Innovative Projects Realized

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

31914 Completed Projects

3006
AB
5256
BC
878
MB
703
NL
913
SK
9488
ON
9949
QC
98
PE
629
NB
1215
NS

Projects by Category

Application of protein fibers in plant-based meat analogues to improve mechanical and textural properties

Plenty of conclusive evidence points to the association of meat consumption with negative environmental outcomes resulting in climate change. These findings show the importance of reducing meat consumption and developing efficient strategies such as production of meat alternatives to alleviate the associated environmental and health issues. However, the production of plant-based meat analogues that can mimic whole muscle cut, as opposed to processed meat such as ground beef, is still far from market launch. In particular, the main barrier to produce an acceptable meat analogue is texture, which is a challenging attribute to achieve due to difficulties associated with the development of highly anisotropic fibrillar structures from globular plant proteins. To address this problem, in current study, we will apply electrospun protein fibers (EPF) from gelatin and zein in plant-based meat analogues, using tween screw extruder and investigate the thermal, rheological, structural, textural, and mechanical properties of final meat alternatives. We expect that the texture and mechanical properties will be improved upon using EPF due to the rearrangement of protein molecules around protein fibers.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

John Dutcher

Student:

Partner:

Aarhus University

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Agriculture and Food; Advanced Manufacturing; Nanotechnology

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Globalink Research Award

Expression of cytokines and other biomarkers for the prediction of severe disease in COVID-19 patients

Infection by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) results in COVID-19, a highly heterogeneous disease ranging from being asymptomatic and mild to severe and causing death. Early screening and effective intervention for COVID-19 patients who will develop severe disease are essential to reduce the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients. Various groups have published prognostic markers that can be used to predict which patients will progress to severe or life-threatening disease. However, these studies were done prior to the Omicron SARS-CoV2 virus variant becoming the dominant strain, and prior to large scale vaccination programs. We propose to collect blood samples and clinical information from the current population of COVID19 patients at Vancouver General Hospital to determine whether previously defined diagnostic markers can be used, and to develop a new panel specific for the current period in the pandemic.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Alice Mui

Student:

Partner:

Vancouver Coastal Health

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

Managing Nova Scotia Woodlands in a Changing Climate

Using a jurisdictional scan, literature review, and consultation with woodland owners and groups in Nova Scotia, the intern will develop an education module for woodland owners on how to manage a Nova Scotia Acadian Forest woodlot in the face of a changing climate. Both adaptation – managing so trees can thrive through a changing climate – and mitigation managing so that woodland can capture and store more carbon – will be covered in the module. The results will assist Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute in its programs to assist woodland owners in achieving their land management goals and overall sustainability of the forest landscape.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Peter Duinker;James Steenberg

Student:

Partner:

Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Other services (except public administration); Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Dalhousie University

Program:

Accelerate

Cancer Nanomedicine: Addition of a unique combination of radiosensitizers to exploit the full potential of current radiotherapy

Currently, we are using the optimum RT dose and cannot increase any further due to the toxicity associated with surrounding normal tissue. Therefore, our approach is to introduce radiosensitizing agents to tumor cells to enhance the RT dose. Recent clinical trials show better survival in prostate cancer patients with a combined treatment of radiotherapy (RT) and docetaxel. Addition of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) to this current DTX/RT protocol is expected to improve therapeutic benefits remarkably. Therefore, this proposed project is designed to find nanotechnology based solutions to overcome barriers in cancer radiotherapy (RT). We will optimize this approach in two- and three-dimensional tissue models before testing them in animal models. Overall, the outcome of this proposed project will highlight the benefits of using DTX combined with GNPs and lay the groundwork for the translation of the triple combination of RT, GNPs, and DTX to the clinic.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Devika Chithrani

Student:

Partner:

Integrated Nanotherapeutics Inc

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Victoria

Program:

