Fiber photometry is a powerful method for detecting neural activity or neurotransmitter release in specific brain cells. Doric lenses Inc., in collaboration with Benoit Gosselin’s lab, designed a lightweight, wireless optical recording prototype, which allows fiber photometry recordings in freely behaving animals without the constraints of tether. This new technology provides an innovative tool for […]

Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability, with long-term hand function impairments being the most common symptom among stroke survivors. As hand function plays a vital role in performing everyday activities, individuals with stroke face a significant impact in their quality of life including their ability to maintain independence, employment, and socially connectedness. To […]

Millions of animals are used in research each year. This practice is justified by the expectation that the benefits of such research will be significant, outweighing the harms imposed on animals during experiments. Indeed, animal research has led to countless improvements in human health and quality of life. However, there is growing concern that current […]

Recent studies have shown that the gut microbiome works as an organ of the human body. The gut microbiome functions like an endocrine organ producing bioactive metabolites. Since the gut microbiome is in close interaction with the human internal environment and changes in the compositions of gut microbiota can impact host physiology through many pathways. […]

Mice and rats are commonly used in biomedical research to model human diseases. Usually, we house them in “shoebox-sized” cages in small same-sex groups. Since they are social species, we know having social contact is important for their well-being. For example, rodents will choose to spend time with other rodents rather than live alone, and […]

Living with a mental illness in Canada is complex and not well understood. The research question for this project is; when and how do people with a chronic mental illness feel cared for in palliative settings? This project will provide a unique opportunity for a student intern to partner with Health Cities, Mitacs and a […]

Indigenous youth may face a number of barriers to accessing sexual health services due to accessibility and stigma. This study seeks to identify intersectional barriers that Indigenous youth may face when accessing sexual health services. This study will be done with mixed methods through statistical analysis and Indigenous community co-designed interviews.

Students learning within challenging contexts often feel disempowered and may not see the relevance of their learning. The proposed research project will assess the extent to which an educational experience that enhances coding skills while also exercising students’ core “skills of success” increases their feelings of empowerment. This assessment will take place within a number […]

The Boreal Forest is under increasing pressure from human-caused land disturbances. In Central Yukon, the main source of land disturbance is mining of old streambeds for gold. Gold deposits coincide with wetlands and present-day waterways, areas that provide important habitat for wildlife, including many bird species. Miners are required to return these areas to a […]

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) constitute a diverse class of plant secondary metabolites (SM) that exhibit a myriad of pharmacological activities. While there have been tremendous efforts to chemically synthesize high-value BIAs, this approach is not economical due to their complex chemistry. Also, production of BIAs using traditional means also has several drawbacks. An alternative is the […]

La commotion cérébrale suite à un traumatisme crânien peut entraîner des conséquences diverses au niveau cognitif. Il est notamment possible de développer un syndrome post-commotionnel dans les suites d’une commotion et cet état peut perdurer dans le temps. Il peut être marqué, entre autres, par des troubles de l’apprentissage notamment au niveau moteur. Cela peut […]

For many whales, we still know little of where they occur and even what species exist. This is true for an elusive group of whales known as beaked whales. One method to study these deep-diving, offshore animals is acoustic recordings. Each beaked whale species is thought to produce a unique sound, called a click. Many […]