Projets novateurs réalisés

Investigating the mechanism of theta burst stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a safe form of non-invasive brain stimulation that treats different brain conditions. Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is a TMS protocol that alters the underlying neural circuitry and is an FDA and Health Canada approved treatment for Major Depressive Disorder. How cTBS changes brain function remains unknown; however, understanding this mechanism is important to improve ongoing mental health treatments. The objective of the research project is to determine how a TBS protocol called continuous TBS (cTBS) changes targeted brain networks. This project will use medications that can block or enhance neuronal processes during the administration of a cTBS session, which helps determine the underlying mechanism of TBS. Participants will be randomized into two groups to receive different medications with active and placebo cTBS. Before and after stimulation, participants will undergo an electroencephalography (EEG) and a cognitive test of working memory. EEG measures electrical brain activity and reveals changes in neurophysiology. The working memory test can indicate changes in cognitive function. Understanding how brain stimulation mechanisms impact biology and behaviour supports the ongoing research at the University of Calgary and McLean Hospital of Harvard Medical School, which aims to improve neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric treatment options.

Citoyenneté et normes internationales : les impacts de la Responsabilité sociale des entreprises minières sur les peuples autochtones en Bolivie

Le présent projet de recherche s’inscrit dans un mémoire de maîtrise en science politique. Il vise à analyser les enjeux entre firmes minières transnationales et peuples autochtones en Bolivie. Cette recherche a pour point de départ une contradiction importante. Elle réside dans l’adoption d’une des Constitutions les plus progressives et décoloniales en matière d’autodétermination autochtone par le gouvernement Morales en 2009 et, simultanément, la poursuite d’un modèle de développement fondé sur l’extraction minière avec les impacts négatifs sur les peuples autochtones. Si le rôle du gouvernement dans ces exactions a été l’objet central de la plupart de ces études, peu s’intéressent aux firmes minières transnationales. Notre recherche vise donc à combler partiellement ce vide dans la littérature pour mettre en exergue la complexité de ces enjeux, le caractère multiscalaire et multiniveau de ceux-ci et l’ampleur des acteurs qu’ils concernent. Un séjour de 13 semaines en Bolivie est donc prévu, en collaboration avec l’Université San Mayor de Andrés, afin d’effectuer un travail de collaboration avec des organisations autochtones impliquées dans les conflits miniers.

Correa Equity Partners Ltd.

Correa Equity Partners Ltd. is a purpose-driven real estate investment firm dedicated to creating safe, beautiful living spaces while building generational wealth for investor partners. Since its inception in 2020, the organization has expanded across multiple provinces and is now focused on enhancing its digital presence to reflect its impact and mission more effectively. The innovation challenge at hand is the need to develop a cohesive and strategic brand identity that resonates across multiple platforms, improves online visibility, and positions the founder, Michele Correa, as a thought leader in the real estate investment space. Despite their meaningful work, the company’s current digital branding and outreach strategies are limited and lack a unified narrative that can scale with its rapid growth. This project goes beyond routine marketing efforts by introducing a comprehensive branding and content strategy that will integrate storytelling, SEO-optimized blogging, consistent thought leadership content, and audience engagement across social media, email, and the company website. It will also include hands-on multimedia production and supervision of a virtual assistant, adding an operational innovation layer. Solving this challenge requires expertise in branding strategy, digital content creation, social media analytics, SEO, and strategic marketing communication. By implementing these solutions, the intern will help Correa Equity Partners improve brand equity, operational efficiency in content delivery, and stakeholder engagement, which are critical to the firm’s long-term growth and impact.

Fraser Health Authority

Fraser Health Authority is one of the largest regional health systems in Canada, delivering hospital and community-based services to nearly two million people across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. As part of its commitment to “Better health, best in health care,” Fraser Health is undertaking a significant digital transformation within its Housekeeping Services portfolio to improve service delivery, operational efficiency, and client satisfaction. A major challenge lies in modernizing and reengineering existing user interfaces, dashboards, and workflows to support continuous improvement and innovation. Current systems and processes require enhanced integration, automation, and real-time data visibility to meet quality assurance KPIs and support rapid decision-making.

Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland

Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enabling life-changing mentoring relationships for self-identified girls, non-binary, trans, and Two Spirit youth. The organization is committed to building confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of belonging for its mentees through a variety of programs and a strong emphasis on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. A key challenge the organization faces is increasing community engagement and visibility in an increasingly saturated digital landscape. Despite the impactful work they do, there is a need to develop more innovative and visually compelling marketing and communication strategies to amplify their message, increase volunteer recruitment, and strengthen donor relations. This innovation project will focus on redesigning and streamlining the organization’s content development processes, enhancing visual storytelling, and optimizing their use of digital platforms through creative assets, multimedia content, and analytics-informed campaigns. The project goes beyond day-to-day communications by creating scalable, strategic content frameworks and visual systems that can be reused and expanded after the internship ends. Expertise in marketing communications, graphic design, social media analytics, and digital storytelling—particularly using tools like Canva, WordPress, and social video platforms—is required to address this challenge effectively. This project will help Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland not only improve their visibility but also increase their operational efficiency and long-term impact in the community.

Rewiring Time in Brain Models: Anatomically-Grounded Delay Distributions for Multiscale Neural Mass Modeling

This international project brings together top neuroscience teams from McGill University (Canada) and Aix-Marseille University (France) to develop the next generation of realistic brain models. The goal is to improve how computer simulations represent the timing of signals traveling through the brain, which depends on factors like axon length, thickness, and myelination. Current models often oversimplify this by assuming fixed or instantaneous delays.

To address this, the project combines high-resolution anatomical data from Canadian initiatives (e.g., BigBrain, HIBALL) with advanced simulation tools like The Virtual Brain (TVB) from France. It introduces biologically realistic, distributed conduction delays into whole-brain models, improving our ability to simulate brain rhythms, seizure dynamics, and disease-related changes. Tools and data will be openly shared through platforms like CBRAIN and EBRAINS to support global collaboration.

This partnership strengthens Canada–France leadership in neuroscience and offers a unique training opportunity for a Canadian graduate student to gain hands-on experience in advanced brain modeling and open science.

Multiscale Simulation of Cortical and Hippocampal Dynamics Using Region-Specific Brain Network Models

Recent advances in computational neuroscience underscore the value of biologically accurate models integrating multimodal neuroimaging to simulate brain activity realistically. Deep brain areas like the hippocampus, crucial for memory and cognition, pose challenges for non-invasive study due to their complex dynamics. The Region-Specific Brain Network Model (RSBNM) addresses this by combining Neural Mass Models, high-resolution BigBrain-derived surface meshes, and DWI-based connectivity to simulate hippocampal activity, achieving approximately 0.8 correlation with empirical EEG, MEG, and BOLD data. This project expands RSBNM to include both cortical and deep structures, employing unified high-resolution meshes for anatomically precise, whole-brain simulations. Implemented within The Virtual Brain (TVB) platform, the enhanced framework leverages detailed structural data from EBRAINS and BigBrain, integrating these inputs into a graph-based neural modeling pipeline. Collaboration with Dr. Viktor Jirsa’s group, specifically Paul Triebkorn and Borana Dollomaja, will utilize their expertise in connectome-based modeling, TVB simulations, neural mass modeling, and high-performance computing. Their methodologies and datasets will facilitate rigorous model development, scalable simulations, and empirical validation, thereby enabling RSBNM to provide detailed insights into brain-wide neural interactions with high anatomical fidelity.

