Projets novateurs réalisés

Mechanistic characterization of mixture toxicity of different cannabinoids

This project will investigate how mixtures of select cannabinoids affect different types of human and animal cell lines. As the use of cannabinoid-based products continues to rise in both Canada and Germany, there is a growing need to understand potential health impacts, especially when multiple cannabinoids are present together. By studying mixture toxicity rather than single compounds alone, the project will generate new insights into how these chemicals interact within biological systems, helping to fill an important knowledge gap for regulators, researchers, and industry.
The collaboration brings together complementary strengths from the University of Bonn and the University of Saskatchewan, both of which have established expertise in toxicology, cell-based assays, and chemical or human health risk assessment. The exchange will provide the MSc student from Bonn with hands-on research experience using advanced cell-culture and toxicity-testing approaches available at the University of Saskatchewan, while also fostering knowledge transfer between the two institutions. The results of this work will support ongoing research programs at both universities and help build shared scientific capacity in an area of growing public and scientific interest. Ultimately, the project will strengthen international collaboration and contribute to safer and more informed use of cannabinoid-containing products in both countries.

Analyse de l’évolution des programmes d’emploi pour les jeunes en contexte de restrictions budgétaires

Dans un contexte de changements profonds du marché du travail, de perspectives plus incertaines pour la jeunesse et de restrictions budgétaires des programmes de jeunesse au Québec, l’étude proposée vise à observer et comprendre les transformations en cours dans les politiques de jeunesse-emploi sur une décennie (2015-2025), à travers l’étude de cas des Réseaux des carrefours jeunesse-emploi du Québec (RCJEQ). Une attention particulière sera portée sur les relations et tensions entre les acteurs de la mise en œuvre des politiques de jeunesse-emploi — les Carrefours jeunesse-emploi (CJE) — et les acteurs de la planification tant à l’échelle provinciale que fédérale. Il s’agira ainsi d’appréhender comment ces politiques sont planifiées et pensées, en mobilisant des grilles d’analyse des politiques publiques, mais également par l’étude de sources documentaires et institutionnelles et un travail de terrain auprès des acteurs des CJE. L’étude permettra de mettre en lumière les enjeux de financement, la mobilisation des acteurs du secteur jeunesse-emploi et les logiques politiques à l’œuvre, ainsi que leurs impacts sur les trajectoires des jeunes.

Acute Impact of an Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Stimulus on Human Neurophysiological Function

Power-lines and electric appliances are the main sources of daily human exposure to power-frequency magnetic fields (MF, 60 Hz in North America). In order to protect the public and workers from potential adverse effects, international agencies publish MF exposure guidelines based on the “best estimate” available regarding the levels producing an acute biological effects in humans, which is called magnetophosphenes (flickering lights perceived eyes closed in the dark while exposed to a strong MF). Since 2005, we investigate power-frequency MF exposures and reported effects on human movement, memory, brain activity, postural control and magnetophosphenes. In this project, the interns will be involved in improving the characterization of visual (magnetophosphenes) and postural (standing balance) responses to high-level power-frequency MF exposure, providing insights into interaction mechanisms. These results will improve international guidelines protecting the public and workers from MF adverse effects, and will have potential for translational developments (diagnostic and therapeutic applications).

Instructions as code – instructing agentic AI models for changes in large projects

Software developers and companies are increasingly adopting agentic AI to implement software features. In practice, developers guide AI agents through explicit instructions that specify, for example, how to navigate the project, identify relevant source files, and test the generated code. Without such instructions, agents may blindly perform implementations leading to incomplete or incorrect results.

While instructions are intended to support AI-assisted development, recent work shows that instructions alone are insufficient to effectively guide agentic systems. Instead, instruction quality and level of detail play a critical role in agent performance. Despite a large body of research on the use of AI and large language models (LLMs) in software engineering, most existing studies focus on prompt-engineering techniques. However, recent findings suggest that prompt engineering provides limited benefits for advanced models, particularly those with strong reasoning capabilities. As a result, developers increasingly lack guidance on how to write high-quality instructions, especially in complex software projects involving multiple interacting components and third-party dependencies.

