Encapsulation of lipophilic compounds into saponin micelles

This research project would entail developing a system to encapsulate compounds in order to protect them during processing, storage and digestion. Saponins are a compound found in pants that are made up of water attracting and water repelling components. This balance allows them to group together to form groups of saponins called micelles with the […]

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Storying Access: Reconciling the Effects of Betterment Discourses in Southern Ontario’s Early 20th Century Domestic Science Education

Building on my recent archival research, my Mitacs project explores the ways early 20th century discourses of betterment and progress, such as eugenics, in southern Ontario were unevenly entwined within rural domestic science educational institutions and connected to cultural histories and legacies of colonialism that diminished and disappeared young women who did not fit the […]

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Storying Access: Reconciling the Effects of Betterment Discourses in Southern Ontario’s Early 20th Century Domestic Science Education – Year two

Building on my recent archival research, my Mitacs project explores the ways early 20th century discourses of betterment and progress, such as eugenics, in southern Ontario were unevenly entwined within rural domestic science educational institutions and connected to cultural histories and legacies of colonialism that diminished and disappeared young women who did not fit the […]

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Evolution of Photolyase DNA Repair Function in Vertebrates

The research in the Foulkes Lab is focused on the regulation of circadian rhythms and environmental effects on specific gene products. The project I will be contributing to aims to investigate the role of environment, specifically light, on the evolution of cryptochromes and photolyases. Photolyases are proteins that are involved in repairing DNA, and the […]

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Probiotics for Animal Health – neonatal and pre-weaned calf

This project aims to develop a novel collection of probiotics for animal health, specifically newborn and pre-weaned calves. Probiotics are a safe and sustainable way of ensuring the health of animals in the agricultural industry. The probiotics will be designed to decrease the morbidity and mortality rates in pre-weaned calves, and to increase the long-term […]

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The effects of a step-wise exercise regime and dietary soluble fiber intake on behaviour and welfare, gut health, and metabolism in mid-distance training sled dogs

Regular exercise has also been associated with positive effects on the health and mood of dogs, although extreme exertion, such as that experienced by sporting dogs, can lead to activity-related injuries and a reduction in welfare. Sporting dogs commonly experience gastrointestinal upset, but trainers tend to not recognize the importance of dietary fiber to support […]

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AI-powered operating system for buildings: new performance metrics

In the real estate sector, a large volume of data is produced by businesses, commercial users and building visitors in a great variety of forms. For instance, three extensive sources of data come from unstructured text (e.g. documents, contracts), numerical data containing resources consumption and sensor/image-type data describing user behavior. A challenging problem for the […]

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Training the next generation of applied conservation biologists: research to aid Ontario’s first successful re-introduction of an endangered butterfly

The Mottled Duskywing is an endangered butterfly species in Canada. In order to reverse the decline of this species, research is required to fill in knowledge gaps regarding the species biology and life history. There are currently no data available on population size, survival rates of adult or juvenile life stages, dispersal, or optimal habitat […]

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A new rapid method for clay, silt and sand-sized mineral particle size measurements of soils and soil products

Information on the proportions of clay, silt and sand-sized mineral particles in soils and in soil products used for construction is critical for understanding their physical and chemical properties and for their proper use and management. However, these soil mineral particles are usually glued together with inorganic cements (calcium carbonate, iron and aluminum oxides/hydroxides) and […]

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Low temperature FTIR of Antarctic rhodopsin

Rhodopsins are a family of light sensitive proteins which are photosensory in complex organisms (such as humans) but have other functions (ion pumps and channels) in microbial organisms. We have discovered a new and unique group of rhodopsins which were isolated from a microbe in a fresh water lake in Antarctica, called Lake Fryxell. Through […]

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