Projets novateurs réalisés

Ethnobotanical survey of Indigenous vegetables consumed in some Limpopo communities in the form of “food as medicine” and bioavailability of their phytonutrients

Indigenous leafy vegetables (ILVs) are the cheapest and easily accessible sources of important nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, especially the pro vitamin A and essential amino acids. Most of ILVs have long been known and reported to have many health properties through the presence of phytochemicals.

Phytochemicals are bioactive, non-nutrient plant compounds in fruits, vegetables, grains and other plant foods that have been linked to reducing the risk of major degenerative diseases. However there is little or no documented scientific validation of the presence of these compounds and their quantity in ILVs. As such this study employs chemometrics and metabolomics to scientifically validate the information.
Application of metabolomics and chemometric analysis has gained interest in research of agriculture. Furthermore, the assessment of bioactive and bioavailable compounds is crucial in ensuring human health from the use of indigenous vegetables . This study further adopts the water saving strategy by cultivating ILVs in a circular economy system where fish waste water is used to irrigate the ILVs in an Aquaponic setting. The effect of fish waste water will be evaluated on nutritional content, phytochemical levels and bioavailability of bioactive compounds.

Harnessing Next-Generation Sequencing for Large-Scale Fungal Surveillance and Diagnostics in Sorghum

Project overview: Identification of fungal communities within the sorghum phyllosphere from symptomatic samples via Next-Generation Sequencing

Sorghum is vital for food security in drought-prone areas of South Africa. However, fungal diseases such as leaf blight, anthracnose, and panicle blight significantly reduce yields and grain quality. With limited recent data, this project seeks to characterize fungal communities affecting sorghum across major production regions.

Using next-generation sequencing (NGS), fungal species will be identified and analyzed to determine their distribution and association with environmental factors like temperature and moisture. Symptomatic leaf samples will be collected from sorghum fields during key growth stages, with DNA extraction and bioinformatics tools used to profile fungal diversity.

This research will provide critical baseline data for monitoring fungal pathogens and detecting emerging threats. By understanding how environmental conditions influence fungal populations, the findings will inform disease management strategies that improve sorghum resilience and productivity.

The project aligns with South Africa’s goals of strengthening agricultural sustainability and enhancing food security. Its outcomes will benefit farmers by offering improved diagnostics and environmentally friendly solutions for disease control, ensuring the viability of sorghum as a staple crop in vulnerable regions.

Phylogeographic analysis of susceptible and resistant Aspergillus fumigatus isolates from Manitoba

Aspergillus fumigatus is a widely distributed filamentous fungus found in soil and decaying organic material. It is also capable of causing serious respiratory infections in those with underlying health conditions, and it was named as a top-priority fungal pathogen by the World Health Organization. Recent global evidence demonstrated that agricultural antifungals contribute to clinical antifungal cross-resistance in A. fumigatus isolates. Given Manitoba’s cold climate and frequent antifungal use in agriculture, it presents an ideal setting to study A. fumigatus populations and their environmental adaptation. We conducted the first sampling for Manitoba isolates in 2024. We will use whole-genome sequencing to examine the relationship of ~ 200 Manitoba A. fumigatus to global isolates, which greatly extends the number of Canadian isolates in the global sequenced dataset. We will examine the genetic basis of resistant isolates and explore the potential impact of temperature on adaptation to northern latitudes. This internship will facilitate training with global A. fumigatus genomics experts at the Imperial College of London and establish a computational pipeline to analyze A. fumigatus genomic data at the University of Manitoba. Importantly, the project will provide a baseline and framework for future surveillance studies across Canada.

