The proposed project aims to investigate the pathway and mechanisms of the anaerobic biotransformation of the persistent organochlorine pesticide chlordecone (CLD). At the home institute, University of Toronto (Toronto, Canada), the intern has successfully identified a a trichloroethylene (TCE)-dechlorinating culture, KB-1, that can completely transform 1.5 mg/L (3.1 µM) of CLD within 200 days when […]

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a safe form of non-invasive brain stimulation that treats different brain conditions. Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is a TMS protocol that alters the underlying neural circuitry and is an FDA and Health Canada approved treatment for Major Depressive Disorder. How cTBS changes brain function remains unknown; however, understanding this mechanism […]

This research falls at the intersection of the “data, economy and society” and the “digitalization, security and democracy” core research areas. It aims to tackle the consequences of cross-border data flows on democracy and individual’s security, while underlining the economic potential of this data. The research also exists in continuation of CIGI’s two essay series […]

In the interest of sustainability, novel aircraft configurations such as the blended-wing-body (BWB) have garnered a great deal of attention for their potential to dramatically improve aircraft fuel efficiency. The BWB concept has been studied extensively using aerodynamic shape optimization to predict its performance benefits and study the key design features of the aircraft. In […]

Musculoskeletal systems are responsible for the rich and diverse ranges of motion and behaviors exhibited by all sorts of animals, including humans. Recreating these motions is key for applications in medical simulation, robotics, and virtual reality. Unfortunately, modeling even simple control tasks such as grasping or locomotion with such musculoskeletal systems is extremely difficult. The […]

This international project brings together researchers from Canada and Japan to improve the accuracy and reliability of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. The goal is to enhance how large language models (LLMs)—the technology behind tools like ChatGPT—respond to medical questions by grounding them in verified facts. At the National Institute of Informatics (NII) in Tokyo, […]

This project focuses on understanding what makes the prices of stablecoins (a type of cryptocurrency designed to stay stable) go up or down. Traditional financial models don’t fully explain how these digital assets behave, especially during market changes or when new regulations are introduced. By studying both general market trends and specific factors like liquidity, […]

This project explores how multilingual immigrant children aged 8–13 in Canadian ESL support programs acquire English vocabulary during their early years of settlement. Vocabulary development is crucial for academic success, yet many newcomer children face barriers that go beyond language exposure alone. The research investigates how cognitive factors, such as working memory and phonological processing, […]

The proposed project will benefit the participating institutions by establishing a new international partnership focused on developing sustainable, non-toxic coatings to combat marine biofouling, an issue with significant economic and environmental implications for industries like shipping and aquaculture. By combining expertise in photoactive materials and microbial-material interface analysis, the collaboration will enhance research capacity at […]

Recent advances in computational neuroscience underscore the value of biologically accurate models integrating multimodal neuroimaging to simulate brain activity realistically. Deep brain areas like the hippocampus, crucial for memory and cognition, pose challenges for non-invasive study due to their complex dynamics. The Region-Specific Brain Network Model (RSBNM) addresses this by combining Neural Mass Models, high-resolution […]

This international project brings together top neuroscience teams from McGill University (Canada) and Aix-Marseille University (France) to develop the next generation of realistic brain models. The goal is to improve how computer simulations represent the timing of signals traveling through the brain, which depends on factors like axon length, thickness, and myelination. Current models often […]

La technologie de biodétection est essentielle pour les diagnostics médicaux, la surveillance de l’environnement et la recherche biologique fondamentale. Alors que la résonance plasmonique de surface (SPR) offre une détection sans étiquette sensible aux changements d’indice de réfraction et que les capteurs à ondes acoustiques de surface (SAW) excellent dans les milieux liquides et sondent […]