Innovative Projects Realized

High-Performance Sulfide-Electrolyte-Based All-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries for Safe Electric Vehicle Applications

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have been considered as one of the most promising candidates to meet the energy storage demand for electric vehicles due to their high theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg-1, low cost, natural abundance, environmental friendliness. State-of-the-art Li-S batteries, using liquid electrolytes, still have significant challenges in their safety and lifespan. Accordingly, solid-state Li-S batteries (SSLSBs) have recently been attracting increasing research and industrial attention due to their ability to overcome intrinsic disadvantages of flammable liquid electrolytes used in current Li-S batteries. The objective of this proposed research is to develop safe and high-performance SSLSBs with sulfide-based electrolytes. The project includes three main directions: (1) preparation of highly conductive thin sulfide electrolytes film; (2) development effective Li protection strategies to realize the combination of sulfide electrolytes with Li metal anode, and (3) design of high-performance SSLSBs with a stable interface between sulfide electrolytes and sulfur cathodes. GLABAT SOLID-STATE BATTERY INC. as an industrial partner will support and be involved in this project. The innovative research will help both GLABAT and Canada increase their global competitiveness and create new economic ventures.

Copper and nickel stable isotopes in overburden and transported cover as exploration tools for buried magmatic sulfide deposits

The rate of discovery of new, large mineral deposits has slowed, yet significant opportunity exists in many world-class belts where post-mineral cover obscures bedrock and can potentially hide world-class deposits beyond the reach of traditional geochemical tools. However, locating mineral deposits in areas of thick or transported overburden is challenging. The proposed research integrates trace-element geochemistry with traditional (sulfur) and non-traditional (nickel and copper) isotope geochemistry to characterise the footprints of mineralised and sub-economic magmatic systems with the objective of identifying elemental and isotopic systems that serve as vectors towards Ni-Cu mineralisation.

In collaboration with ALS Geochemistry (North Vancouver, Canada), copper and nickel isotopic techniques will be developed to create a new suite of analytical services to be offered on a commercial basis to the mineral exploration industry. Successful demonstration of these isotope systems as mineralization vectors in covered regions from Canadian, Australian, and Russian deposits (provided by IGO Ltd.) may potentially create a host of new clients in the mining industry who already routinely send samples to ALS Geochemistry for analysis, and facilitate the discovery of new deposits of critical metal resources that are crucial to the further development of Canada’s economy and the shift towards renewable resources.

Study the recovery of gold from mine tailings using a novel clean technology.

AJ Min Inc. is developing a technology to recover gold from tailings material. The technology is a novel combination of older and newer technologies and is not currently patented. The technology requires little energy, little to no reagents and little to no additional water. Past testwork has indicated that this technology can recover significant amounts of gold from some tailings material, and that the recovered gold can be upgraded. This project will build on past testwork to evaluate if the recovered gold can be upgraded sufficiently to be potentially commercially viable. In addition, empirical models will be developed from the testwork to describe the performance and capabilities of the technology.

The importance of nutrition for ice hockey players

One aspect of hockey science that remains elusive is the role of nutrition in performance. We
propose to study the dietary intake of hockey players and also examine their nutritional
knowledge with a questionnaire. We will also examine the nutritional knowledge of athletic
trainers and examine the role that they play from a nutritional point of view on advising ice
hockey players. Lastly we will examine how important fuel provision during hockey is to
maintain on-ice hockey playing performance. We believe that these studies will further
enhance our ability to provide hockey-specific education to parents, coaches, trainers and the
athletes through product claims, educational resources and potentially to drive innovation. It
is only through science-based evidence that we can provide this accurate and credible
information that can allow at athlete to perform at their best.
PepsiCo Canada (Gatorade) has a long history of supporting research that can help us
understand athletes.

Development of advanced electrochemical techniques for the production of graphene-based nano-materials from graphite

Graphene is considered a strategic nanomaterial for the development of clean technologies due to its unique properties. According to Allied Market Research, the global graphene market was valued at US $91.3 million in 2019, and is projected to grow to US $1.4 billion by 2027 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40.2% from 2020 to 2027. Currently, there are no clean and cost-effective technologies available for the mass production of graphene. ZEN Graphene Solutions Ltd. (ZEN) is an emerging technology company with a focus on the development of its unique Albany Graphite as a precursor for graphene production and applications. The electrochemical exfoliation of graphite to produce graphene-based nanomaterials has garnered immense interest due to the simplicity of the process, improved controllability over product quality, and use of environmentally benign electrolytes. The aim of this project is to develop and scale up advanced electrochemical techniques for the efficient and economical production of graphene-based nanomaterials from ZEN’s Albany graphite, which has shown to be an excellent precursor for the production of graphene oxide via chemical exfoliation. This work would culminate in an effective solution toward increasing the generation of high-quality Canadian graphene along with associated scientific articles and patents.

