D-Wave Systems has designed processors based on a scalable architecture that aim to implement quantum annealing, an algorithm that can be used to solve a wide variety of optimization problems. A minimal requirement for a device to perform quantum annealing is that it maintains coherence throughout an appreciable fraction of the annealing protocol. In reality, […]

More than 2 million Canadians suffer from diabetes, a disease associated with the body’s inability to produce or effectively use insulin. The high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can lead to serious complications such as vision loss, kidney failure, cardiovascular problems, and amputation. Therefore, diabetes patients are treated with insulin, with the aim of […]

Many chemical compounds can exist in multiple crystalline forms, which are called polymorphs. Polymorphs have the same composition, but their properties can vary markedly. In many fields, conditions for crystallization are screened exhaustively to generate as many polymorphs as possible, from which the most advantageous form can be selected. In the pharmaceutical industry, for example, […]

Understanding the stability profile of a product, whether a consumer packaged good or a pharmaceutical drug product, is key to ensuring the consumer has a safe and effective product. In the pharmaceutical realm, the internationally accepted approach to stability testing is codified within the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) Guidance: Q1A(R2) (Stability Testing of New […]

Due to the increased demand for isopropyl alcohol industrial clients are turning to replacements for industrial uses. Producing an alternative for isopropyl alcohol for specific industrial applications is now a sought-after target. Creating an environmentally friendly alternative is desired since volatile chemicals used in industrial applications are a major contributor to smog formation. To combat […]

Natural biomaterials such as cotton, wool and bamboo are common biofibres due to their accessibility and high performance characteristics in textiles. However, their strictly defined composition is severely limiting, as the materials cannot be adapted for alternative uses. Thus, producing biomaterials at an industrial scale has been an active area of research, where the goal […]

Thin film deposition equipment is in wide demand amongst academic researchers in chemistry, physics, materials science and electrical engineering, not to mention manufacturers of semiconductor devices, medical consumables, storage media, and optics parts. Thus the size of the market can vary greatly from year to year due to its strong dependence on the health of […]

Potatoes are among the top five crops worldwide. With the rate of climate change accelerating, the pressures on potato production systems (e.g., heat stress, water stress, pest pressures) will intensify adaptation efforts. Although climate change is already happening, it is often seen as an abstract and distant problem that diverts resources from current production challenges. […]

Middle-distance running events require a high blend of endurance alongside speed and power characteristics, to produce a fast rate of energy production in large capacities. Oxygen delivery is one of the limitations to enhancing the rate of energy production, which in part is determined by the ability of the muscle to extract oxygen delivered in […]

Viruses are susceptible to antioxidants. COVID-19, to which the grant is directed, is also affected by surface active species, like soap. These two vulnerabilities of the virus will be combined to create silicone coatings that will render relevant surfaces anti-viral (e.g., doorknobs, facemasks and shields). Antioxidants will be modified with entities that allow them to […]

Refrigerants have a wide range of applications in Canada, from their support for the food industry (storage and transport) to their key role in recreational sports like hockey, curling and ice-skating. Although current hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants have solved previous problems associated with depletion of the earth’s ozone layer, they still suffer from high global warming potentials. […]

Refrigerants have a wide range of applications in Canada, from their support for the food industry (storage and transport) to their key role in recreational sports like hockey, curling and ice-skating. Although current hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants have solved previous problems associated with depletion of the earth’s ozone layer, they still suffer from high global warming potentials. […]