Innovative Projects Realized

Segmentation automatique de dents à partir des scans oraux

L’automatisation des tâches de fabrication dans les laboratoires de prothèses dentaires revêt un intérêt considérable, à la fois pour les techniciens et pour les patients. En effet, une partie importante du travail consiste en des tâches répétitives, longues et qui exigent un effort de concentration et de minutie soutenu. Par conséquent, il existe une grande variabilité dans la qualité de la production des laboratoires et l’automatisation par l’intelligence artificielle (IA) constitue une solution prometteuse à cet égard. Dans le présent projet, les étudiants stagiaires auront pour tâche de constituer un jeu de données servant à entraîner un modèle d’IA pour le traitement automatique de scans oraux servant à la conception de pièces en laboratoire dentaire. Le premier objectif de leur travail sera d’étiqueter chaque dent d’un ensemble de scans de patients de sorte à entraîner un modèle à étiqueter automatiquement les dents à partir de scans. Par la suite, le second objectif consistera à segmenter manuellement des scans pour extraire l’anatomie de chaque dent, de sorte à entraîner un modèle à réaliser la segmentation automatique des dents, étape préliminaire à la conception automatique de dents, soit dans le cadre de la production de couronnes dentaires ou d’implants.

Stress Monitoring in Potash Mines

Mining induced stress in the area around tunnel openings represents a major design consideration in today’s potash mines. The actual induced stress is currently monitored using an array of techniques derived from the hard rock mining industry, one of the key assumptions being linear-elastic deformation behaviour of the rock. When using these methods in an evaporite like potash, issues can arise with the accuracy of these assumptions. The purpose and objective of this research is to assess the accuracy of current standard practice for stress monitoring, and ultimately recommend test an improved procedure. Improved accuracy will lead to better stress models for mining activity in soft rocks, allowing for more proactive engineering controls to be implemented at lower cost than reactive methods.

Development of a specific targeted therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma – Year two

The global burden of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing as it has become the second leading cause of cancer-related
deaths and the fifth most common cancer worldwide. HCC is heterogenous, arising in the setting of various chronic liver diseases
such as hepatitis C, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. Patients with cirrhosis who develop cancer cannot tolerate therapy
due to inadequate liver function. We hypothesize that PorphyHDL, a carrier that behaves like a lipoprotein (fat transporter), will
effectively deliver a small interfering RNA targeting spalt-like transcription factor 4 (SALL4), a fetal oncoprotein expressed in
aggressive HCCs. We will partner with Highland Therapeutics Inc., which has designed a novel oral drug delivery technology known
as DELEXIS® and has successfully commercialized a DELEXIS methylphenidate formulation in the US. Our partner will utilize this
technology, which precisely controls time of release and rate of release of an active ingredient, to design a DELEXIS-PorphyHDLSALL4 formulation. This formulation will be targeted to specific regions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to facilitate uptake into the
hepatic portal vein, with the aim of delivering drug directly to HCC tumors and avoiding side effects associated with systemic
circulation.

Development of a specific targeted therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

The global burden of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing as it has become the second leading cause of cancer-related
deaths and the fifth most common cancer worldwide. HCC is heterogenous, arising in the setting of various chronic liver diseases
such as hepatitis C, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. Patients with cirrhosis who develop cancer cannot tolerate therapy
due to inadequate liver function. We hypothesize that PorphyHDL, a carrier that behaves like a lipoprotein (fat transporter), will
effectively deliver a small interfering RNA targeting spalt-like transcription factor 4 (SALL4), a fetal oncoprotein expressed in
aggressive HCCs. We will partner with Highland Therapeutics Inc., which has designed a novel oral drug delivery technology known
as DELEXIS® and has successfully commercialized a DELEXIS methylphenidate formulation in the US. Our partner will utilize this
technology, which precisely controls time of release and rate of release of an active ingredient, to design a DELEXIS-PorphyHDLSALL4 formulation. This formulation will be targeted to specific regions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to facilitate uptake into the
hepatic portal vein, with the aim of delivering drug directly to HCC tumors and avoiding side effects associated with systemic
circulation.

