The Earth Data Store project provides a cloud-based repository for information about our earth. This encompasses satellite information, environmental models, sensors, and many other types of data that allow users to ask questions of this data to help inform their understanding of the world. The outputs of the project will allow economic development to be balanced with environmental protection.

Stargardt disease affects approximately 1:10,000 individuals and causes progressive, irreversible blindness. While primarily a juvenile disease, age of onset can range from childhood to adulthood. Although supportive care can help slow progression, there are currently no approved therapies and all patients are expected to reach legal blindness. Therefore, Stargardt disease represents an urgent unmet medical need.Oak Bay Biosciences, based in Victoria BC, is a preclinical biotechnology company with a goal to develop the first approved therapy for Stargardt disease.

This project investigates substitution of fossil fuels with electricity from renewable sources for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in British Columbia. Burning natural gas, gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products heats our buildings, drives out cars, and powers our industries. Electricity generated from hydro, wind, and solar power can provide those same services, but producing sufficient electricity from variable sources at the right time remains challenging.

Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have problems with attention and executive functions (EF). Cognitive interventions have great potential to improve attention/EF and related skills (e.g., academic learning, social function, behaviour etc.), but few such interventions exist with even fewer that can be delivered at home. In light of COVID-19, parent-delivered interventions are crucial for continuity of healthcare for children with ASD. We will evaluate the efficacy of a new attention/EF intervention (Dino Island), as delivered by parents at home to their children with ASD.

The City of Vancouver’s Integrated Rainwater Management Plan and Rain City Strategy provides rainwater management targets and design standards for public spaces (streets, public spaces, parks) and private spaces (private property, City-owned property) in the City of Vancouver. To reach these targets, the City has adopted several Green Rainwater Infrastructure (GRI) approaches to achieve the design standards in both types of spaces. The GRI types that will help the City meet its targets sustainably include green roofs, rain barrels, and rain.

Perhaps one of the most tantalizing goals of a coach or trainer is to determine how best to maximize athlete performance. In recent years there has been an explosion in the wealth of data related to athlete training and performance – such as a better understanding of athlete mental health and the impact it has on performance. However, there are still gaps in how coaches and trainers use this data and there is a disconnect between the theories springing from academia and the applied nature of this data.

Available evidence suggests that up to 71% of individuals will require blood or blood products at some point in their lives. To meet this demand, Canadian Blood Services estimates that approximately 100,000 new donors are required annually. However, current blood donation guidelines in Canada require a 3-month deferral period for men who have sex with men (MSM) due to the elevated incidence of HIV in this population, guidelines many see as discriminatory. Given the the improvement in HIV testing technology in recent years, re-evaluation of these guidelines would optimize donor eligibility.

Healthy and sustainable housing is a critical social determinant of health and well-being. In Indigenous communities, decades of ineffective government housing and land policy have created abysmal, often culturally inappropriate housing conditions. Through partnership with First Nations, we will explore and uncover solutions to answer these questions: What if we could co-create Indigenous homes to be sources of health, wealth and connection in tune with culture and the environment? How would that change things for future generations?

Habitat loss through anthropogenic landscape disturbance is one of the leading drivers of biodiversity loss, yet activities such as resource extraction and agriculture play a vital role in the global economy. Understanding impacts of such disturbances, through robust environmental monitoring protocols, is key to maintain a balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability. Cost-effective monitoring approaches that collect data at a broad yet relevant scale for investigating species responses to disturbance is required.

As the perceived threat from HIV has declined over the decades, many AIDS service organizations have closed. Solidarity around HIV has lessened within queer communities. However, HIV rates and HIV stigma remain high. There is a need to rebuild solidarity in the HIV response. As part of the “HIV in My Day” project, this research analyzes over one hundred oral history interviews conducted in British Columbia with long-term survivors of HIV/AIDS and their caregivers.