Innovative Projects Realized

Production of cannabinoid in bioengineered microalgae

Plant natural products (PNP) are important resources for pharmaceutical and food industry. In the last decades, the market price of several PNP inflated because of the limited amounts produced in plants and the challenges in growing healthy crops. To overcome this problem, our team developed a multitool box of molecular methods to transform marine algae Phaeodactylum tricornutum.
Bioengineered microalgae are great candidates to manufacture PNP because of the relatively close behavior to plants’ compared to bioengineered bacteria or yeast. We designed and inserted genes encoding enzymes involved in cannabinoid biosynthesis. We succesfully detected the production of precursor molecules from the first part of the pathway. Now, we designed genetic constructions for the rest of the pathway to produce the final products i.e. cannabinoids. This project is a proof of concept of how microalgae could be used in pharmaceutical to encounter natural limitation of PNP. The aim to produce cannabinoids is the first step because of the trend after the law change in Canada, but the PNP could be also other therapeutic molecules of medical or nutritional importance such as Taxol or omega-3 fatty acids.

Masonry Construction as a Solution for Healthy and Resilient Buildings: A Life Cycle Thinking Based Evaluation

This research aims at life cycle thinking-based comparison of popular wall material (i.e., wood, concrete, masonry, etc.) for institutional, commercial, and industrial (ICI) building construction in Canada. Empirical studies will be used to observe the deterioration of interior and exterior masonry wall systems in various climatic regions. Life cycle sustainability assessment would be used to evaluate social, environmental, and economic impacts. Alternative wall construction methods will be compared using a methodological framework that integrates TBL, resiliency, and occupant health. Fuzzy logic will be used to account for data uncertainties. The knowledge generated will be used to develop decision support tools, best management guidelines, and green procurement guidelines. This research will contribute to the body of knowledge on masonry construction. Moreover, this research will guide institutions in achieving a healthy and resilient ICI building stock.

Analysis and Prototype Development of a Drive System and Novel Control Algorithm for Direct Drive Brushless Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors

Brushless permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) are widely used in many applications including automations, instrumentation, propulsion, vehicular systems, etc. This project is focused on research and development of a modified drive system and novel control algorithms for PMSMs that could improve efficiency and torque performance compared to conventional methods. Collaboration with the University of British Columbia (UBC) would provide the benefits to the Partner organization and to Canada as it is anticipated that new knowledge and technology have the potential for subsequent commercialisation. Canada has a growing high-tech sector particularly related to energy, manufacturing, mining and processing industries, robotics and industrial automation, etc., where the use of brushless PMSMs is rapidly increasing. Therefore, developing technologies that can even slightly improve the operation and efficiency of such motors can have a very significant and long-lasting impact on all devices and systems with such motors as well as on their energy efficiency and reliability.

Investigation of Innovative Methods, Tools and Processes on BC Housing’s First IPD Project

In this unique research project, the researchers will document and analyze the collaborative processes and technologies in a housing project, which follows a formal Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) approach. IPD is an emerging procurement method in the construction industry that engages all major stakeholders from the beginning of the construction project. However, there is still a great need for understanding better the required organizational settings, innovative processes, and collaborative tools in order to conduct successfully an IPD project. The research will inform the partner organization and the construction industry in general about the best practices for implementing IPD on a project as well as using specific beneficial aspects of IPD on other traditional projects.

Modeling the risk of breakage of beaver dams

Municipalities in Quebec lack tools to effectively anticipate and manage the consequences of beaver dam outburst flooding. When beaver dams fail the resulting flooding can pose a major threat to public safety and public and private infrastructure. A research project lead by Dr. Jan Franssen in partership with OBV RPNS and its Municipal partners is developing knowledge necessary for the effective classification of the risks associated with beaver dams situated upstream of public and private infrastructure. The project will lead to the development of a hydrogeomorphic based risk assessment approach that will enable municipalities to determine the risks associated with beaver dams. A key aspect of the project involves the hydraulic modeling of potential outburst floods that result from beaver dam failure. The applicant (Alan J D Villagómez) will work directly with Dr. Franssen and his graduate students to develop and test hydraulic models to assess how these outburst floods interact with the river channel and downstream infrastructure. This is a critical aspect of the project and one for which the applicants knowledge and academic training are particularly well suited.

