Innovative Projects Realized

Digital Strategy & Sales Internship

This Digital Strategy & Sales Project is focusing on findiing and applying innovative ways for lead generation and sales online, while also having content creation and digital advertising as an important aspect. By utilizing CRM and LinkedIn platforms, the overall objective is to create awareness and generate the interest of eligible potential clients. The overall goal is to redefine the company’s strategy to acquire more clients. More specifically, this project includes e-mail marketing and A/B testing in order to find the best way to communicate the company’s services to potential clients and attract their interest. Moreover, content creation through the company’s website, its blog, several social media platforms and emails is vital to achieve a greater exposure of BizXL Solutions and create an impactful brand image to the prospective clients. Through all these tools and practices, BizXL Solutions will maintain relevance and sustainability, during this pandemic and help newly acquired clients to adapt to an ever-changing landscape.

Mech Solutions Limited

Mech solution Ltd is a fast-growing start-up led by engineers and developers with mostly technical background. As we grow, we are in need of business experts to help us get our innovative product to the market in the most efficient and
effective manner. This project is critical to Mech Solutions Ltd.’s growth plans for “Cloud 3D Print”. The company has made significant investment in R&D over the last few years to develop this innovative product and a marketing strategy is key to the successful launch of the product nationally and internationally. The launching time is early 2021, it is perfectly matching the winter BSI timelines. We are going to run massive marketing campaign and let the candidate run a challenging project to let them stand-out through a practical campaign.

Allele specific re-establishment of imprinted DNA methylation using epigenome editing

Through unknown mechanisms, parent-of-origin-specific methylation marks on one allele of imprinted genes are able to escape the embryonic reprogramming wave occurring during the first week of development and retain their profiles via DNA methylation maintenance activity. Failing to maintain proper genomic imprinting patterns during the embryonic reprogramming leads to various abnormal developmental delay. What remains to be elucidated is whether we can permanently re-establish normal profiles of DNA methylation and subsequent gene expression of imprinted (allele-specific) sequences following the loss of their DNA methylation imprinting status. To set the foundation for a clear understanding of the mechanisms behind re-establishing the loss of inherited methylation profiles, we hypothesize that we can re-establish specifically and permanently the lost DNA methylation imprints at specific loci by targeted epigenome editing in embryonic cells. Under the guidance of a senior PhD student, the MITACS intern will use a CRISPR epigenome editing system to add or remove site specific DNA methylation marks on imprinted regions in a model of embryonic stem cells, and define if we can properly re-establish DNA methylation imprints and associated gene expression following their dysregulation. This project will further the understanding of the fundamental complex biochemical mechanisms of TOBECONT’.

Co-creation of a comprehensive support pathway for the learning and mental health needs of youth in care

Research has illustrated the significant challenges that youth in care often face in meeting their education goals and in managing their mental health and well-being. Specifically, a subset of these transitional aged youth, often referenced as “NEET” (youth not in employment, education, or training) often face significant challenges to meeting their subsequent educational or occupational goals in early adulthood.

The current project aims to increase understanding on the current challenges and opportunities in supporting the learning and mental health needs of these youth in care. By engaging youth and stakeholders directly in interviews and focus groups, this project will illustrate possible pathways of collaborative, sensitive, and trauma-informed care that could further support this group of youth.

Exploring Mental Wellness Services: By and For Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia, Canada

The research purpose is to address gaps related mental health services for Indigenous, First Nations, Metis, and Inuit, people in Canada. Current tools used in mental health service delivery within Canada may be considered inappropriate for Indigenous populations due to culturally diversity and lack of cultural safety. Within Canada there is a lack of Indigenous specific mental health resources, services, and interventions. Some examples of Indigenous mental health interventions can include land-based healing approaches, such as sweat ceremonies. Land-based and cultural experiences provide Indigenous therapeutic approaches alongside mainstream mental health approaches connections foster strength in cultural identity by connecting to land, family, and community

Artificial generation of optimum whitewater waves in rivers for kayaking

Recreational river waves are gaining more and more popularity, but there is not enough academic research to support them and very few companies around the world can artificially create them using adjustable structures in rivers. Surf Anywhere, the Calgary-based partner organization in this research, is one of those few companies that has completed and is working on many wave projects in Canada, USA and Europe. Using computer simulation and laboratory physical modeling, our research team has investigated and informed design of an adjustable wave structure that can generate a surfable wave in every river condition. This research has thus far been applied to ideal surf waves for surfers on surfboards. In the proposed research, similar methodology will be applied to identify and optimize design of best waves for kayakers.

