Biofilms, surface-adherent microbial populations with enhanced tolerance to antibiotics and disinfectants, are widely-known contamination sources in environmental, industrial and medical settings. Novel approaches for the prevention and remediation of biofilms using nontoxic materials are urgently required. Interestingly, natural polysaccharides and nanopowders have anti-biofilm properties. We will develop a sustainable anti-biofilm technology using PhytoSpherix™ (Mirexus), a […]

In water quality management, mathematical models are used to understand ecological processes, to predict aquatic ecosystem dynamics, to evaluate management alternatives/climatic scenarios, and to support the policy making process. Environmental models involve substantial uncertainty due to their structure, unknown parameters, and errors associated with calibration data and other inputs. This research program aims to address […]

Air pollution is a major concern in urban centers because not only does affect vulnerable populations, but also impacts the quality of life for urban dwellers. With the new implementation of the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change to replace the existing Ontario Air Quality Index […]

The way a vaccine performs after injection is not completely understood and not all vaccines behave in the same way. To make a vaccine we must understand what is important or critical to make it work. For example a vaccine may have specific features such as its size or shape that are critical to the […]

The human pathogenic bacteria Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter jejuni are commonly found in the intestine of poultry. Consumption of infected chicken and eggs, and its derivatives, is the main and most important source of infection outbreaks in humans and causing diarrhoea, fevers and abdominal cramps. In some cases, severe diarrhea and dehydration followed by systemic […]

The impaired beneficial use “Eutrophication & Undesirable Algae” is the main reason that the Bay of Quinte was declared an “Area of Concern” (AOC) in 1986. External and internal nutrient loadings are among the main reasons for this impaired beneficial use. The development of a long-term phosphorus reduction strategy is a key remaining activity needed […]

The goal of this project is to develop the first ever high definition integrated water circulation and water quality model for the Toronto Waterfront. As one of the most urbanized freshwater ecosystems with complex geometries and physical processes, Toronto Waterfront is in an urgent need for modern scientific tools that can support effective environmental management […]

The goal of this project is to develop the first ever high definition integrated water circulation and water quality model for the Toronto Waterfront. As one of the most urbanized freshwater ecosystems with complex geometries and physical processes, Toronto Waterfront is in an urgent need for modern scientific tools that can support effective environmental management […]

The proposed research project investigates how the Telepresence technology (Connected North) has an impact on Northern students’ and teachers’ educational experience. Our goal is to assess the impact of its implementation within three contexts: connecting students to students, connecting students to experts, and connecting teachers to teachers. To this end, we will administer questionnaires to […]

While consumers adopt technological solutions based on their perceived usefulness, continued use of those products often depends on the support customers receive as they initially use the product, and when they run into problems or complex uses. Traditional support models (e.g., call centres) are often costly and only somewhat effective. The current proposal outlines research […]

projections across their watersheds and lower tier municipalities. Leveraging previous modeling that was completed five years ago, they have established a suite of climate variables they would like to update based on the latest science, and hope to access existing regional climate model outputs through online portals or academic experts and undertake post-processing and analysis […]

Wetlands are important habitats for many plant and animal species, and also provide valuable ecosystem services to society such as improving water quality and releasing groundwater into streams. While wetlands are often protected from development through the land use planning process in Ontario, development and land use change near wetlands can still alter the amount […]