On the coast of British Columbia, both eelgrass meadows and Pacific salmon species are declining, yet eelgrass community dynamics and reliance of juvenile salmon on these communities are poorly understood. We will assemble the first large-scale dataset from monitoring efforts of coastal BC organizations in order to assess eelgrass community diversity and structure across environmental […]

Targeted cancer therapies have significantly improved the treatment of leukemias, but emergence of treatment resistance and subsequent cancer relapse significantly reduces patient survival. This relapse is primarily caused by the inability of current therapies to eradicate leukemic stem cells. It is currently extremely challenging to study these stem cells, due to its rarity in patient […]

In this project we will combine knowledge from two different research fields, namely parasitology and cancer biology, to develop a novel approach to target a variety of cancer tumors with high specificity. The malaria parasite P.falciparum has evolved a protein (VAR2CSA) that allows infected human blood cells to bind a sugar structure called CSA on […]

Without careful management, the growing number and intensity of human activities can negatively affect ecosystem health and cause conflict between users. Recognizing the need for integrated management, the Province of British Columbia and 18 Coastal First Nations collaborated to develop an integrated spatial Marine Plan for the North Pacific Coast. A critical part of implementing […]

The project focuses on gold deposits in the Arequipa region of southern Peru which are presently being exploited by artisanal and small-scale miners (accounting for 11-14% of Peru’s gold production). The proposed research includes a detailed mineralogical study of the gold mines and the ore concentrates, which have not been previously investigated. The objective is […]

The proposed research has the objective of applying detailed mineralogical research to aid the multidisciplinary development of high speed sensors for real-time ore sorting applications. MineSense Technologies Ltd. is a mining technology company that develops such sensors and while they have successfully demonstrated the application of its core technologies to distinguish ore from waste material, […]

Cellular wireless communication has reached a level of coverage and reliability that it is considered a commodity. However, the dramatic increase in Internet traffic to and from wireless devices poses significant challenges for network operators. While the current growth of traffic is mostly due to consumers communicating more frequently and larger amounts of data over […]

Cellular wireless communication has reached a level of coverage and reliability that it is considered a commodity. However, the dramatic increase in Internet traffic to and from wireless devices poses significant challenges for network operators. While the current growth of traffic is mostly due to consumers communicating more frequently and larger amounts of data over […]

Proposed developments (pipelines, super-tankers) along the coast of BC have the potential to negatively impact (shell)fisheries. Direct monitoring of fisheries can only detect negative impacts which have already occurred; therefore, indicator species (meiofauna) and environmental variables are monitored to detect disturbances before productivity is impacted. Our project will monitor intertidal ecosystems (numerous species and environmental […]

The economically cost-effective methods of intensive open net-pen farming externalize the costs of waste treatment and clean water supply by drawing these critical ecosystem services from the nearshore marine environment. Salmon farms serve as point sources for organic nutrients (uneaten feed and salmon waste), parasites, and heavy metals. Salmon farms may have impacts on proximal […]

Proposed developments (pipelines, super-tankers) along the coast of BC have the potential to negatively impact (shell)fisheries. Direct monitoring of fisheries can only detect negative impacts which have already occurred; therefore, indicator species (meiofauna) and environmental variables are monitored to detect disturbances before productivity is impacted. Our project will monitor intertidal ecosystems (numerous species and environmental […]

Occupants of high-speed marine vehicles are subjected to repetitive, intense wave impacts. These slam events can diminish the operating capacity of crew and pose long-term health risks. Shock-mitigating suspension seats can help solve this problem, and these solutions are being adopted by fleets worldwide. However, a robust method for measuring seat performance and comparing alternative […]