Innovative Projects Realized

Explore thousands of successful projects resulting from collaboration between organizations and post-secondary talent.

13270 Completed Projects

1072
AB
2795
BC
430
MB
106
NF
348
SK
4184
ON
2671
QC
43
PE
209
NB
474
NS

Projects by Category

10%
Computer science
9%
Engineering
1%
Engineering - biomedical
4%
Engineering - chemical / biological

In Vivo Reprogramming of Spiral Ganglion Glial Cells into Primary Auditory Neurons

Sensorineural hearing loss involves damage to hair cells, the sensory transducers of the auditory system, and/or the auditory neurons that transmit this information to the brain. Once these cells are lost the body does not naturally regenerate them. Elsewhere it has been shown that cells of one type may be converted into another cell type. This project involves using viral expression of select transcription factors in the spiral ganglion to convert resident cells into new auditory neurons to restore hearing.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Alain Dabdoub

Student:

Steven Meas

Partner:

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Globalink Research Award

Efficient Signal Processing and Radio Resource Management for High-Throughput and Low-Latency Massive MIMO Cellular Systems – Year two

Future cellular systems must accommodate increasing demand for very high throughput and low latency data services. Massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) approach involving base stations equipped with much larger numbers of antennas than the numbers of users served promises to significantly increase network capacity, while nonorthogonal multi-carrier transmission is expected to dramatically reduce the latency. Integration of these techniques will require novel efficient transceiver signal processing and radio resource management solutions, such as reducedcomplexity precoding and user scheduling algorithms. These algorithms will need to be robust to typical imperfections, such as antenna coupling in large arrays of limited physical size and also possible non-reciprocity of uplink and downlink hardware chains, resulting in inaccurate channel state information at transmitters and reduced capacity. 3D beamforming in massive MIMO will also be investigated. TELUS Communications has expressed great interest in the proposed work and will support it in the amount of $30k per year.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Witold Antoni Krzymien

Student:

Mahmood Mazrouei Sebdani

Partner:

Telus

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Elevate

Screening of natural compounds for their anti-glycation activity on collagen fibrils using biochemical and biomechanical assays

Since the beginning of recorded time, humans have been developing ways to make themselves more beautiful or otherwise change their appearance. The hair-care industry itself has a huge global economic power: its estimated total value is $47B annually. However, beauty does not come without a price: methods currently being used for hair colouring and styling damage hair greatly. More importantly, they involve treatments that have negative effects on human and environmental health. To reduce the toxicity of hair-care treatments, SLI Beauty is developing new hair-surface chemical modification techniques. I have partnered with them to bring my expertise at biophysical characterization to assess the success of these surface modifications, and to develop new treatment modalities. With dedicated time spent onsite in the SLI Beauty labs, I have the opportunity to bring my critical skills to help develop marketable products for this expanding company.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Nancy Forde

Student:

Tuba Altindal

Partner:

Salon Label Inc.

Discipline:

Physics / Astronomy

Sector:

Consumer goods

University:

Simon Fraser University

Program:

Elevate

Light collection optimization with semiconductor photodetectors – Year two

Better light collection by photodetectors would automatically improve signal to noise ratio and photodetector performance. For example, for the positron emission tomography application, it would result in a better image quality for a lower dose. The main cause of the light loss is too much reflection of light that is trying to travel from the light source into the semiconductor light sensor. Several options are possible to overcome this difficulty and will be investigated, such as anti-reflective coatings, the use of an optical coupling compound with a higher refractive index to bound the medium and the photodetector, or micro and nano structures on both the medium and the photodetector. The research will be aimed at finding the best compromise between light collection optimization and feasibility, to improve performance of photodetectors designed and manufactured by Excelitas Canada.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Roger Lecomte

Student:

Mélanie Bergeron

Partner:

Excelitas Technologies

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

Université de Sherbrooke

Program:

Elevate

Mapping quantitative trait loci for disease resistance to Infectious salmon anemia in a commercial strain of Atlantic salmon

This research project is intended to take the first steps forward in breeding hardier, disease resistant Atlantic salmon. Infectious salmon anemia is a disease of Atlantic salmon that has led to millions of dollars of losses within the aquaculture industry yearly on a global scale. Through a combination of genomic data and disease trial data, the intern will be able to determine which genes confer a measurable resistance to Infectious salmon anemia. The partner organization (Cooke Aquaculture) will potentially be able to use the data generated by the intern in future breeding schemes. By knowing which genes are associated with resistance to Infectious salmon anemia, the partner organization could select breeding-stock that are known to be more resistant to the disease. This selection process would allow for reduced incidences of disease outbreaks among the aquacultural population.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Elizabeth Boulding

Student:

Forest Dussault

Partner:

Cooke Aquaculture Corp.

