Projets novateurs réalisés

3D-Printing of Magnetic, Helical Milli-Screws for Blood Clot Removal

The current treatment for blood clots involves administering medications that increase the risk of excessive bleeding. Surgical intervention can be used, however, complex bends in the blood vessels can make it difficult to reach the clot site. Current treatments are not always successful, particularly in hard-to-reach areas such as below the knee. Miniature robots offer an alternative solution that can address these issues.
In this work, researchers in the Netherlands and Canada collaborate to develop millimeter-scale, screw-like, magnetic robots for the removal of blood clots. The approach involves navigating the untethered robot through blood vessels via an external magnetic field with simultaneous imaging. The clot is eliminated using a combination of mechanical action and local drug delivery. Previous work by Dr. Islam Khalil and colleagues at the University of Twente showed the successful control of screw-like robots under x-ray imaging guidance in an ex vivo pig model that closely simulates physiological and anatomical conditions. Researchers at the University of Waterloo will build on this work by improving the biocompatibility and visibility of the robots, and by incorporating a targeted drug delivery system. The Globalink Research Award will facilitate the validation of the robot’s new features at the University of Twente.

The role of chromosomal inversions in adaptation in Atlantic cod

I will be studying chromosomal inversions in cod. A chromosomal inversion is a segment of the genome that is flipped. A key feature of inversions is that they rarely undergo recombination which causes them to evolve separately. Recombination is the point in cell division when genetic material mixes between two chromosomes to create new combinations of genetic variants. This means that multiple alleles (the material that makes up a gene) can be trapped together in an inversion and may allow an individual to adapt better to local conditions. Due to human impacts, local environmental changes are becoming more common, some to the extent that they become stressors. Having alleles adapted to local environments is important for an animal to survive stressors. Individuals who contain an inversion with locally adapted alleles will be more likely to survive in a population exposed to stressors. The Atlantic cod is an ecologically, culturally, and economically important species due to previous overfishing. Understanding the biology of cod is important for informing management strategies to increase its population size and for their conservation in the face of global change. I will investigate how genetic inversion frequency in Atlantic cod changes when cod are exposed to stressors.

Exploring a century of change through repeat photography on the Alsek River

Historical survey images of mountains, glaciers, vegetation, and river features captured during the 1906 Alaska Border Survey will be repeated on the Alsek River by PhD student Christopher Rhodes. The sites of the original images will be accessed by river rafting during expeditions with Canadian River Expeditions down the Alsek River. The goal is to track landscape and ecological changes using repeat photography. For the intern, this is a critical component of his PhD thesis. For Canadian River Expeditions, the images will provide interesting insights into the Alsek River for guides to disseminate to clients during rafting trips. The intern will write a magazine article about repeating the images that will increase the profile of the Alsek River and Canadian River Expeditions. Repeat images can be used by Canadian River Expeditions for marketing and as interpretive material.

Biocontrol in large-scale cricket rearing facility

Aspire Food Group is the largest commercial cricket rearing facility in the world and has recently encountered a significant presence of mites in their facility. The main objectives of this research will utilize the taxonomic and biocontrol expertise to: 1) identify the mite species present in the Aspire facilities, 2) make recommendations based on identifications and biology of the species for generalized control of stored product pest mites, 3) devise standardized protocols for the assessment of mites in feed and other substrates, and on crickets, and 4) perform rearing and feeding experiments of biocontrol mites on stored product pest mites, parasitic mites infesting live crickets, and cricket eggs. This project will ensure that Aspire Canada is able to continue to assist Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector to more sustainably meet global demand for food, and improve the quality assurance and economic feasibility of Aspire’s operations.

Multi-Plenum Fan Array Coupled with Double Skin Facades Integrating Microalgae Photobioreactors Towards Advanced Carbon Bio-fixation and Thermal Energy Preservation

Growing energy demand in buildings has driven research towards efficient techniques and sustainable sources. Double-skin façades reduce energy consumption, improve thermal comfort, and enable bioenergy generation via microalgae photobioreactors. While recent research has focused on optimizing thermal and bioenergy generation from such systems, it often neglects the impact of heat gain by the occupied space on energy performance. To address this, this project upgraded an existing double-skin façade system by integrating a multi-plenum fan array to reduce heat build-up. The impact on microalgae growth will be monitored to ensure improved temperature stability increases photobioreactor’s productivity. The fan integration will be optimized by determining the the proper selection of fan speed, configuration, and placement. An economic feasibility study will evaluate the cost effectiveness of the fan, while noise and vibration analysis will measure the impact on building occupants and develop mitigation strategies. Machine learning models will optimize key variables like fan speed, flow direction, and vent area, using algorithms such as Gradient Boosting Machines, Convolutional Neural Networks, and Long Short-Term Memory Networks. These algorithms will be integrated into a control system with reinforcement learning to adaptively adjust parameters in real-time and create a proactive building façade system that optimizes performance over time.

Assessment of Cattle Winter Feeding Using Internal and External Accelerometer Data

Extreme cold temperatures caused by disrupted polar vortexes subject beef cattle to a stressful environment, leading to a diversion of energy from cattle growth or fertility to thermoregulatory mechanisms that increase heat production. We hypothesize that simultaneous selection of both heat and cold tolerance could be possible, which might be essential for the volatile effects of climate change. Accelerometer and temperature data provided by internal temperature boluses (Moonsyst) and virtual fencing collars (Gallagher) will enable us to assess winter cold tolerance among different cross breeds of winter adapted cattle (Galloway, Highland, Angus).