The Commonwealth of Nations and Decolonization in the Global British Empire

This project re-examines the Commonwealth of Nations to consider the role of Commonwealth membership in the constitutional development of former colonies of the British Empire. Looking at Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Commonwealth Caribbean, this project situates these countries within the larger history of decolonization and national independence in the twentieth century. The methodology of global history supports an analysis that challenges the use of the narrow and limiting container of the nation to analyse the achievement of political autonomy, and instead prioritizes these changes within global processes. Using a variety of archival sources from archives in Scotland and England, I ask how and why former colonies sought membership in the Commonwealth and what the value of membership was to their national development and entrance to the international system of states. As legacies of colonialism continue to shape our world, this project considers how decolonization and the creation of the Commonwealth contribute to our modern international state system. Re-examining the significance of the Commonwealth, despite its real and perceived insignificance in today’s world, illuminates the past and present of Canada’s international relationships, and those of the rest of the Commonwealth.

Coopérative et Intelligence Artificielle : étude de cas d’une communauté de pratique innovante

Le projet consiste à l’organisation d’une communauté de pratique innovante rassemblant des membres de
coopératives canadiennes et internationales dans le but de répondre aux besoins des membres de ces dernières
quant à l’utilisation de l’intelligence artificielle.
Le but est de faire avancer la recherche scientifique dans le domaine des coopératives, de l’intelligence artificielle
responsable, et des communautés de pratique innovante à travers la rédaction de cas et de délivrables récurrents
pour les membres de la communauté, pour le laboratoire de recherche et le Réseau d’innovation coopérative
international

Understanding care utilisation for people with atypical anorexia nervosa and anorexia nervosa

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions posing significant physical and mental health harm to those affected. While anorexia nervosa (AN) – a condition characterized by food restriction resulting in low body weight is likely the best-known eating disorder, there are several other types of eating disorders, including atypical anorexia nervosa (AAN). However, eating disorder diagnosis and treatment are often delayed for those with AAN in comparison to AN due to factors such as weight stigma. The study’s objective is to understand care utilisation by individuals with AAN in comparison to AN. This project supports a novel research collaboration between the University of British Columbia (UBC) and King’s College London (KCL), including advancing the research portfolio of Dr. Law’s (UBC) quantitative public health research agenda and Dr. Schmidt’s (KCL) long-standing commitment to understanding the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. As we work towards improving eating disorders treatment and care in Canadian communities, it will be especially useful to learn the approaches Dr. Schmidt’s team have taken to ensure that eating disorder screening and referrals in primary care settings are not implemented in a vacuum; but rather, with broader equity-based principles in mind.

L2M-Advance DC-DC converter for improving performance of underwater electric drone.

This project focuses on developing an advanced DC power converter to improve the efficiency and operational time of underwater drones, which are essential tools for monitoring and managing marine environments. By addressing the limitations of conventional converters—such as energy losses, component stress, and bulkiness—this project aims to enhance battery performance and support longer missions in harsh underwater conditions.
The expected outcome is a reliable, efficient power solution that supports marine research, climate monitoring, and offshore platform inspections, ultimately benefiting the maritime observation network.

L2M – A power converter for hybrid renewable energy systems consisting of wave, wind and solar energy to power remote communities in Newfoundland.

The government of Canada has been developing the Clean Electricity Regulations, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. One main sustainability goal in the global power sector is to generate clean electricity using renewable energy sources. Hydro, Newfoundland and Labrador’s primary electricity generation company, operates 23 remote diesel plants to serve rural communities in the province. However, diesel plants depend on fossil fuels, hindering progress towards the zero-emission target. For this reason, Hydro has a strategic plan to integrate renewable energy resources into these remote communities to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels globally and to help promote a clean and sustainable future. The major problem with commercializing these hybrid renewable energy systems is that the technologies are not readily available. Hence, in this project, I will be focusing on building an advanced, novel, and cost-friendly power electronic converter that can increase the efficiency of hybrid renewable energy systems. This technology will enable the efficient conversion of energy from the sun (solar energy), the wind (wind energy), and the ocean waves (wave energy) into electrical energy for use in isolated points in Newfoundland & Labrador and beyond.

L2M – Using Wave Energy to Charge Electric Boats Without a Traditional Charger.