Synthesis and modeling of stimuli-responsive polymers for fracturing fluids use

Currently, the global warming alerts, oil prices fluctuations and clean energy have paved the way of investing in the producing wells by enhancing the recovery of hydrocarbons compared to exploration wells. Applying hydraulic fracturing from injected fluids is most common method used. These fluids create cracks in the bedrock and push the hydrocarbons to the surface. The well usually have harsh conditions of high temperatures up to 200 °C and a variant pH between 3-11 which cause challenges to the injected fluids. Our aim is to develop a new type of polymer from a green polymerization initiation technique to produce a recyclable viscosifying agent that can create a well transporting of the recovered hydrocarbons. In addition to the experimental work, a mathematical model will be developed based on the polymerization mechanism to establish a robust polymer system that can change its viscosity based on a stimulus. The mathematical model will be able to simulate the viscosity of the product under the disturbance conditions of these wells. The product will be more economical than current polymers used, inherently safer due to green reactants materials involved in the reaction and allow fast and efficient removal of the polymer.

Ensuring Stability and Accuracy of Multi-rate Electromagnetic Transient Simulation

Real-time digital power system simulators are used for testing and debugging control equipment intended for field installation. They simulate the power network in ‘real-time’, i.e., the simulation computations are rapidly completed so as to retain synchronism with a real-world clock. This requires the level of complexity in different components of the network to be judiciously selected so that the computation speed-up does not significantly compromise accuracy. Multi-rate simulation is a widely used approach to achieve this. It partitions the network into interconnected smaller sub-networks, and simulates critical sub-networks using a smaller timestep with larger timesteps for the others. As methods for stability and accuracy analysis for this method have hitherto not been investigated, this Mitacs project will extend the state of the art in simulation stability to investigate the stability of multi-rate simulation of power networks.
With the lessons learned, it will venture to develop a more robust interfacing technique for interconnecting the sub-networks in Multi-rate simulation. RTDS Technologies is expected to use this to enhance the quality of their commercial simulation products.

Visualizing information in situ with 3D photorealistic environments

Advances in computer graphics and display technology have brought new opportunities to create stunning visual effects and interactive experiences.
Industry concerned with data visualization is seeking to incorporate these advances into their visualization pipelines. For example, our industrial partner LlamaZOO Interactive Inc. attempts to present abstract data situated in 3D realistic scenes. However, most research in information visualization assumes that the environment is a simple, abstract, monochromatic 2D plane. We know little about whether the guidelines from information visualization apply to these complex environments, and without clear guidelines, spontaneous attempts by the industry risk repeated work, resulting in unnecessary cost and efforts.
In this project, we will tackle this challenge by 1) understanding the advantages and disadvantages of representing data with 3D rendering techniques, compared with traditional abstract visualizations; 2) designing visualization techniques to effectively present data in realistic 3D environments; and 3) evaluating visualization techniques to quantify their efficiency and usefulness for data analysis in these environments.
We will contribute to the academic community by generating knowledge, and to industry by devising guidelines for visualizing abstract data in situ with 3D photorealistic environments. Research outcomes will be commercialized into products to enhance our industrial partner’s competitiveness globally.

Proposition d’un outil de planification pour la gestion de projets

Mon projet consiste a se pencher sur l’etude d’un systeme de planification presentement en place dans une organisation se specialisant dans les travaux d’asphaltage. Presentement le systeme en place est plutot de type informel et repose sur l’expertise d’une seule personne qui est le proprietaire.Donc, mon mandat consistera a analyser et de faire un diagnostique du systeme de planification en place afin de cibler des opportunites d’ameliorations possibles ainsi que de structurer celui-ci. Ce projet sera grandement benefique pour l’entreprise participante puisque celui-ci permettra certainement d’ameliorer sa capacite a planifier et a controler le deroulement des projets entre eux. De plus, un tel projet permettra a celle-ci de faire une meilleure gestion de ses priorites et une meilleure allocation de ses ressources financiere et humaines ce qui aura pour effet de maintenir un certain niveau de service a la clientele.