In this project, we aim to study how developers formulate instructions in relation to software system complexity, characterized by interconnected components and external dependencies, with the goal of deriving guidance for writing effective instructions for agentic AI in real-world software projects.

Développement d’un cadre de mise en œuvre pour le déploiement de la construction ‘Lean’ au sein d’entreprises œuvrant dans l’industrie québécoise de la construction

Les chantiers de construction au Québec font face à de nombreux défis : retards, dépassements de coûts et difficultés de communication entre les différents intervenants. Pour y remédier, une approche appelée « Lean Construction » existe déjà ailleurs dans le monde. Elle vise à éliminer les pertes de temps et de ressources tout en améliorant la collaboration entre les équipes. Toutefois, cette méthode demeure peu utilisée au Québec, faute d’un guide pratique adapté à notre réalité. Le projet de recherche vise donc à créer un modèle concret, étape par étape, pour aider les entreprises québécoises à adopter cette approche. En partenariat avec Builthink, une firme spécialisée dans l’amélioration des pratiques en construction, les stagiaires analyseront ce qui fonctionne ou non selon les types d’entreprises et de projets. Les retombées attendues sont importantes : pour les entreprises accompagnées, cela signifie moins de gaspillage, une meilleure utilisation des ressources et des décisions plus éclairées. Du côté humain, on prévoit une meilleure ambiance de travail, une collaboration renforcée et une valorisation des équipes. Pour Builthink, ce projet permettra de consolider son expertise grâce à des connaissances appuyées par la recherche.

Study on the role of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR-1) as therapeutic target for glioblastoma.

This project consists of testing new targeted therapies for glioblastoma, a highly aggressive brain cancer with very limited treatment options. The research focuses on antibody–drug conjugates that specifically bind to VEGFR-1, a protein found at high levels on glioblastoma cells and in the tumor environment. Once bound, these antibodies deliver potent cancer-killing drugs directly to the tumor, helping to limit harm to healthy brain tissue. The study will assess how well these treatments reduce tumor growth, spread, and cell survival, both alone and in combination with standard chemotherapy. The overall goal is to improve the precision and effectiveness of experimental treatments for glioblastoma.

Structured and Unstructured Recess Models in Elementary Schools (K-6): A Comparative Cross-Cultural Study

This project explores how recess is organized and experienced in elementary schools, with a focus on the difference between structured and unstructured recess. By spending time in Chinese elementary schools, observing daily routines, and noting how students interact with each other during recess and how they transition back to the classroom, I aim to better understand how the structure of recess supports student well-being, behaviour, and learning. The project also compares practices across different educational contexts to identify approaches that may help schools create more supportive and effective recess environments for all children.

Exploring The Hidden Curriculum of Nutrition in Chinese and Canadian Elementary Schools

This project explores how children may learn about nutrition not only through what they are taught but also through everyday school routines in Chinese and Canadian elementary schools. While Canadian schools often teach nutrition using guidelines such as the Canadian Food Guide, many Chinese schools provide daily hot lunches that may communicate unspoken messages about healthy eating. Using a concept called the “hidden curriculum” the study will examine how school routines such as lunch and nutritional breaks can shape a students understanding of health in grades 4-6. Guided by concepts of reciprocal learning, this project encourages mutual knowledge exchange between participating elementary schools in China and Canada. This project is expected to provide a deeper understanding of how daily routines can influence a child’s eating habits, which can help schools strengthen nutrition education.

Operation and optimization of a multi reflection time of flight mass spectrometer

This project is an research internship with SOKENDAI in Japan with the goal of gaining hands-on experience with advanced mass spectrometry techniques used in nuclear and atomic physics. During the internship, the intern will work alongside researchers at SOKENDAI to learn how Multi-Reflection Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry systems are operated, optimized, and used in active experiments. The training gained through this experience will strengthen the intern’s experimental skills and support ongoing research at both the host and home institutions. SOKENDAI will benefit from additional research capacity, while McGill and Canada benefit from the transfer of specialized expertise that enhances its ability to carry out precision measurement research. Overall, the project supports international collaboration and helps build long-term research capacity within Canada.

