The future of plant breeding arguably lies in the direct genetic transformation of plants for improved traits via gene editing. CRISPR is a relatively new and powerful gene editing tool that can be used to edit the DNA of any organism. CRISPR gene editing has the potential to improve apple fruit quality and speed up […]

Drug models describe the relationship between exposure (or pharmacokinetics), response (or pharmacodynamics) for both desired and undesired effects, and individual patient characteristics. In this project, drug models will be used to propose an integrated dose adaption strategy for cancer treatment. This strategy has a particular clinical value for our partner (InVentiv Health Clinical, a Contract […]

Understanding how humans and non-human animals communicate with each other continues to be a central question in neuroscience. Songbirds serve as powerful animal models for this endeavor because they learn their vocalizations (“songs”) in a manner that resembles how humans learn to speak and because vocal learning in songbirds is regulated by discrete brain circuits […]

Bovine production uses a combination of Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ARTs) to improve yield and reduce generation time. In bovine production and in clinical settings, ARTs are associated with elevated rates of developmental disorders in offspring, leading to animal distress, high costs and delayed results. These include Large Offspring Syndrome (LOS) and musculoskeletal anomalies, reported to […]

Estuaries are crucial stopover areas for juvenile salmon during outmigration and especially for Chinook salmon who can reside in this habitat for over a month. Many populations of Chinook salmon from the Pacific Northwest are threatened and endangered making conservation important for this species. Currently, managers are investing significant public funds in estuary restoration and […]

The project is intended to support and enhance the learnings provided by Stem Minds – a Toronto based start-up that provides digital learning focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), through the approach of gamification. The project will focus on the factors that motivate students to learn STEM subjects through gamification to deepen their […]

This project involves first steps needed to begin growing rice under irrigation in southern Alberta. Trials will use Seed Film Cultivation (SFC) technology to suppress weeds, increase soil temperature, and reduce evaporative moisture losses. Rice grown with SFC will be compared to direct seeded plots and transplanted rice seedlings. Irrigation will be provided by an […]

It has recently been shown that the tumour suppressor CNNM and TRPM7 bind each other and are coordinately regulated. We propose to determine the structure and function of the complex using cryoelectron microscopy and ion transport assays. A PhD student from the Gehring laboratory will spend four months working in the Runnels laboratory designing and […]

The intestinal tract is at the centre of animal production because it is responsible for absorption of nutrients and is the place of action of important pathogens. The characterization of bacterial communities has been revolutionized by the development of DNA sequencing technologies, which allowed the discovery of many new species and a better understanding of […]

Peatlands are freshwater wetlands which, in their natural (pristine) state, provide a specific habitat for many species of flora and fauna and several ecosystem services useful to human populations, such as the sequestration of carbon in accumulated peat (peatlands are a major global carbon sink). However, like many other wetlands, they are often disturbed and […]

A collaboration with Acadia University, DFO and CARP proposes two interns assess the recolonization of COSEWIC listed Striped Bass and Atlantic Sturgeon to the Annapolis River Estuary. Research will focus on critical knowledge gaps regarding the habitat occupancy and migration of both species and train interns on current fisheries techniques. The goal is to monitor […]

Les puces microfluidiques ont montré beaucoup de potentiel pour la culture d’échantillons de tumeurs à l’extérieur du corps (ex vivo). En conservant la viabilité des tumeurs jusqu’à 15 jours, elles ouvrent la voie vers des tests prédictifs de la réponse des patients au traitement avant même leur prescription. Toutefois, pour que la technologie soit commercialisable, […]