Built Stories: a Web-based and Mobile Information System for Community Led Heritage Asset Inventory and the Preservation of History, Culture and Built Heritage

The overarching aim of the study, of which the proposed MITACS funded work is part, is to determine if heritage designation impacts properties and to better understand some people’s support and other peoples resistance to designation. One aspect in particular concerns a building’s time-on-the-market (TOM). Although there have been studies on designation, there is a gap in academic literature that explains how heritage designation may impact a building’s TOM and how people’s perception of that factor influences their attitudes toward heritage conservation. Undertaking this research is significant as it attempts to add to the calculus of valuating heritage buildings and also future approaches to heritage policy. A key tool in relating to and interacting with people in communities is Building Stories a crowd source system for recording historic properties. It is through interaction with users of Building Stories that the intern will enhance the qualitative side of his research.

Incivilités vécues au travail, expériences de rétablissement et épuisement émotionnel des employé.e.s : étude par journaux de bord

Les incivilités au travail sont des comportements impolis ou irrespectueux qui sont très subtils et courants en milieu de travail. Un grand nombre de personnes ont vécu ce type de comportements au travail au cours de leur vie professionnelle. Environ la moitié des personnes disent que cela arrive chaque semaine au travail (Porath & Pearson, 2013). La fréquence de ces comportements est inquiétante puisque ces comportements peuvent affecter la santé mentale des personnes.

Cette étude vise à comprendre comment les incivilités au travail contribuent à l’épuisement des personnes au travail et à leur capacité à recharger leurs batteries après une journée de travail. De plus, nous voudrions aussi vérifier si cela affecte les gens différemment selon qui ils sont (par ex., selon si c’est un homme ou une femme, selon leurs origines ethnoculturelles).

Pour le savoir, nous demanderons aux participants de nous partager chaque jour pendant deux semaines s’ils ont vécu des incivilités au travail et comment ils se sont sentis après. Faire cela chaque jour, nous aidera à mieux comprendre comment ces situations impactent presque immédiatement les travailleurs.

Development and Optimization of an Adaptive Virtual Synchronous Generator (VSG) for Stabilizing Power Grids with High Renewable Energy Penetration

The proposed research project aims to improve the stability of electrical grids, which are increasingly powered by renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, by developing a Virtual Synchronous Generator (VSG). This virtual generator would allow grids with low natural inertia, due to the presence of power electronics (e.g., inverters), to better respond to frequency fluctuations and avoid power outages. This project, conducted in collaboration between Canada and France, will help enhance the integration of renewable energies, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase the reliability of electrical networks.

Impacts of salt and enzymatic hydrolysis on thermal stability, physicochemical, and functional properties of plant extracts

Plant-based foods, including beverages, cheese, and yogurts, have gained great attention from consumers due to their sustainability and health benefits. Earth’s Own devotes significant efforts to producing healthy plant-based beverages from sources like oats and almonds. In their next quest to expand their range of plant-based offerings, hempseed and legumes are selected for its richness in protein. Despite their nutritional quality, its physical instability after thermal treatment hinders its widespread use in food applications. To address this issue, the proposed project will investigate the use of salt and protein hydrolysis in plant extract. Furthermore, the physicochemical and functional properties of the treated extracts will also be examined. The knowledge generated from this project will enable the industry to develop plant extract processes with improved physical stability and explore their applications in food.

Exploration des ressources nécessaires au soutien des femmes en milieu de travail en lien avec les défis posés par le cycle menstruel, début de l’âge adulte à la ménopause

L’impact du cycle menstruel sur la vie professionnelle des femmes est un problème significatif. Les études antérieures démontrent que les symptômes liés au cycle menstruel, notamment le syndrome
prémenstruel et la ménopause, impactent négativement la qualité de vie, le bien-être et la carrière professionnelle des femmes (Avis et al., 2009; Fondation canadienne de la ménopause, 2023; Griffiths
et al., 2013; Loukzadeh et al., 2024; Siahbazi et al., 2018). Cependant, il est possible de constater un manque de recherches approfondies sur les besoins spécifiques des femmes et l’efficacité des
interventions qui permettraient de soutenir les femmes dans le lot de défis quotidien engendré par leur cycle menstruel. Ce constat soulève la nécessité d’une approche plus personnalisée et approfondie dans
l’examen des besoins des femmes en lien avec leur cycle menstruel, du début de l’âge adulte à la ménopause, particulièrement dans le contexte professionnel.

Prédiction des risques et planification de carrière pour les artistes du cirque

Le Cirque du Soleil, en collaboration avec le Centre de recherche, d’innovation et de transfert en arts du cirque (CRITAC), lance un projet novateur visant à améliorer la gestion de ses artistes. Grâce à l’analyse des données et à l’intelligence artificielle, ce projet permettra de prévoir les risques de blessures et d’anticiper les transitions de carrière des performeurs. En analysant les données sur les performances et la condition physique des artistes, les chercheurs développeront des modèles prédictifs pour identifier les moments critiques où les artistes sont le plus susceptibles de se blesser ou de nécessiter une transition professionnelle. Ce projet illustre comment la technologie est utilisé dans les performances artistiques, tout en positionnant le Canada à la pointe de l’innovation dans les arts du cirque.