Projets novateurs réalisés

Developing a regional approach to urban forest monitoring and reporting

Urban forests do not conform to municipal or watershed boundaries and many of the threats they face like climate change impacts and invasive species need to be addressed at a regional or larger scale. Taking a regional approach to urban forest monitoring could be of benefit to achieving the sustainability objectives of Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and its municipal partners. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority is developing a framework to understand and incorporate the multiple dimensions of urban forest monitoring across the region and to address gaps in current monitoring programs.

Uploading of intercellular tension induces the directional translocation of PKC?

Endothelial cells( ECs) form the inner surface of blood vessels. If they break down, they may lead to vascular disease, heart failure,and high blood pressure. Endothelial cells(ECs) functions are regulated by permanent mechanical stresses such as shear stress and pressure from blood stream. When some cells are damaged, the adjacent cells are induced by them, and they react to this change. Protein Kinas C? (PKC?), which is widely expressed in mammalian tissues, plays a crucial role in regulation of cells, when the cells are damaged. PKC? has a critical role in disease treatment such as cardiovascular dysfunctions, arterial thrombosis, cancer, and would healing. During wound healing process, this protein (PKC?) translocates to the membrane through Ca+2 waves. Ca2+ waves propagate within a single cell are called intracellular Ca2+ waves, and coordinate multicellular responses.
In this original project, we will perform mechanical wounding on a single cell in oder to disrupt intercellular adhesion and observe the activity of PKC? in the adjacent cell. This wounding will be done by puncturing the cell with a micropipette.

Confronting Colonialism at the Tropenmuseum: Understanding the Afterlives of Slavery

The research for this project will culminate in a final paper examining the Tropenmuseum’s new temporary collection Afterlives of Slavery, as a case study to consider efforts to transform the purpose and relevancy of museums. The exhibition, which recently opened in 2017, explores the Netherlands’ ties to slavery and colonialism, revealing how these histories continue to influence contemporary life. The inquiry of this paper will be divided into three sections. First, I will survey the Tropenmuseums’ traditions of representing former colonies, drawing on archives and existing scholarship that analyzes select curatorial displays. Second, I will investigate how the Afterlives of Slavery exhibition uncovers histories repressed by ‘social forgetting,’ revealing the relationship between past and present. I am particularly interested in unpacking the significance the collection’s shifted focus from objects to personal narratives, and its incorporation of objects from the original collection. This section will employ a multimodal critical discourse analysis to holistically examine the curation of the permanent collection’s visual, textual, and spatial elements. Lastly, I will consider the limits of enacting transformation from within institutions, and the capacity for previously colonial museums to facilitate conversations of national reflection. To be cont’d

Unravelling the sleepy brain: a neuroimaging study in central hypersomnolence disorders

Roughly 4-6% of the general population suffers from excessive daytime sleepiness. Central hypersomnolence disorders are characterized by incurable constant occurrence of this daytime sleepiness in combination with a disturbed sleep-wake cycle, resulting in severely impaired daytime functioning. Central hypersomnolence disorders are normally diagnostically divided in two types of narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia. While narcolepsy type 1 originates from a selective loss of wake-promoting neurons in the brain, the pathophysiology underlying narcolepsy type 2 and idiopathic hypersomnia remains to be fully elucidated. This lack of disease understanding is further emphasized by substantial diagnosis crossover (up to 50%) after repeating diagnostic testing.

The aim of this multicenter project is to identify biomarkers and mechanisms characterizing different central hypersomnolence disorders to reveal transdiagnostic disease dimensions and help to improve classification and potentially treatment options.

The project will simultaneously integrate powerful neuroimaging techniques (MRI and EEG) to investigate structural brain composition and activity across different consciousness states (sleep, resting, sustained attention) in comparison with other central hypersomnolence disorders and healthy controls. This Amsterdam UMC-Concordia University collaborative effort will run for roughly two years and if granted, this award would allow for a 3-month work visit to harmonize data analyses across both sites.

Chemical Genetics Approach: Function and Inhibitory Effect on Kinesins

This program is to analyze the regulation of cell cycle progression and the mechanism of chromosome segregation with regard to Kinesin5 and Kinesin8 families. Defects in these processes can result in the formation of aneuploid cells, a hallmark of many solid cancers. Thus, insights into the function and regulation of Eg5 and Kif18A (one protein of Kinesin8 families)will not only contribute to a better understanding of the mitotic and meiotic cell division but also how malfunctions in these pathways promote tumor formation in men. We will apply Chemical Biology approach (i.e. use small molecules to modulate functions proteins in living cells) to alter the functionality of kinesins in cells in a fast and often reversible manner. The model systems are human cancer cell lines and Xenopus laevis oocytes and embryos. We hope to find cellular binding partners of the immobilized compounds which rescue the monastrol-treated (an anti-tumor drug) Hela cells, and optimizing the chemical properties of BTB-1, a small molecule that inhibits the ATPase activity of Kif18A (which inhibit mitosis, then the cell cycle will cease).