Accelerate

The Healthy Body Scorecard: A new health screening tool for Canadian

Building off of the original Healthy Bodies Scorecard project, this research aims to test the newly developed Healthy Body Scorecard tool and provide evidence of its usefulness. We will distribute the draft of the scorecard along with a feedback questionnaire for health care practitioners (HCP’s) targeting those who work with typically developing children as well as those with experience working with children with disabilities. We also intend to develop an “at home” version of the scorecard based of the original that could potentially be used by parents or youth either prior to an appointment with their HCP or as a means to increase the frequency of data collection by the HCP for the purpose of monitoring. We will test the scorecard and seek feedback from parents through a second survey that will ask what components of the current scorecard they would be willing to fill out in an “at home” version of the scorecard. We will conduct focus groups or interviews with a selection of participants from both the HCP’s and the parents who participated in the surveys in order to gain in-depth feedback.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Amy McPherson

Student:

Partner:

The Sandbox Project;McDonalds Restaurants of Canada Ltd

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

Strengthening Urban Forest Management in Halifax Regional Municipality

Urban-forest management is a complex enterprise in the 21st century. It is plagued by numerous diverse uncertainties. With this set of projects, as part of our larger program of urban-forest research, we aim to address key uncertainties as identified by HRM’s urban-forestry staff. One project will examine how urban-forest NGOs in Canada can support municipal tree programming. Another aims to develop guidance on conserving urban treenesting songbirds during the breeding season. The third seeks to strengthen the attention to climate change in the next iteration of urban-forest planning in HRM. All three projects will provide critical information to HRM for use in improving the long-term management of its urban forest.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Peter Duinker

Student:

Partner:

Halifax Regional Municipality

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Public administration

University:

Dalhousie University

Program:

Accelerate

Engineering Tunable Mucoadhesive Nanocarriers for Ophthalmic Drug Delivery

Over 90% of ocular medications are administered by eye drops despite multiple drawbacks including low bioavailability of the target therapeutic, systemic toxicity, and the requirement for using high doses due to the effective clearance mechanisms for drug in the eye. To increase the therapeutic efficacy of ocular medications, novel nanocarrier systems have been developed that can deliver the drug to the ocular surface over an extended period of time at the required dose. These nanocarriers interact with the ocular tear film by adhering to the innermost mucosal layer that acts to protect and lubricate the eye. By sticking to the mucosal layer, mucoadhesive nanocarriers can greatly reduce dosing frequency, create a more comfortable drop to improve patient compliance, and improve clinical efficacy through controlled release. The proposed project is focused on assessing the performance of novel mucoadhesive nanocarriers developed by the applicant for ocular drug delivery for mucosal drug delivery, with a focus on characterizing the mechanisms of interactions between the nanocarriers and the mucosal layer.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Todd Hoare

Student:

Partner:

University of Leeds

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

McMaster University

Program:

Globalink Research Award

We Are Here: Healthcare Experiences of LGBTQ* Individuals Assigned Female at Birth with Chronic Health Conditions

Members of the LGBTQ+ community assigned female at birth are at a disproportionate risk of developing CHC, such as mental health disorders, addiction, obesity, heart conditions, and asthma (Dearing & Hequemboug, 2014; Eliason, 2014). The proposed mixed methods study will explore the experiences of members of the 2SLGBTQQIA community assigned female at birth with chronic health conditions in Canadian healthcare systems. The primary goal of this study is to understand the supports and barriers encountered by this community and ultimately improve their relationship with the healthcare system and healthcare providers. The intern conducting this study will collaborate with and support CBRC research managers and team members on all ongoing work related to this project, including data cleaning, analysis, and producing academic- and community-oriented reports

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Nathan Lachowsky

Student:

Partner:

Community Based Research Centre Society

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

University of Victoria

Program:

Accelerate

Évaluation archéologique, historique et mise en valeur de l’ancien village de l’Anse St-Étienne dans le Bas-Saguenay

