Validation de capteurs non invasifs pour la surveillance de la température corporelle en milieu de travail chaud

Ce projet de recherche vise à améliorer la prévention des problèmes de santé liés au travail en milieu chaud. Les travailleurs et travailleuses de secteurs comme la construction, l’agriculture, la foresterie ou les services d’urgence sont particulièrement exposés aux vagues de chaleur, qui seront de plus en plus fréquentes avec les changements climatiques. Pour protéger […]

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Electrophysiological Effects of Physiological Antibodies and Autoantibodies on Neuronal Function

This project is a continuation of my doctoral research, which investigates how IgG antibodies interact with neurons in various neuropathological conditions. So far, we’ve observed that IgGs can be internalized by neurons in models of spinal cord injury, stroke, and neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE). The next critical step is to understand the physiological consequences of this […]

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Reward Circuit Neuromodulation for Motor Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries often cause lifelong motor deficits, with limited recovery from current therapies. This project explores a new approach: using deep brain stimulation of the brain’s reward circuits to encourage and reinforce natural movements during rehabilitation. In the rat model of spinal cord injury, we aim to boost both immediate motor performance and long-term […]

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Observing Interactions Between Pacific Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina richardii) and Recreational Fish Cleaning Practices throughout Greater Victoria

This project is designed to provide a baseline dataset for fish processing stations on Southern Vancouver Island. From this dataset, researchers aim to identify broad-scale trends in nearshore marine systems and identify future research needs. Main objectives of the project include monitoring both seal behaviour and fish waste subsidies near these recreational fish processing stations […]

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The role of spatial attention in pain expectations and perception

Pain not only signals potential injury but also guides learning, teaching us to avoid harmful actions. Recent work from Roy’s laboratory (Coll et al., 2024) highlights the role of prediction errors—the difference between expected and actual outcomes— in shaping our pain perception, depending on whether it aligns with or violates our expectations. However, the precise […]

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Sex-specific single cell RNA-seq of ALS peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive loss of motor neurons, muscle weakness, paralysis, and eventual death. The disease affects males and females differently. A key feature of ALS is immune system dysfunction in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and outside, in peripheral blood. This study aims […]

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Uteroplacental vascular transformation in hypertensive pregnancy

Healthy pregnancies require major changes in blood flow to support the growing baby. Specifically, the mother’s uterine arteries must widen to allow more blood to reach the placenta, and the placenta must build a complex network of blood vessels to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. In hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), these changes […]

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Biophysical analysis of ABCG sterol transporters

Our research concerns a group of lipid trafficking proteins, scientifically known as ABC transporters, that only work when submerged in the sea of lipids, which we call membranes. These proteins can “pick up” lipid molecules, especially sterols, and move the lipids out or into the cells. We know that different members of these lipid trafficking […]

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Optimization of gene editing tools into human organoid models

Organoids are powerful cellular models that can advance our understanding of human biology and disease progression. They can be generated from human patient samples and be used to screen the best treatment course for patients, thereby allowing for a personalized therapeutic approach. However, a major challenge facing the organoid field is the lack of standard, […]

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Quantification of Cerebrospinal Fluid and Plasma Amyloid-ß 34, 37, and 38: Correlation with Positron Emission Tomography Imaging and Alzheimer’s Disease Progression

This project focuses on improving how we detect Alzheimer’s disease early by measuring lesser-known, protective forms of the amyloid-ß protein—Aß34, Aß37, and Aß38—in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. These shorter forms are thought to help clear the harmful ones that build up in the brain and cause damage. Using a highly sensitive method called single molecule […]

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Plasma Proteomic Profiling of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury In Pediatric Patients

Severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) is a leading cause of mortality and disability in pediatric populations. Surviving patients often face long-lasting neurological deficits exacerbated by primary and secondary injury, necessitating further advancements in prognosis and understanding of sTBI mechanisms. Our project aims to address this issue by identifying differentially expressed proteins present in pediatric sTBI […]

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Inh’âge – Impact des Composantes Olfactives et Trigéminales des Huiles Essentielles sur la Respiration : Étude Comparative chez les Personnes Jeunes et Âgées

Le projet Inh’âge vise à comprendre comment les substances odorantes influencent la respiration, en dissociant les composantes olfactives (floral, boisé…) et trigéminées (piquant, frais…) et en examinant l’impact du vieillissement sur ces interactions. L’expérimentation sera réalisée sur deux groupes (jeunes adultes et adultes âgés) et se déroulera en deux phases : la détermination des seuils […]

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