Analysis of the Community Scholars Program for United Way of the Lower Mainland and Simon Fraser University Library

The project will evaluate the Community Scholars Program (CSP) to promote program sustainability, growth and further development. The CSP provides free research database access for 500 community organizations in British Columbia and is a partnership between United Way of the Lower Mainland, Mindset Social Innovation Foundation, and the SFU Library. Now in its second phase, […]

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Masters Athlete Screening Study (MASS) – Part 2 (5-year evaluation)

Masters athletes (>35 years) are a rapidly growing population that participate in a variety of sports. While exercise has tremendous health benefits, there is a small absolute risk of a heart attack and sudden death during exercise. Prevention strategies, such as heart screening aim to identify heart disease that may serve as a trigger for […]

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Production of in vitro and in vivo bison embryos derived from sexed semen

In mammals, the sperm determines the sex of the resulting offspring. Semen sexing is a process whereby sperm are sorted into Y- (male) or X-chromosome (female) bearing gametes. Sexed semen may be used for artificial insemination or in vitro embryo production to create offspring of a desired sex. In a zoo setting, fewer males are […]

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AccessiBelt – Car Seatbelt for Users with Limited Hand Dexterity

Our hand function can be affected by different diseases and disorders, such as arthritis and neurological injuries. Having limited hand function will immensely affect our life and will make everyday simple tasks challenging. There are about 1 million Canadians who reported struggling with daily activities due to this limitation. One task that is challenging for […]

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Understanding the impact of changes to blood donation deferral screening and criteria for men who have sex with men – Year two

Available evidence suggests that up to 71% of individuals will require blood or blood products at some point in their lives. To meet this demand, Canadian Blood Services estimates that approximately 100,000 new donors are required annually. However, current blood donation guidelines in Canada require a 3-month deferral period for men who have sex with […]

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Promoting economic development and vitality of rural communities in Ontario

Many rural regions do not have a sufficient labour force providing the skills that rural businesses need. Many job vacancies go unfilled or are filled by less than ideal candidates. This research looks at strategies to attract and retain the workers that Ontario rural communities need to generate economic development and vitality. By engaging local […]

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Targeting platelet-neutrophil axis: a novel therapeutic approach for Scleroderma

Scleroderma or Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by progressive fibrosis of skin and multiple internal organs and prominent and often severe alterations in the microvasculature. Although SSc is the third most common systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease, there is currently no effective disease-modifying therapy for SSc. The overall objective of this project is […]

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Fibre in IBD: Feeding Our Microbes vs. Fuelling Inflammation

While studies show that dietary fibres are beneficial in many diseases, they are not digested or absorbed directly by the host, but rather fermented by gut microbes. Fermentation byproducts (mostly short-chain fatty-acids; SCFAs) are responsible for health benefits. Only select inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) patients benefit from fibres; many patients report sensitivity to high fibre […]

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Exploring neuroimaging methods to assess the effects of music therapy

The objective of this project is to research new technologies and methods to help in the assessment and functional imaging of neuroplasticity related to music therapy. The approach utilizes key novel technologies being researched in partnership with Dr. Ryan D’Arcy. It takes advantage of on-going, integrated work with Music Heals to research music therapy as […]

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