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Fisheries and wildlife

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Accelerate

Mental Health: Strategies for Resilience

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is a 12 hour course that was developed in 2001 for health care workers to better support clinical patients in mental health crisis. Evaluations of the training indicate that individuals who take this training improve knowledge of mental health disorders (e.g., psychotic disorders) and are better able to provide triaged mental health care. However, the program has limited use as it was developed for health care providers and focuses on extreme events of crisis.  This post doctoral fellowship will revamp the MHFA based on current resilience research for university students on university campuses and offer the course through the Canadian Mental Health Association. The new focus will shift the emphasis of mental health training modules from a recovery model that is reactive and an approach that is didactic to a resilience model that is proactive and an approach that promotes interactive learning.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Susan Hutchinson

Student:

Lara Fenton

Partner:

Canadian Mental Health Association

Discipline:

Human physical performance and recreation

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

Dalhousie University

Program:

Elevate

Development and Delivery of Inhibitors for Viral Pathogenic Deubiquitinases

In human viral diseases, misbehaviour of the cellular machinery utilizing ubiquitin is frequently observed. Ubiquitin is a small protein that attaches to target proteins in human cells and signals for their destruction. Human deubiquitinases are enzymes that remove ubiquitin to keep protein levels in balance. Viral pathogens have evolved proteins that mimic human deubiquitinases to evade the immune system by interfering with host ubiquitin-dependent processes. Unfortunately, the lack of molecules that can block the activity of viral deubiquitinases has severely hampered attempts to manipulate them for therapeutic benefits. The Sidhu group has invented a new technology to develop synthetic protein modulators for any ubiquitin-interacting proteins. The goal of this project is to generate highly specific and potent inhibitors for viral pathogenic deubiquitinases and a platform to deliver these molecules into human cells. This will lead to effective antiviral therapy, expanding the existing therapeutic portfolio of CCAB.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Jason Moffat

Student:

Wei Zhang

Partner:

Centre for the Commercialization of Antibodies and Biologics

Discipline:

Biochemistry / Molecular biology

Sector:

Pharmaceuticals

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Elevate

An economic evaluation of sulfonylurea medication, hypoglycemic episodes and falls in older adults with type 2 diabetes

Drug use in older persons is a major public health concern. Even though therapeutic drugs are beneficial for patients’ health in terms of survival or quality of life, patients aged >65 years have a greater risk of developing drug-related complications. Such complications may be fatal because of the high frequency of both multiple pathologies andpolypharmacy in these patients, who consume a major proportion of healthcare resources.The present work aims to evaluate the impact of treatment with a widely used antidiabetic drug (sulfonylureas) inolder diabetic patients on avoidable hospitalizations for hypoglycemia, falls, and fractures. This economic study will beconducted using data from the diabetes-specific Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System database. For Merck Canada Inc, the present work will play a key role in helping evolve research in the area of pharmacogeriatrics related to diabetes in Canada.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Cara Tannenbaum

Student:

Justin Paul Turner

Partner:

Merck Canada Inc.

Discipline:

Pharmacy / Pharmacology

Sector:

Pharmaceuticals

University:

Université de Montréal

Program:

Accelerate

Roche Lake Eutrophication study

Roche Lake is the Roche Lake is the largest lake among 12 highly productive water bodies in the Thomson-Nicola region of BC’s southern Interior Plateau. It has experienced algal blooms over the past four years indicating a change in nutrient loadings to the lake. Roche Lake suffered a winterkill of more than 50% of fish due to low oxygen levels during the 2013-2014 winter, with low oxygen levels persisting throughout summer 2014. The algal blooms and impacts on fish populations indicate a significant level of eutrophication that needs to be addressed. The postdoctoral fellow will conduct a water quality study to evaluate causes of eutrophication in Roche Lake and evaluate possible management strategies to remediate conditions in the lake, as well as prevent other lakes in the region from experiencing negative environmental conditions.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Mark Johnson

Student:

Alireza Araghi-Rahi, Mollie McDowell

Partner:

Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

Environmental industry

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

Detection of salivary insulin following low versus high carbohydrate meals in humans

The intern will conduct a research study to evaluate whether measuring insulin in saliva can be used to reflect levels of insulin in the blood. The long-term objective is to work with the industry partner to develop a non-invasive personal salivary insulin monitor using a new technology that is in development that can quickly and cost-effectively measure insulin. The intern will work closely with the partner organization to understand the new technology and the end goals of the project while translating the research study results to help develop a prototype.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Jonathan Little

Student:

Etienne Myette-Cote

Partner:

CoreHealth Technologies Inc

Discipline:

Human physical performance and recreation

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of British Columbia Okanagan

Program:

Accelerate

Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) telomeric analysis in pre-treatment and post-treatment patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma; a look at prognostic variability and responsive elements

The intern will analyze blood samples of patients with high-risk prostate cancer. The cancer cells will be isolated from the blood sample and the genetic material will be stained and then imaged by a high-intensity-high-focus 3D microscope. Next, the telomeres (ends of genes) will be studied and compared. The point is to see the progression of cancer cells in the blood at the time of diagnosis and then also after treatment has been given. The results will be useful in predicting possible screening methods that are much more economical and less invasive.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Sabine Mai

Student:

Hazem Alsaadi

Partner:

CancerCare Manitoba

Discipline:

Engineering - biomedical

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of Manitoba

Program:

Accelerate

Wintering Hills Reverse Auction

This research would determine the costs of securing and restoring drained wetland areas on private lands in the Wintering Hills area of Alberta, Canada, through the use of an approach called a “reverse auction.” Collaborating with Ducks Unlimited Canada, the project would pay farmers to allow wetlands to be restored on their property. The payment levels would be determined by the landowners through the auction process. Understanding the costs of restoration is largely unknown, but is critical for the Government of Alberta as they implement the 2013 Alberta Wetland Policy. The research also aims to understand how to efficiently implement and utilize reverse auctions to gain access to ecological assets located on private lands through proper compensation to the owners of these lands. The project will also restore wetlands in the Wintering Hills region of southern Alberta, contributing to environmental improvements in the local watershed.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Peter Boxall

Student:

Lucas Novak

Partner:

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

Fisheries and wildlife

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Accelerate

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