Rapid diagnostic testing has proven essential for stemming the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Given the global threat of COVID-19 transmission, millions of tests are needed per month to isolate infections and to facilitate safe reopening of societies. This internship will contribute to COVID-19 diagnosis efforts by first developing a faster and cost-effective protocol for viral nucleic-acid […]

Youth with disabilities and their caregivers are disproportionately affected both by the COVID-19 pandemic and the policy measures that are adopted in response. Given the increased risk for this vulnerable population, intentionally planning and co-designing policy to meet the needs of youth with disabilities in emergency preparedness efforts is critical. Unfortunately, there is inadequate data […]

In healthcare, communication and clear roles and responsibilities are critical in delivering care to patients. This is difficult to achieve in the best of times; during pandemics and mass casualty events, communication is the first thing to fail, leading to inefficiency, confusion, and ultimately harm to patients. This project aims to develop an automated system […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged us with social isolation, financial uncertainty, and daily life disruptions. Parents and children may be uniquely impacted as parents attempt to navigate the stressors of working from home, caring for children, and, potentially, caring for their elderly parents and other family members. Children and youth, in turn, are influenced by […]

This proposal seeks to identify the most promising lead candidate for a COVID-19 vaccine that could be rapidly and inexpensively scaled-up to meet Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine needs. In collaboration with a Canadian biotech company, Entos Pharmaceuticals, we will determine the safety and efficacy of several vaccine candidates to identify the most promising candidate to move […]

In this research, occupancy monitoring data, temperature and humidity, and water quality parameters data collected through image processing and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors from multiple swimming pools are going to be processed and analyzed to identify the meaningful relations between these parameters and freshwater usage. The aim is to identify correlations between parameters and […]

As the COVID-19 pandemic complete eradication will at least take 2-3 years, putting the country under complete lockdown is an impractical solution. Hence, Computing and Data Analytics research group at Saint Mary’s University (SMU-CDA) proposes a collaboration with Agyle Intelligence to develop a complete framework using Data Analytics and Machine Learning that can help citizen, […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions in multiple spheres of life and increased psychological distress, depression, and anxiety in many Canadians. With practices of social distancing implemented by the governments combined with an increased demand for psychological support, mental health agencies are forced to be creative and develop e-mental health interventions and tools. The current […]

COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel SARS corona virus, has been a global threat for months now. The pandemic has crippled global healthcare sectors and economies. Early, rapid, and accurate detection of the contagion is critical for isolating infected patients to prevent further community spread. Currently, most communities in Canada suffer from insufficient […]

The COVID-19 virus causing the current pandemic leads to severe illness and death when it involves the lungs. This occurs in a way that conventional X-Rays often cannot show. Experience in other countries and with a similar condition known as ARDS suggests that lung ultrasound can accurately detect COVID-19 lung involvement. Lung ultrasound is harmless […]

The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiological agent of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic currently affecting 215 countries and territories. With the number of cases increasing exponentially in many nations, molecular diagnostics have become a critical component for informing decisions related to health. However, the availability of molecular diagnostics has suffered a bottleneck. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase […]

We propose utilizing real-time image detection of humans (visitors and healthcare workers) using personal protective equipment (I.e. masks, gloves, and gowns) in healthcare settings. This system would ensure proper compliance of PPE use to reduce the transmission COVID and other healthcare based infections, thereby saving lives, reducing hospital stays and costs. This builds off literature […]