Le village de St-Étienne constitue l’un des plus anciens villages de compagnie du Québec et le plus ancien dans la région du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. Opéré entre 1882 et 1900, ce village est un superbe exemple du contexte économique du XIXe siècle, alors que la totalité des infrastructures et services municipaux relève de la mono-industrie qui exploite le secteur.
Il ne faut donc pas s’étonner du fait que cette ville de compagnie dont l’existence fut brève soit somme toute peu documentée. Les plans de construction, les gens y ayant habité, les événements s’y étant passés relèvent des activités privées de la compagnie Price, propriétaire de tous les bâtiments. Dans un tel contexte, les quelques archives ayant résisté au temps et l’archéologie doivent s’unir afin de reconstituer l’histoire tant architecturale que socio-économique du lieu.
Le village de St-Étienne, situé sur les berges du fjord de la rivière Saguenay, dans un secteur déjà fréquenté par des touristes, recèle un potentiel récréotouristique indéniable. Les travaux effectués par madame Boissonneault constitueront un premier pas vers cette remise à jour dont l’objectif ultime est de contribuer à la relance socio-économique de la municipalité de Petit-Saguenay.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Érik Langevin

Student:

Partner:

MRC-du-Fjord-du-Saguenay

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Public administration

University:

Université du Québec à Chicoutimi

Program:

Accelerate

Commercialization of Selective Hybrid High Throughput Fused Direct and Filament Deposition Modeling System

While newer, advanced Filament Fused Deposition Modeling (FFDM) 3D printing systems for additive manufacturing of plastics products have been designed in order to increase rate productions similar to conventional plastic transformation processes. Up to the date hybrid configurations that can achieve for printing selectively high deposition rates without compromising part quality hasn’t yet been fully developed and exposed as an optimal solution in plastic product design.
For the previous case mentioned, the system’s proposed in this project apply a novel configuration where a large-scale 3D printing additive manufacturing machine will have the capability to print parts components at high deposition rates with direct fused deposition (DFDM) of polymer pellets or particles flakes by a screw-extruding system and include a selectively nozzle configuration to print zones by filament fused deposition (FFDM) polymer where higher printed layer resolutions are required based on part’s mechanical performance.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Rafiq Ahmad

Student:

Partner:

North Forge

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education; Management of companies and enterprises; Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Alberta

Program:

Accelerate

Polymer composites with graphene

With the increasing effects of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions on climate change, there is also increasing interest to alternatives to internal combustion engines for mobility. Battery electric vehicles are one route, and another is fuel cells. There is increasing interest in polymer composites that are not only mechanically strong and lightweight, but also have other properties, such as electrical and thermal conductivity. An application for such polymer composites is in proton membrane fuel cells, and specifically the bipolar fuel cell plates which make up a significant amount of the cost and weight of current fuel cells. One means to have electrical conductivity is by the addition of carbon fillers to the polymer matrix – carbon black, carbon nanotubes,
graphite fiber have all been used in the past. Graphene is a more recent entry into the market as a carbon conductive filler because of its interesting properties due to its two-dimensional layer geometry. Hydrograph has developed an aerosol based process to create pure graphene without chemical or mechanical processing normally required from the graphite to graphene processing routes.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Andrew Hrymak

Student:

Partner:

Hydrograph

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

The University of Western Ontario

Program:

Accelerate

Design of a Novel, Low-profile Picture Space Heater

Datec Coatings Corporation has developed a new technology that enables them to print heating elements on various surfaces. One of these is a mica sheet, which is physically very similar to regular cereal box cardboard. By printing an image on another sheet of mica and placing both of these in a frame, it is possible to create a wall-mounted picture that functions as a portable space heater. This design has the potential for numerous advantages over conventional space heaters in areas of safety, aesthetics and space-saving. The main barrier preventing this from being a successful alternative to conventional space heaters is in the total heat output of the units. It is the goal of this project to design the most efficient and safe wall mounted unit with the highest possible heat output. In addition, the design must be able to be manufactured in Canada, be inexpensive, and aesthetically pleasing.

View Full Project Description
Faculty Supervisor:

Robert Fleisig

Student:

Partner:

Datec Coating Corporation

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Advanced Manufacturing

University:

McMaster University

Program:

Accelerate

Previous
1…1,5211,5221,5231,5241,5251,5261,527…2,660
Next

Join a thriving innovation ecosystem.

Subscribe to our newsletter now!

Subscribe

Mitacs — Return on Innovation

Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.