Développement d’outils et d’indicateurs pour soutenir l’élaboration du plan d’action collectif en matière de violence conjugale et de violence dans les relations amoureuses des jeunes à Montréal-Nord

Suite à un portrait de la violence conjugale (VC) et de la violence dans les relations amoureuses (VRA) chez les jeunes publié en 2019 qui illustre l’ampleur de ces problématiques sur son territoire, la Table paix et sécurité urbaines présidée par l’arrondissement de Montréal-Nord, la Table femmes Osez au féminin, la Table de quartier Montréal-Nord entendent développer un plan d’action collectif en cette matière. Il s’agit d’un projet qui devra nécessairement être intersectoriel (justice, municipal, santé, milieux associatifs et communautaire, etc.). Le comité de pilotage du plan d’action, le centre InterActions, REGARDS et ÉRASME envisagent documenter et analyser le processus collaboratif de l’élaboration et mise en œuvre de ce plan et ainsi contribuer à l’avancement des connaissances sur l’action en réseau pour résoudre des problèmes sociaux complexes. La stagiaire postdoctorale sera impliquée dans un projet de recherche portant sur cette démarche d’action collective à Montréal-Nord et son mandat sera de contribuer à soutenir la table par l’identification d’indicateurs de résultats et l’élaboration d’outils de monitoring et par une contribution à l’analyse des processus collaboratifs.

Aptamer and aptazyme-based multiplexed luminex assay

Aptamers are sequences of DNA or RNA allowing a specific binding of a certain molecule. The use of aptamers instead of antibodies in different applications makes it less time consuming and cost-effective because of the easy production of nucleic acids and their rapid binding to their target. In this project, we suggest using color-coded magnetic beads functionalized with aptamers to bind specific proteins that are usually present in cancer cells. The binding of the proteins will generate fluorescence emission allowing then their detection. Besides this fluorescence, the detection of the beads color permit to determine which proteins is present on the beads surface This application is usually done using two antibodies one the protein binding and a second for fluorescence emission and it is called luminex based immunoassays. This technique is a high throughput method allowing the detection of up to 100 molecules in the same solution. By using aptamers we are aiming to make ‘aptamer-based luminex assays’ that are cheaper and faster.

La réalité virtuelle immersive & la transmission du sensible en architecture

La réalité virtuelle immersive a pris ces dix dernières années une place grandissante dans la boîte à outils des architectes et écoles d’architecture. La recherche portant sur la nature de l’expérience virtuelle au plan perceptif n’en est cependant qu’à ses débuts. Ce projet mené dans le cadre d’un partenariat avec la SAT, acteur de premier plan en matière de technologie virtuelle immersive, interroge spécifiquement la façon dont la pédagogie architecturale s’approprie ces outils à des fins de transmission du sensible. Il consiste en une recension des écrits visant à mettre en lumière les technologies utilisées, les objectifs pédagogiques poursuivis, les paramètres perceptifs manipulés, et dans un deuxième temps, en une analyse d’écarts comparant les résultats de la recension aux outils de la SAT. Le projet permettra au partenaire d’informer ses différents services de la pertinence de la recherche, de communiquer les résultats à la communauté de recherche et de développer à terme de nouveaux partenariats.

Hospital Optimizer: Un outil d’ordonnancement des opérations en milieu hospitalier

Thales développe le Refit Optimizer, un outil de planification et d’ordonnancement. Cet outil de gestion de projets, semblable à Project de Microsoft ou Primavera d’Oracle, se démarque par ses algorithmes d’intelligence artificielle capables de proposer à l’utilisateur un ordonnancement optimal selon divers critères. Jusqu’à présent, l’outil a été utilisé pour planifier les opérations de rénovation de navires. Dans ce projet, il sera adapté à l’ordonnancement en milieu hospitalier pour devenir le Hospital Optimizer. Ce logiciel pourra ordonnancer les opérations en bloc opératoire selon les priorités des patients, former les équipes médicales et distribuer la charge de travail équitablement entre les différents membres du personnel.

Digital interventions to improve social connectedness and mental wellbeing of vulnerable older adults during COVID-19 and beyond

This project aims to 1) identify and understand the unique social and psychological burdens that vulnerable older adults face during the pandemic, 2) explore and identify successful and unsuccessful digital interventions that has been done at the West End Seniors Network (WESN) to help raise social connectedness, and 3) develop strategies and design future interventions to improve the mental wellbeing of the diverse senior population in Vancouver. The intern will conduct semi-structured interviews and focus groups with seniors in the community in order to accomplish the project goals. WESN and other senior centers across Canada will be able to use the data gathered in this project to guide future programs and direct funds to important existing programs. The collaboration between the intern’s academic institution and WESN on this project will also build a foundation for future collaborative research, expanding the knowledge on the mental health of seniors in Canada.

LED Street Lamp Retrofit Project

The City of Hamilton has developed some basic costing and implementation models for a) the replacement (retrofitting) of existing street lighting with LED street lighting and b) incorporate LED street lighting in new construction. These models were created in conjunction with the LED technical evaluations and it was identified that there is justification and a need for a comprehensive business model – specifically for retrofitting existing street lighting. The intent of this project is to develop a new process for implementing LED street lighting to replace the existing High Power Sodium (HPS) lights throughout the city. The project also includes the creation of a business model that would assist in guiding the City of Hamilton in making future decisions related to the further adoption of LED street lighting.