L2M – Risk based Inspection and Maintenance Planning (RBIM) Framework for Pipeline Integrity Management

Pipelines are a critical component of energy infrastructure but are vulnerable to threats such as cracks and geohazards, which can cause severe failures. To mitigate these risks, cost-effective integrity management is essential, aiming to operate pipelines effectively and efficiently by maintaining safety and delivering economic benefits. The intern’s PhD project proposes a Risk based Inspection and Maintenance Planning (RBIM) Framework for Pipeline Integrity Management, which is useful for pipeline companies in Canada to make informed decisions regarding the inspection and maintenance of pipelines. This will assist pipeline operators in determining optimal maintenance actions and inspection schedules for pipelines, a crucial part of energy infrastructure.
Given the substantial potential to improve existing frameworks by integrating Bayesian decision-making and AI-driven maintenance planning across energy infrastructures, the Lab2Market program offers an excellent opportunity for the intern to engage with industry experts and potential customers. Through interviews and market exploration, the intern will identify key challenges in implementing pipeline integrity management and help chart a path toward developing a commercially viable framework that could evolve into a startup focused on energy infrastructure maintenance in Canada.

Publicité Durable : Explorer les pratiques responsables à travers la chaîne de valeur publicitaire.

Le projet vise à aider les entreprises, les médias et les agences à éviter les communications trompeuses sur les enjeux environnementaux, aussi appelées écoblanchiment. En collaboration avec l’organisme Masse Critique, la stagiaire participera à la création d’un processus rapide (moins de 24 heures) permettant d’identifier et de corriger les publicités à risque avant leur diffusion. Ce processus inclura des critères liés au message, mais aussi à la stratégie numérique dans son ensemble (choix des canaux, ciblage, impact énergétique, etc.). Le projet sera testé dans un cadre pilote avec des partenaires. Il contribuera à poser les bases d’un futur système québécois d’autorégulation publicitaire en matière environnementale. Pour l’organisation partenaire, ce projet représente une occasion stratégique de structurer un nouveau service à valeur ajoutée, tout en renforçant son positionnement comme leader en communication responsable.

Development of non- or minimally toxic marine coating with black Titania

The proposed project will benefit the participating institutions by establishing a new international partnership focused on developing sustainable, non-toxic coatings to combat marine biofouling, an issue with significant economic and environmental implications for industries like shipping and aquaculture. By combining expertise in photoactive materials and microbial-material interface analysis, the collaboration will enhance research capacity at both institutions. The intern’s experience in material synthesis will support the host team’s efforts, while the training received abroad will allow the home institution to expand into new research areas related to environmental biofilms, fostering long-term knowledge exchange and innovation.

Acoustic Feature Extraction and Sparse Representation of Neck Fluid Volume (NFV) in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in 10% of adults and is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, there is a 3-fold increase in OSA prevalence in fluid retaining patients such as those with heart failure. Evolving evidence suggests that fluid accumulation in the neck could narrow the upper airway (UA), increase its collapsibility, and contribute to OSA worsening. For this reason, we aim to determine whether: analysis of respiratory sounds can be used as a non-invasive technique to estimate neck fluid volume (NFV), respiratory sound analysis could predict variations in NFV due to fluid overloading, and the developed techniques could be used to investigate the role of increased NFV on the pathophysiology of OSA in patients with heart failure. The proposed
algorithms could lead to developing novel acoustic techniques to assess and alleviate the adverse effects of fluid accumulation in the neck on the pathophysiology of OSA.

Contribution de l’économie sociale au développement régional en Outaouais

Ce projet cherche à mieux comprendre la contribution de l’économie sociale au développement de la région de l’Outaouais dans les quinze dernières années. NOus prenons comme point de départ, la fondation de la Laiterie de l’Outaouais, un projet emblématique porté par une mobilisation sans précédent des divers acteurs de la région pour ensuite voir l’évolution du rôle des acteurs dans le cadre d’un écosystème régional. Le portrait de cet écosystème régional se fera à partir d’entrevues avec des acteurs clés et une analyse documentaire sur les 15 ans depuis la fondation de la Laiterie de l’Outaouais. Les résultats de cette enquête permettra de tracer les contours d’un modèle de développement régional et territorial qui reste méconnu et peu documenté par les recherches sur la région de l’Outaouais.