). Current constraints to existing transmission conductors include: (i) high resistivity of the reinforcing steel strands; (ii) energy loss in the form of heat generated from this inefficiency; and (iii) and thermal expansion and increases the sag and length of the conductor. The unique properties of CNTs have generated much interest in their potential application to transmission conductors in the form of CNT-reinforced aluminum.
Mavi Innovations is pursuing a prototype demonstration of its 20kW hydrokinetic turbine for generating electricity from river and tidal currents in Fall 2013. Demonstration of this new system includes the development of a control system to govern turbine operation, and of the power electronics to manage generated power and provide electricity to the grid. The Mitacs intern will assist with the design and specification of the commercial off-the-shelf power electronics, and of the control method. The system will be modeled using the MATLAB SIMULINK dynamic modeling software package.
The proposed research project proposes to study how to best provide a student learning portal for children of age 8 to 13 years old. Such system requires to carefully reviewing the literature both in terms of designing for children, and in terms of interpreting the results of usability studies with children. Designing an effective student learning portal will demand of the intern to take into consideration what is attractive for this age group and how to make those students willing to spend some time online for their study.
