The objective of this project is to develop lipid nanoparticle (LNP) reagents for the delivery of nucleic acids to turn off, or turn on target genes in “hard-to-transfect” neurons and stem cells in vitro and in vivo. A recent report (BCC Research, April 2011) observed that “51% of researchers employ cell-based techniques to perform transfection […]

The high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) poses a serious threat to the healthy growth and development of many children. The lack of oxygen during sleep can lead to daytime sleepiness, growth failure, behavioural problems and developmental delay. Polysomnography (PSG), the gold standard to diagnose OSA is high in cost, requires a well-equipped sleep […]

The high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) poses a serious threat to the healthy growth and development of many children. The lack of oxygen during sleep can lead to daytime sleepiness, growth failure, behavioural problems and developmental delay. Polysomnography (PSG), the gold standard to diagnose OSA is high in cost, requires a well-equipped sleep […]

Screening with low-dose CT has been shown to significantly reduce lung cancer related mortality in high-risk ever-smokers. Interval cancer (IC) is a rising challenge in lung cancer screening because it usually presents in an advanced stage (stage III/IV non-small cell cancer) or is more biologically aggressive (i.e., small cell histology) and have a poorer prognosis […]

Service robots can offer personalized service for people with disabilities and empower the staff with efficient support. This study investigates using a collaborative service robot, Aether in a long-term care home. We work collaboratively with people living with disabilities, families, frontline staff, operation leaders, and industry) to Identify user experience, impact and challenges to inform […]

In running, we don’t train to run a marathon, we train to create of our bodies and minds somebody who is capable of running a marathon. The same is true for equitizing justice, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (JEDIA) work: we don’t train to perfect static techniques of equitization. We train to develop the skills, knowledges, […]

In this project a driving simulator in virtual reality will be designed and developed, in which a user can drive a virtual vehicle in a country road with incoming cars and traffic lights and possibly some animals crossing the road. The users will learn the path to reach a destination through the trial and then […]

This project studies a community garden as a Living Lab to support the objectives of “empowered aging.” Empowered aging encompasses the mental, social, physical and spiritual dimensions of well-being so that people can live their best lives possible. This holistic approach to aging is commensurate with sustainability defined as the need to ensure a better […]

Fatty liver disease, the most common complication of type 2 diabetes (T2D), affects 1 in 5 Canadians. If not managed or treated, a proportion of patients with fatty liver disease may develop the irreversible phases of liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. A new class of drugs, SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), has been approved by Health Canada […]

With over 17 million deaths per year, heart diseases remain the top cause of mortality worldwide. Surgeries such as bypass restore blood supply and save lives. However, after a heart attack the capacity of the heart to pump blood is reduced. In Canada, over 2 million people aged 20+ live with heart disease, costing the […]

Public safety personnel (PSP) (e.g., police, paramedics) ensure the safety of our communities and are at risk of experiencing traumatic events. In a recent study, 44% of surveyed PSPs screened positive for a mental health condition, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We must understand the impact of PTSD on PSP and how to treat […]

Ever-increasing complexity of high morbidity rate diseases including infections, cancer, atherosclerosis, has posed significant challenges in delivering active pharmaceutical agents at their intended targets. Polymeric soft nanoparticles based therapeutics have provided an advantageous platform, and have provoked the design of tailor-made nanoarchitectures that can load, target and deliver with high efficiency. Using synthetically articulated stimuli […]