Recently, there has been a massive transition from internal combustion engine-based boats to electric boats that do not depend on fossil fuels. However, there are some factors hindering the fast pace of this transition. These factors include the bulky charging system, the unavailability of reliable power sources, and the increased operational cost of electric boats. Moreover, these electric boats available on the market have two separate bulky and highly expensive circuits that are used for charging and propelling the electric boat. Even those who do not have issues with the bulkiness of the electric boats available on the market have concerns about the struggles involved in getting access to charging infrastructures wherever they are in the ocean.
In this project, a novel integrated on-board charging system would be developed to eliminate the traditional chargers used by modern electric boats. With this innovative approach, the same propulsion system would be used for charging the electric boat’s battery when stationary, thereby reducing its size, cost, and weight. This integrated system is powered by wave energy, which does not contribute to any release of harmful gases into the atmosphere and does not require the boat to be at the shore before it can be charged. The solution is a potential game changer in the marine transportation industry as it has been proven to be efficient and reliable.
However, getting a market-ready version of the solution has been a challenge because of the high cost of the materials involved. Other challenges have been the lack of partnerships with electric boat manufacturers and mentorship benefits such as guidance in customer segment development.

L2M – AI-Powered Real-Time Detection: Revolutionizing Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB) Monitoring

The proposal introduces a cutting-edge, real-time solution for detecting and mitigating harmful algal blooms (HABs) using advanced computer vision and AI models integrated with autonomous systems. By leveraging state-of-the-art AI-powered imaging technology, this solution delivers precise species identification and real-time monitoring capabilities that drastically improve response times. Unlike traditional manual sampling methods, this system utilizes machine learning algorithms to process vast amounts of environmental data instantly, providing continuous insights and reducing the need for human intervention.
With its robust AI and computer vision framework, this solution holds immense market potential in the global aquaculture and environmental monitoring industries, setting a new standard for scalability and accuracy. Its real-time, automated capabilities offer a competitive advantage in protecting marine ecosystems. It is particularly significant for high-impact regions like British Columbia and Atlantic Canada, where the stakes are high for aquaculture and public health.

L2M – Advanced Power Electronics Converters for Maximizing Wave Energy Harvesting in Ocean Systems

With its vast untapped potential, wave energy could become the leading source of renewable energy from our oceans. These systems do not produce greenhouse gases, thereby contributing to a reduction in the carbon footprint of electricity generation. With a higher energy density compared to wind, wave energy has significant potential for power generation. However, commercial wave energy technology remains largely undeveloped, and large-scale wave farms are not yet supplying the grid. Like other renewable energy sources, the voltage amplitude and frequency generated from waves are unstable and may vary continuously. This instability poses difficulties for integrating wave energy into the grid, which requires a consistent and reliable power supply. To date, there has been very little research on the development of advanced wave energy converters with novel Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) techniques for efficiently harnessing wave energy. As a result, no definitive wave energy technology or widely available commercial wave farms exist. The global potential for wave energy is estimated to be approximately 29,500 terawatt-hours; however, its practical contribution to energy systems remains minimal. Developing advanced power converters with innovative MPPT algorithms could significantly enhance wave energy utilization by improving energy capture.

L2M – Chainfare

The seafaring industry, responsible for transporting over 90% of the world’s goods, faces critical issues with organized money laundering and human trafficking. The International Labor Organization estimates that 24.9 million people are victims of human trafficking, many of whom are trafficked via maritime routes. Additionally, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that over $1.6 trillion is laundered globally each year. These issues are exacerbated by the industry’s complex and opaque supply chains.
Our project aims to address these challenges by implementing blockchain technology to create a secure, transparent ledger for tracking goods and financial transactions. This solution will enhance visibility and traceability, enabling the detection of suspicious activities and improving accountability across the supply chain.
The primary beneficiaries of this technology include shipping companies, regulatory bodies, and law enforcement agencies. By reducing human trafficking and financial crimes, our solution has the potential to significantly transform the maritime industry, improve compliance with international regulations, and foster a safer, more transparent sector.