Shellfish aquaculture production has been growing steadily for the past several decades, and is expected to continue to do so. Three groups of the most commonly cultivated shellfish are mussels, oysters, and scallops. This research is focused on how these three families of shellfish capture different sizes of particles (e.g. phytoplankton) for ingestion. It has […]

The research aims to develop techniques for the colonization of seashores by the economically important red seaweed, Palmaria palmata, commonly known as Dulse. The project is a direct collaboration between a local industry leader, Fundy Dulse, and Dr. David Garbary of St. Francis Xavier University. A major problem facing the Dulse industry is the limited […]

The field of nuclear medicine relies on positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanners to visualize molecular processes in normal and disease states in the living human. These imaging technologies have significant potential to enhance our ability to diagnose disease, develop appropriate disease-modifying treatments and for non-invasive monitoring of these […]

Changes in blood flow through an artery represent a very important stimulus to improve or preserve blood vessel health. It has been demonstrated that long term changes in blood flow through an artery can have harmful effects that eventually contribute to the development of blood vessel disease. Developing a better understanding of these blood flow […]

Bivalves (e.g. mussels, oysters, and scallops) are valued for both their economic and ecological importance. As filter-feeders, bivalves remove suspended matter (e.g. phytoplankton) from their environment to ingest. There is potential that filter-feeders change their feeding activity based on their digestive processes. This feedback between feeding and digestion would be an important link to help […]

The rotator cuff muscle group is a strong contributor to the healthy function of the shoulder. However, tearing in this muscle group is common, leading to pain and difficulty performing activities of daily living. Though surgical repair can reduce pain and improve function, muscle re-tears are common after surgical intervention. A novel biotechnology, Regeneten, being […]

According to the World Petroleum Council (WPC), the average age of employees in Oil and Gas companies is 50 years, and it is estimated that in the next 5 years 40-60% of them will retire. One consequence of this age-related crisis is losing the accumulated knowledge by retiring “gray-beards”. In this scenario, new software technologies […]

One aspect of modern drug development involves understanding how enzymes function in terms of the progress of certain diseases in humans. This MITACS project involves the synthesis of small-molecule labels that can bind to a specific enzyme of interest, so as to better understand the mode of action of this enzyme as related to the […]

This project aims to combine two different sources on merchant ship movement, AIS and satellite images. AIS data is emitted by every merchant ship above a certain size, which allows the ship to be tracked from the coastline. The goal of this project is to use both these sources of data to train an automated […]

Legionella pneumophila is an opportunistic pathogen that affects humans that are immunocompromised. It is the most frequently reported drinking water related disease in the United States. In order to investigate its occurrence and release from pipe walls in the drinking water distribution system, a bench – scale method has been designed. Disinfectants (chlorine) and corrosion […]

It remains unclear which factors drives variation in the gut microbiome across humans. Past work has taken an evolutionary perspective and compared the gut microbiome of humans on Western diets to wild primates and humans on non-Western diets and identified particular microbes which are at different abundances. However, the focus of these studies has mainly […]

The heart beats 3-4 billion times in a person’s lifetime, making it the only part of the body that continues to work – without a break – for one’s entire existence! For this to occur, the heart must be highly regulated, so that is continues to function normally. Much of this regulation occurs within the […]