Visual enhancement in normal and abnormal visual system

Vision loss related to malfunctioning of the brain have always been believed to be unrecoverable in adults. Novel treatments, however, have shown the opposite. Visual stimulation is a computer-based system which devised visual stimuli are presented to participants. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a non-invasive technique to deliver an electric current to the brain. Both treatments […]

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Integration of smart sensing fabric in a DVT pressure stocking

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), formation of blood clot in deep vein usually in leg, has severe health complications that can lead to disability or death. Applying a cyclic pressure can improve blood circulation and may prevent DVT. This cyclic pressure can be implemented via mobile compression socks (MCS). However, MCS only apply static pressure, which […]

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Development and Analysis of Electric-Assist Wheelchair Systems

A power-assisted wheelchair is a hybrid between manual and power wheelchairs that consists of an electric-assist system that can be easily mounted on a manual wheelchair. The market for power-assisted wheelchair systems has seen growth in the past decade because of their benefits on the health and mobility of manual wheelchairs users. However, current power-assisted […]

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Characterization and optimization of a multi-phase aerated stirred fermenter using experimental and computational techniques

Multi-phase aerated stirred fermenters are well-accepted in the production of biopharmaceuticals including antibodies and vaccines. Nevertheless, their hydrodynamic and mixing characteristics as well as the influence of various process engineering variables on their performance are not fully understood. In the current study, extensive experimentation (ERT and endoscopy) and the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach will […]

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Portable diagnostic device for outpatient BNP detection – Year two

Heart Failure (HF) occurs when the heart becomes damaged or weakened. HF is an epidemic, with approximately 1 million Canadians affected. BNP is an effective diagnostic and prognostic marker for HF. There is a direct correlation between elevated concentrations of BNP in the blood and the severity of HF symptoms. The need for point-of-care monitoring […]

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Pharmacogenetic Biomarker Discovery, Personalized Medicine, and Clinical Test Commercialization in Neuropsychiatry

Pharmacotherapy is one of the primary treatments for psychiatric disorders. Given the variation in individual response, and the current trial-and-error treatment, a more personalized approach is needed. The Mitacs Elevate postdoctoral trainee will gain direct experience with all aspects of using pharmacogenetic testing to personalize medication prescriptions for patients, and the commercialization of the test. […]

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Canadian Communities of Practice in Global Health: meeting the SDG challenge

Canada?s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has implications for both domestic and foreign policy in a complex, shifting, and interdependent global health system crowded with multiple actors and stakeholders. The array of activities involved with global public health practice necessitates engagement with health policy and systems research (HPSR), and Knowledge Translation (KT) is […]

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Investigating the Role of Cannabis Derived Phytocannabinoid Formulations for the Development of Novel Mental Health Pharmacotherapies

Cannabinoid phytochemicals derived from the marijuana plant are increasingly being recognized for their potential in treating a wide variety of mental health conditions. For example, specific compounds found in marijuana such as THC and cannabidiol (CBD) are showing promise as pharmacological treatments for disorders including schizophrenia, anxiety, depression and PTSD. However, very little is understood […]

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Enhancing Nurses’ Role in Opioid Stewardship – Implications for health policy, practice advocacy) and patient safety

Multiple national strategies have been developed address the opioid crisis, however, Canada still remains the second largest consumer of prescription opioids. These drugs can have negative effects on consumers because they have addictive properties so therefore consumers may become addicted to these drugs if there are not taken as prescribed. For other drug classes such […]

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Patient localization and identification using a Bluetooth-based sensor network

In general, hospital based medical personnel usually have little or no objective data describing an individual patient?s pre, intra and post-operative (perioperative) movement and activity. We are developing low cost and easily deployable technologies to monitor patient activity patterns and the associated intensities. We want to objectively identify medically important indicators of normal versus abnormal […]

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SWAVE Ultrasound Elastography

Organ health is often tested today by biopsy, which involves placing a needle into the body and taking a small tissue sample for analysis in a lab. Researchers at the University of British Columbia invented a new technique to measure the health of tissue without a needle. This technique is called Shear Wave Absolute Vibro-Elastography […]

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