Assessing the lice cleaning efficacy and diet of lumpfish in Canadian Atlantic salmon sea cages using metabarcoding and conventional diet analysis

The salmon aquaculture industry is a highly profitable industry, known to contribute significantly to the Canadian economy. During this time an ectoparasite called the sea louse may infect the salmon leading to animal welfare concerns a significant economic loss. Lumpfish are a species of cleaner fish used as a biological control for sea lice and […]

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Advancing biomonitoring eDNA practices. The case of PCR inhibition and implications on eDNA detections

Conventional biomonitoring methods based on capture and observations can be difficult, destructive of habitat, stressful for the organisms, inefficient, and expensive. Living organisms shed DNA into the environment (eDNA) and this signal can be detected using molecular methods. eDNA allows species detection without physical observation or capture. The non-invasive nature of eDNA is essential for […]

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Formulating a novel goat-whey based drink and studying its nutritional and health functions – Year two

This project will create novel goat milk-based products and test their health effects in healthy adults. Interest in goat milk is increasing, mainly due to two market trends: consumers’ new taste trends for niche/ethnic products, and the perception of goat milk having added health properties. Goat milk is perceived as having intestinal anti-inflammatory effects and […]

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Root associated microbiome of trees growing in a fractured bedrock toluene phytoremediation site

Phytoremediation is a promising in-situ technology that uses plants and its associated microorganisms (particularly bacteria and fungi) to clean up contaminated soils. The efficacy of these processes however, requires an in-depth knowledge on the diversity of microbial communities closely interacting with plant roots. Several studies have demonstrated that plants growing in contaminated soils select for […]

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Investigation of the relationship between firefighting water additive formulation and environmental fate and toxicity

Firefighting water additives are a mixture of chemicals that are mixed with water to more effectively extinguish fires (i.e., residential, industrial, forest fires). The use of these additives is likely to increase in fighting forest fires due to the projected increase in forest fire occurrence and intensity due to climate change. Ingredients of firefighting water […]

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Development of a novel IPM strategy for brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys) using RNA interference (RNAi) technology – Year two

Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) (Halyomorpha halys (Stål)) is an invasive pest with a large host range that includes many economically important fruits, vegetables, and row crops. Native to Asia, BMSB was first detected in North America in 1998 and since has become established in British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario; and 44 American states. In […]

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Asian Aquaculture Feed Formulation Database

Asia is the most important global market for aquaculture feeds and an increasingly important consumer of Canadian agricultural commodities, know-how and technologies. Given the complexity of the field, feed manufacturers require robust and highly flexible tools that could assist them in the formulation of cost-effective feeds for major aquaculture species across their life cycle. Veridis […]

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A new beetle species associated with honey bees (Vietnam)

Beetles, possibly of an undescribed species, frequently inhabit honeybee (Apis cerana) hives in Vietnam. They walk over and around honeybees in their nest with no apparent harm to the bee colony. Surveys of beekeepers and their hives will enable us to determine the distribution and incidence of the beetles. A number of biossays will provide […]

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High-efficiency DC-DC converter for TFT touch sensors

This project aims at designing a high-efficiency DC-DC converter for TFT touch sensors. The main task of the converter is to step-up the low and variable input voltage to a higher and more stable voltage that is able to power the touch sensor. The most challenging part of the design is the regulation of the […]

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Optimization of wood bison interspecific somatic cell nuclear transfer and embryo culture for species conservation

Interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) is a promising technique whereby a bison donor cell is transplanted into a domestic cattle oocyte. Different fibroblast donor cells have been demonstrated to have different embryonic outcomes. Problems with SCNT embryos have been also reported after in vitro culture. Toronto Zoo’s efforts have focused on wood bison iSCNT, […]

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