Leveraging linked, person-level health information to inform resident safety and a risk management framework within retirement homes in Ontario, Canada

The retirement home sector in Ontario is rapidly expanding, given the need for assisted living services to support an aging population, coupled with health system issues related to hallway health care and a deficit of long-term care capacity. However, there is no research on this sector to inform policies related to risk assessment, quality of care, and retirement home sector performance. To address this gap, linked health system administrative data in Ontario will be used to investigate the rates of injuries and anxiety and depression among retirement home residents and the subsequent health service use attributed to them. In addition, factors associated with the spread of COVID-19 through retirement homes and retirement communities will also be investigated. This project supports the mandate of the RHRA, and it supports the RHRA’s mission to use data and evidence to support a risk-based approach to decision-making.

The Development and Implementation of a Data Management Strategy for a Community Mental Health Organization – Year two

While the use of “big data” in the business world and health sector is well underway, mental health services are slower to use their big data, particularly for research and decision-making purposes. Researchers have identified a need to explore the use of big data in mental health organizations, such as identifying strategies and tools to optimize data use, and examining the role of big data in mental health service delivery and policy development. This project consists of the development and implementation of a data management strategy for a local community mental health organization with the overall aims of increasing the data utility and research capacity of the organization, and providing strategies and lessons learned for the use of big data in a community mental health setting. The project will include a scoping review, a needs assessment, and a developmental evaluation of the implementation of the strategy. In addition, it will include two follow-up studies that will use the organization’s data to: 1) examine the evolving use of virtual care in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; and, 2) develop a fidelity measure of the strengths model of case management, an intervention used by the organization.

The Development and Implementation of a Data Management Strategy for a Community Mental Health Organization

While the use of “big data” in the business world and health sector is well underway, mental health services are slower to use their big data, particularly for research and decision-making purposes. Researchers have identified a need to explore the use of big data in mental health organizations, such as identifying strategies and tools to optimize data use, and examining the role of big data in mental health service delivery and policy development. This project consists of the development and implementation of a data management strategy for a local community mental health organization with the overall aims of increasing the data utility and research capacity of the organization, and providing strategies and lessons learned for the use of big data in a community mental health setting. The project will include a scoping review, a needs assessment, and a developmental evaluation of the implementation of the strategy. In addition, it will include two follow-up studies that will use the organization’s data to: 1) examine the evolving use of virtual care in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; and, 2) develop a fidelity measure of the strengths model of case management, an intervention used by the organization.

Adel Chmait Business Strategy Internship – Memorial University , SubC Imaging

The proposed research project highlights the challenges that are faced in ocean tech and marine science sector. The research scope revolves around various external factors like economical changes and technological advancements. The project could possible address how different industries , like the oil and gas industry for example , could immensely affect the company’s operations. The project’s scope would also address how environmental factors , such as rising sea levels , affect the marine industry as a whole.

Targeting the ubiquitin system function through GID4 – Year two

Protein turnover is an incompletely understood aspect of biology, important for various processes including adaption to environmental stimuli. Over 500 protein complexes (E3 ligases) are involved in marking proteins for degradation, but only a small number of these E3 ligases are well characterised. The current project seeks to develop chemical inhibitors of GID4—a key component of an E3 ligase complex called C-terminal to LisH (CTLH). This E3 ligase is thought to play a role in nutrient sensing and autophagy, which are both implicated in chemotherapy resistance of cancer cells. Yeast Gid4 is known to recognise and degrade substrates containing an N-terminal proline (Pro/N-end rule), but mammalian GID4 appears to have lost specificity for this recognition motif. I propose to test binding of inhibitors to GID4 in cells using a variety of techniques to establish compound activity and selectivity. Next, inhibitors will be used to investigate the role of CTLH in autophagy. Finally, proteins whose turnover is regulated by CTLH will be investigated. The development of Inhibitors against CTLH in this project will reveal insights into the biology of this poorly understood but therapeutically promising E3 ligase and may provide therapeutic opportunities in various disease settings such as cancer.

Business Intelligence Consultant at Plaid Consulting

The business strategy internship focused on strategic marketing plans and competitive landscape analysis for Plaid Consulting Inc, which provides data integration, research, and analysis services to higher education institutions and governments. The results of this internship will support Plaid by ensuring the company can effectively run digital marketing campaigns for our products and services, as well as to help us better understand the competitive landscape in our core markets.

Targeting the ubiquitin system function through GID4

Protein turnover is an incompletely understood aspect of biology, important for various processes including adaption to environmental stimuli. Over 500 protein complexes (E3 ligases) are involved in marking proteins for degradation, but only a small number of these E3 ligases are well characterised. The current project seeks to develop chemical inhibitors of GID4—a key component of an E3 ligase complex called C-terminal to LisH (CTLH). This E3 ligase is thought to play a role in nutrient sensing and autophagy, which are both implicated in chemotherapy resistance of cancer cells. Yeast Gid4 is known to recognise and degrade substrates containing an N-terminal proline (Pro/N-end rule), but mammalian GID4 appears to have lost specificity for this recognition motif. I propose to test binding of inhibitors to GID4 in cells using a variety of techniques to establish compound activity and selectivity. Next, inhibitors will be used to investigate the role of CTLH in autophagy. Finally, proteins whose turnover is regulated by CTLH will be investigated. The development of Inhibitors against CTLH in this project will reveal insights into the biology of this poorly understood but therapeutically promising E3 ligase and may provide therapeutic opportunities in various disease settings such as cancer.