Heart failure (HF) is a condition that develops after the heart becomes damaged or weakened. HF occurs when the pumping action of the heart is not strong enough to move blood around, especially during increased activity or under stress. In addition, the heart muscle may not relax properly to accommodate the flow of blood back […]

Chronic heart failure (HF) is an epidemic affecting approximately 1.5-2% of Canada’s population (12% in patients over 80yrs) and the current one-year mortality rate after HF diagnosis remains disturbingly high at 25-40%. Even with treatment, many HF patients require hospitalizations during the course of their disease; in Canada HF is responsible for $3 billion in hospital […]

There is a great need and benefit to integrate artificial intelligence, robotic simulation, and robotics technology into Canada’s medical industry, hospital environment, and healthcare system. Robotic simulation technology, which has been successfully used for space rover missions such as NASA’s Curiosity rover and the Mars Pathfinder and Sojourner mission, provides the ability to create and […]

Extem supplies research grade mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and is looking to differentiate themselves by providing a proprietary human-derived growth media to replace the cow-derived fetal bovine serum (FBS) typically used. Pooled platelet lysate (PPL) may be a viable alternative. However, existing PPL methods lack quality control, standardization, and can result in up to 50% […]

Lyme disease is one of the many diseases transmitted by ticks. The rate of these diseases is rapidly increasing in Canada. Diagnosing these diseases is difficult but examination of biopsy, necropsy and autopsy tissue can help to understand the full and varied effects of the disease and ultimately reduce misdiagnoses. Biobanks are required for this […]

Technetium-99m (99mTc) is a radioactive substance that is used in nuclear medicine departments worldwide. This substance when made in an appropriate formulation is injected in patients and following its decay pictures of the patient can be obtained. This pictures help physicians diagnose certain diseases notably cancers and heart diseases. The government of Canada historically was […]

It is estimated that the average person spends up to 50% of their waking hours thinking about things other than what they are presently doing (i.e., mind wandering). This internal form of distraction along with its external counterpart (i.e., external distraction) are associated with performance deficits during everyday activities, such as reading or driving. Moreover, […]

This project aims to determine prevalence rates of Echinococcus species tapeworms in domestic dogs and to compare these rates to those obtained from wild canids including wolves, coyotes, and foxes. This will shed light on infection rates and risk factors for both the human population and their pet dogs. This research will benefit Bayer as […]

Cancer will affect 2 in every 5 Canadians in their lifetime, with just over 25% representing new breast cancer diagnoses in women. Despite significant progress in the treatment of the most common cancer in women, resistance to chemotherapeutic agents remains a consistent obstacle in terms of the successful treatment of many types of breast cancers. […]

Objective and reliable assessment of balance and postural sway has the ability to drastically improve the screening process for risk of falls among elderly populations. Standard assessment protocols and questionnaires are in place, however these do not provide objective, reliable fall prediction. Standard concussion assessment protocols determine the presence and severity of a concussion, as well […]

Most of the available toothpastes are designed to manage tooth decay. Older individuals, however, suffer from gum diseases that caused by accumulation of plaque and tartar on teeth or implants. The most common way of cleaning the teeth is with a brush and toothpaste. However, even though major companies offer a wide range of products […]

The objective of this project is to work with an industrial partner (Eclectic Industries Inc.) to design an activity tracker for institutionalized individuals with dementia. In our previous work with Eclectic Industries Inc., we refined and evaluated Ambient Activity Technology (AAT). AAT is a wall-mounted interactive tool (accessible anytime) designed for people with dementia to […]