Families (i.e. siblings) with children and adolescents with autism often experience demanding stressors and distress associated with providing care to their family member with autism. Distancing requirements imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have halted many of the programs that parents rely on for respite and support (e.g. interventions, day programs, schools, adapted recreation and leisure, […]

The projects will involve the modifications of a small automated ventilator (breathing machine) suitable for use in pandemics and underresourced settings (outside hospital, in patient transport, small hospitals), especially suited to patients with severe lung disease. Partner organization will be able to improve the design of the current ventilator to make it better suited for […]

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 […]

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 […]

The novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to challenge scientists to find therapeutic treatments to combat the virus and to develop rapid and reliable methods for detection of the virus. Our team aims to contribute to both of these research areas over the next two years. Several Canadian research groups have […]

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 […]

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 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 […]

We all know someone who looks or functions like someone who is much younger than their actual age (or vice versa). Why is this? Whether our bodies age faster or slower than expected can be explained by lifestyle choices (e.g. adopting a healthy or unhealthy diet), environmental exposures (e.g. stress or exposure to pollution or […]