Comprehensive Molecular Analysis of Pre- and Postmenopausal Human MammaryCells to Enable Their Optimized Growth as Organoids Ex Vivo – Year two

The goal of this project is to discover new factors essential for maintaining a normal human mammary gland. The approach is to
generate and analyze in depth the protein-encoding RNAs and chromatin states that control their expression in the different types of
cells that constitute the human mammary epithelium and its surrounding stromal cells. This will involve analyses of cells isolated from
discarded healthy breast tissue obtained with consent from women undergoing reduction mammoplasties. Datasets from
premenopausal samples already exist in the host laboratory, and datasets for postmenopausal samples will be generated from as yet
unprocessed, but already obtained tissue. The findings will be a significant addition to global efforts to elucidate how different types of
cancers develop in the breasts of these two age groups. They will also be of key importance to STEMCELL’s ongoing efforts to
develop optimized media to support normal and malignant human mammary gland cell growth ex vivo, thereby enhancing its world
leadership in the provision of optimized and reproducible novel tissue culture systems and reagents. The interconnectivity of these
related scientific and economic goals are thus ideally suited to provide a unique post-doctoral training experience situated at the
interface of academia and biotech.

Comprehensive Molecular Analysis of Pre- and Postmenopausal Human Mammary Cells to Enable Their Optimized Growth as Organoids Ex Vivo

The goal of this project is to discover new factors essential for maintaining a normal human mammary gland. The approach is to
generate and analyze in depth the protein-encoding RNAs and chromatin states that control their expression in the different types of
cells that constitute the human mammary epithelium and its surrounding stromal cells. This will involve analyses of cells isolated from
discarded healthy breast tissue obtained with consent from women undergoing reduction mammoplasties. Datasets from
premenopausal samples already exist in the host laboratory, and datasets for postmenopausal samples will be generated from as yet
unprocessed, but already obtained tissue. The findings will be a significant addition to global efforts to elucidate how different types of
cancers develop in the breasts of these two age groups. They will also be of key importance to STEMCELL’s ongoing efforts to
develop optimized media to support normal and malignant human mammary gland cell growth ex vivo, thereby enhancing its world
leadership in the provision of optimized and reproducible novel tissue culture systems and reagents. The interconnectivity of these
related scientific and economic goals are thus ideally suited to provide a unique post-doctoral training experience situated at the
interface of academia and biotech.

Small Hydropower Technologies: France to Canada

This MITACs Globalink award will be used to support research into small-scale and run-of-river hydropower currently being deployed in Europe and potentially feasible for deployment in Northern Ontario semi-frozen off-grid locations.

The world leaders in small hydropower R&D are in Europe. France in particular is well recognized as a global leader in all aspects of small hydropower development. Polytech Nice Sophia at the University of Cote D’Azur is a high calibre research facility with particular expertise in water hydraulics, hydrology, hydro-informatics, microgrids and GIS. This combination of expertise as well as close affiliations with other similarly focused research universities in Europe and globally, will provide me with unique learning and collaboration opportunities that will ultimately strengthen the research that I am undertaking, as well fostering research bridges between France, Europe, Queen’s University and Canada in the future.

It is anticipated that this hydropower research project will provide me with unparalleled access to experts in small hydropower technologies and small hydropower environmental/climate change experts, and ultimately help me to determine whether and which technologies exist to meet the energy demands of the challenging remote off-grid northern Ontario communities that currently rely on diesel fuel to meet their energy needs.

Evaluation of the implementation at scale of a public health intervention to promote social and emotional development in the early years in British Columbia

British Columbia’s Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions has identified healthy social and emotional development (SED) in early childhood as a priority action towards addressing the province’s mental health crisis. In response, ChildHealth BC (CHBC) is developing a multi-component provincial intervention to expand the capacity of caregivers to promote SED in young children- the first to be implemented at scale in Canada. While there is evidence on the efficacy of capacity-building SED strategies, research on how to bring these strategies to scale is lacking in the field. This project presents an opportunity to evaluate the scale-up implementation and short-term impact of a capacity-building intervention for parents and childcare providers.
With the Elevate program, CHBC can benefit from having Angela Low, who specializes in SED and parenting interventions in her research and practice, oversee the evaluation, and a) monitor the implementation and provide feedback for course correction and quality improvement; b) assess short-term impact on caregiver knowledge and practices and; c) identify facilitators and barriers to this scale-up implementation. Skills and networking gained will enable Angela to take leaps toward her career goal of securing a senior position within the public health system to improve mental health outcomes for all Canadians.