Traitement et analyse de données industrielles d’une usine de fabrication de papiers anti-glissement dédiés au secteur des transports pour améliorer sa productivité en conditions hivernales québécoises

1) Aperçu du problème de recherche : CGP-Expal exploite à Bromont une usine de fabrication de papiers anti-glissement destinés à l’industrie du transport. En conditions hivernales, l’usine fait face à des difficultés opérationnelles récurrentes qui l’obligent à réduire la vitesse de ligne d’environ 20 %. Cette réduction est attribuable à certains procédés plus lents durant l’hiver, alors que les paramètres d’opération sont maintenus constants. À ce jour, la cause exacte de ces ralentissements demeure inconnue, ce qui empêche CGP-Expal de mettre en place des actions correctives ciblées.

2) Activités et défis : Afin de mieux cerner ce problème, CGP-Expal souhaite s’appuyer sur l’analyse de ses données opérationnelles qu’elle collecte déjà. Les difficultés majeures sont rencontrées aux étapes subséquentes à la collecte, soit l‘agrégation, le stockage et l‘exploitation pour l’analyse. Les principaux défis identifiés sont les suivants :
• Agrégation des données. Les données opérationnelles sont regroupées de manière hétérogène, sans méthodologie structurée. Cette situation complique leur organisation, la documentation et augmente les risques d’erreurs (Wang et al., 2024).
• Stockage des données. CGP-Expal ne dispose pas d’une base de données centralisée. Les données provenant de sources multiples sont organisées manuellement à l’aide de fichiers Excel, ce qui limite leur accessibilité et leur gestion à long terme.
• Utilisabilité des données. La structure actuelle des données ne permet pas de sélectionner, filtrer ou croiser efficacement les informations afin de conduire des analyses ciblées. Les fichiers Excel, qui sont utilisés comme substitut à une base de données, n’offrent aucune fonctionnalité d’analyse spécifique.

3) Avantages sociaux et économiques : En identifiant les facteurs responsables des ralentissements de production en conditions hivernales, CGP-Expal aura la possibilité d’optimiser ses opérations et d’augmenter sa production. Les retombées attendues de ce projet sont un prérequis à l’innovation et à l’adaptation stratégiques d’une entreprise comme CGP-Expal (Eriksson & Heikkilä, 2023).

AI Adoption for Enlacing Market Place Sales

This project will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and digital marketplace data can be used to improve sales and marketing decisions for Kondor Pharma’s natural health products on platforms like Amazon. Instead of running marketing activities, the project will analyze AI tools, keyword data, product listings, pricing patterns, and customer behavior to understand what factors influence product visibility and sales performance. The goal is to develop a practical, data-driven framework that helps Kondor Pharma choose the right AI tools, interpret marketplace data effectively, and make smarter strategic decisions for future digital growth. As a result, Kondor will gain a clear, evidence-based approach to improving its online presence, increasing conversion rates, and strengthening its competitiveness in digital marketplaces.

Growth Optimization Specialist

The Educator Experience is a Canadian-based professional development platform designed to support new and emerging post-secondary educators through online learning resources, applied training, and a nationally accessible podcast focused on educator experiences and practice.

During Phase 1 (November–March), the project team completed foundational research, needs analysis, and strategic planning to design a private, membership-based podcast community intended to extend professional learning beyond traditional, one-way content delivery. This phase resulted in a clear community model, content strategy, engagement framework, and implementation plan.

Phase 2 focuses on translating this strategy into an operational, revenue-generating digital platform. Key activities include configuring the membership platform, producing a library of exclusive multimedia content, implementing community engagement structures, and executing a coordinated public launch supported by targeted marketing initiatives. The goal of this phase is to establish a strong initial member base, test engagement mechanisms in a live environment, and ensure the platform is sustainable and scalable.

The project requires applied expertise in digital platform implementation, multimedia content development, community-centred engagement design, and launch marketing. The outcomes of Phase 2 will position the organization for Phase 3, which will focus on optimization, growth, and long-term impact across the Canadian post-secondary education sector.