Experimenting with the value of the sense of touch in historical exhibitions

Professors Erica Lehrer (Concordia University, Canada) and Roma Sendyka (Jagiellonian University, Krakow) have been engaged in ongoing research exploring how exhibition curating can serve as a mode of social and cultural research, and a form of applied cultural studies pedagogy. Lehrer and Sendyka are currently experimenting with exhibit approaches for recently discovered Polish folk art objects from the 1960s and 70s that depict the Nazi Occupation of Poland and the Holocaust. Jagiellonian University doctoral student Maciej Topolski, working under Dr. Sendyka, is researching “tactile studies” in the context of the “sensual turn” in the humanities – an area not present in the Polish academy. He proposes to work with Dr. Lehrer and her student research assistants to experiment with re-curating objects from Lehrer and Sendyka’s current exhibition at the Kraków Ethnographic Museum, “Terribly Close: Polish Vernacular Artists Face the Holocaust,” in Dr. Lehrer’s Curating and Public Scholarship Lab (CaPSL) at Concordia University. Maciej will explore whether interaction with these objects via actual or imagined touch raises new questions for visitors about the historical events depicted or inspires deeper empathy with its victims and bystanders. To be cont’d.

Dietary regulation of tissue circadian clock function in mice

The 24-hour light-dark cycle dictates the organization of life in most species on this planet. Internal timekeepers, so called circadian clocks, help to anticipate recurring daily changes and orchestrate the body’s physiological functions accordingly. In mammals, the core clock resides in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and is synchronized by light. The SCN projects to several central and peripheral targets to ensure that within the circadian system hierarchy all tissues “tick on time”. Circadian rhythms are integrated in almost all aspects of life – from behavior to cell cycle control and DNA repair. Dietary challenges such as a high-fat diet rapidly disrupt behavioral and molecular circadian rhythms. However, data on the more long-term adaptations of circadian clocks and rhythms to dietary changes are still missing. This issue will be addressed in the planned project, focusing on tissues such as SCN, liver, adrenal, and white adipose tissue.

Array Aspect Ratio Effect on Reversible Fibrillar Adhesion

Many small insects and creatures utilize reversible adhesion to vertically scale up walls and surfaces. The adhesion mechanisms
are reliant on the tip geometry of highly dense fibrillar arrays as opposed to surface chemistry. The arrays can switch between high
strength and completely non-adhering states. I will be investigating the role of array aspect ratio and its influence on the
reversibility and controllability of bio-inspired fibrillar adhesion. I hypothesize that if the strength of an array lessens in the presence
of interfacial defects and misalignments, then implementing a more oblong shape or rectangular aspect ratio along the direction of
the misalignment will result in a lower ultimate strength. This weakening of the ultimate load bearing ability of the array is also a
gain in the controllability of the adhesion as total detachment energy and force will have been lowered.

Analysis of the Proposed Brooklyn-Queens Connector

New York City’s proposed Brooklyn-Queens Connector (BQX) would be the city’s first modern streetcar system and one of the only rail systems directly connecting Queens and Brooklyn – if it ever gets developed. While the BQX is yet to be implemented, plans, advertisements, and expectations for the route are already underway. As the BQX is still in the proposal and pre-planning phases, now presents a unique opportunity to analyze economic development and transportation accessibility patterns in anticipation of the proposed route before actual implementation.

This research project will therefore analyze how New York City’s proposed Brooklyn-Queens Connector (BQX) modern streetcar system will impact economic development and transportation accessibility patterns for areas along the proposed route and NYC overall. this proposed research project aims to assist in better determining the feasibility of the BQX’s expected benefits. Additionally, this project will enhance modern streetcar and light rail-based research by presenting analyses and predicting impacts prior to actual implementation – as opposed to most transit impact studies analyzing impacts after transit operations begin. TBC

Développement de méthodes de segmentation et de reconstructions 3D de structures rénales à partir d’images 3D CT pour leur intégration dans la plateforme ORS.

Definition et positionnement de modeles generiques de structures renales dans une volume d’images CT a

I’aide du plus petit nombre possible de poignees predefinies sur Ie modele surfacique et auto amelioration des

modeles generiques par deformations hierarchiques successives de fa<;:on a creer une region d'interet (ROI) formant un modele pre personnalise. Programmation et integration des methodes a la plateforme du partenaire ORS incluant programmation des routines en mode parallele GPU. Participation a la validation de la methode et documentation dans un cadre gestion qualite ISO 13485.

Neural Network Segmentation of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography for Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a complication of diabetes which is the most common cause of vision loss among people with diabetes. DR damages and alters the structure of the capillary network (microvasculature) in the retina, a light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye and is responsible for vision. Clinicians can analyze the microvasculature through optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), an imaging technique which allows for micrometer-scale examination of its structures. This project is focused on developing a fast, robust, and accurate neural network to segment the retinal microvasculature in acquired OCTA images, which will be deployed in the clinic to be used on images acquired from real patients. Segmentation of the microvasculature will allow for accurate quantitative analyses such as average vessel width and density, which will expedite patient treatment and help with research towards an early diagnosis.

Understanding Legionella pneumophilia Immune Evasion

The immune system has evolved a diverse array of tools to detect and eliminate foreign pathogens from the body. Bacteria too have evolved methods to interfere with the immune system’s ability to detect them. This allows bacteria to be able to replicate and cause a longer illness. Our project looks to find out how the bacteria which causes Legionnaire’s Disease, Legionella pneumophilia, can hijack the danger sensing signaling pathways in immune cells to avoid detection. We will see what proteins inside the cell are targeted by L. pneumophilia and how they turn off the cell’s ability to “see” this bacterium. By understanding these immune evasion methods, better tools for fighting bacterial infections can be developed.