This project explores how chemical modifications to DNA and histone proteins influence the 3D structure of the genome during early embryonic development. Working at RIKEN in Japan, Iqra Wardak will learn molecular biology and computational genomics techniques to study how epigenetic marks regulate gene activity and cell identity. The project combines experimental training with analysis […]

This project focuses on the design, synthesis and characterization of coiled coil (CC) motifs as modular scaffolds for metal-mediated assembly and function. CCs are predictable a-helical assemblies in which oligomerization behavior can be tuned through sequence design, making them attractive scaffolds for incorporating metal-binding functionalities in a controlled manner. In this project, CC motifs will […]

This project will study how different human antibodies help protect us from viruses such as influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV by working with individual immune cells and producing their antibodies in the lab. The student will grow and purify these antibodies, test how well they bind to viruses, and measure how effectively they activate important immune […]

This project will test whether growth factors produced in-house at the host institute can reliably replace commercially purchased growth factors used to grow heart and kidney cells from human stem cells. These growth factors are essential but costly, and their performance can decline when they are repeatedly warmed and cooled during routine lab work. The […]

Proteins control nearly all biological processes in animals, including growth, metabolism, immunity, and responses to stress or disease. To understand how proteins work, scientists often need tools that can bind to them very specifically and stabilize them for study. Nanobodies are a new type of antibody fragment derived from camelids such as alpacas. Unlike traditional […]

This project aims to couple a multimode optical fiber(MMF) to a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector(SNSPD) and characterize it. SNSPDs are currently the most sensitive single-photon detectors available. But most of the current SNSPDs are coupled using single-mode fibers(SMF), which collect photons in only one spatial mode. This is inefficient when collecting photons from biological samples, […]

Drug discovery is traditionally slow, costly, and high-risk, with timelines exceeding a decade and expenses reaching billions. This lag is particularly problematic for neglected diseases and cardiovascular conditions, which carry significant global burdens but attract limited research investment. To address this, the project proposes leveraging quantum computing and hybrid quantum-classical algorithms to accelerate drug discovery. […]

Ce projet vise à développer un laboratoire autonome combinant intelligence artificielle et spectroscopie pour accélérer la découverte de matériaux et l’analyse de produits complexes. Sous la supervision du professeur Jean-François Masson à l’Université de Montréal, le stage portera sur la mise en place d’un système de synthèse en flux contrôlé par apprentissage automatique, permettant de […]

This project seeks to investigate how the nanoscale structure and arrangement of antigens influences immune recognition and vaccine efficacy. Using DNA nanotechnology and precise structural engineering, we aim to establish a structure-function paradigm linking antigen conformation and valency to immunogenicity. Using cancer vaccines as a stringent testbed of tumor antigens, the design rules established under […]

This international research project brings together scientists and students from Canada and Brazil to study how the immune system becomes disrupted in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes—two major chronic diseases. These conditions are linked to ongoing inflammation in the body, which can lead to serious health problems. A hormone-like molecule called interleukin-10 (IL-10) […]

This project investigates biomechanical risk factors associated with non-specific low back pain in road cyclists. Using motion capture and isokinetic core strength testing, spinal movement patterns and muscular deficits are analyzed during cycling under controlled laboratory conditions and highly realistic treadmill cycling with the athlete’s own bicycle. The goal is to better understand how segmental […]