Design and development of techniques to characterize optical, mechanical and chemical properties of metallic and semiconductor thin films with applications in MEMS structures and their packaging

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are complex systems with sizes in the range of few microns (human hair has thickness of 150-200 microns) which have both mechanical and electronic components. MEMS technology has entered in many industries such as optical technology, point of care diagnostics, telecommunications, automotive, and military. Today, there are hundreds of MEMS devices, e.g. microscale gyroscopes and accelerometers, used in cars to control different components, including wheels, brakes, steering, and air bags. Although MEMS have been around for a few decades, there are still some fundamental issues related to the thin films and suspended components, vital to devices performances, that must be resolved. Packaging of MEMS is also a very challenging task given that the packaging techniques vary from one device to another. It is the purpose of this study to evaluate critical of MEMS elements, specifically thin films used in their structures and packaging.

Research, analysis and development of business processes for innovation service delivery in the aerospace market

The research activity is to collect, compile, and analyze relevant information from external open sources about specific topics impacting the aerospace market. Additionally, research into management and marketing theory related to processes, frameworks, and best practices for market analysis and investment decision-making will also be part of the project. Findings from the initial market research will used for further research, analysis and development of the new business processes to support the introduction of new services and innovation projects by PAL Aerospace into the global aerospace market.

Determination of emerging contaminants-loaded on sludge-based activated carbon: chemical leachability and stability

Sewage sludge wastes have been treated by diverse techniques to obtain sludge-based activated carbon (SBAC). These materials show excellent properties as sorbents of, e.g., organic pollutants, heavy metals, and nitrogen/phosphorous-based nutrients. In a previous research, the loading of emerging contaminants on SBAC has been achieved. As an extension of this work, we propose to study the leachability via chemical means and evaluate the emerging pollutants-loaded SBACs stability in rain garden soil media (RGSM).

Chemical leachability will be evaluated by batch desorption tests and desorption columns in soil media, both approaches will serve to determinate the ratio between loaded and released emerging pollutants in a laboratory scale. In fact, the stability tests of SBAC will be performed in RGSM, which will leach upon chemical triggers are applied. In collaboration with Kerr Wood Leidal (KWL), a leader company in progressive solutions for environmental process in BC, we will analyze the scalability of the processes as stabilization of SBAC in RGSM

Development of new enzymatic products for optimization of paperproperties.

number of industrial processes, as well as on papermaking productivity. Such

impacts have to be considered too in the emerging field of biorefining (production or

extraction of high value products from forest biomass). The main partner to this

project (Buckman Canada) has successfully introduced enzymes to the paper industry,

but would like to expand its offering to the forest industry as a whole. Our goal is to

develop a new method that will allow for specific monitoring of synergies among

various enzymes, using fluorescence spectroscopy. We intend to develop new

formulations and demonstrate their effectiveness on industrial substrates. Our

success will help Buckman Canada and Kruger reinforce their leadership position in

application of green chemistry in the forest biomass products sector.

Side-Stream Nitrogen Treatment using a Membrane Aerated Biofilm Bioreactor (MABR) System: A Pilot Scale Demonstration

Municipal wastewater contains excessive nutrients, which when discharged without sufficient treatment can cause eutrophication in the receiving water bodies. Digested sludge liquor, the produce water generated from the treatment of sludge that is produced from municipal wastewater treatment plant contains high concentrations of ammonia that is toxic to aquatic biota and requires further treatment. Newer and less energy-intensive processes, such as the nitritation/anammox (anaerobic ammonium oxidation) processes are emerging, but information on the implementation of these processes at the full-scale is limited, especially for operations under cold Canadian conditions.

In this study, we propose to employ the nitritation/anammox processes at the pilot-scale in a membrane aerate biofilm reactor (MABR) to estimate the operation strategies for ammonia-rich sludge liquor treatment. This objective will be achieved through multidisciplinary studies combining expertise in wastewater treatment, biofilm microbiology, and bioreactor development from the University of Alberta, and full-scale bioreactor design and operation from EPCOR.

Variational methods for pipeline safety and data analysis

This project will explore the non-invasive ways to find potential leaks in buried gas distribution pipelines using sound propagation. When there is a sound source at one point of the pipeline, the nature of the sound coming to another point of the pipeline will depend on the properties of the surrounding soil, properties of the pipe and its integrity. We will study the mechanics of sound propagation in a buried pipeline surrounded by soil, using methods of modern mechanics. We will also use similar methods to formulate best practices of data analysis. Both of these topics are important to the competitiveness of Canadian industry. Preserving the integrity of gas pipelines is also important to limit GHG emissions in the atmosphere.

Développement de composantes logicielles intelligentes pour la gestion des flux de trésorerie

Le projet vise à développer de nouvelles composantes intelligentes pour un logiciel financier. Ainsi, différentes problématiques devront être résolues à l’aide de techniques statistiques et d’apprentissage machine et profond. Les données disponibles étant principalement du texte, le projet nécessite une étape de transformation afin de rendre les données utilisables dans les modèles appropriés. Des modèles préliminaires avaient été développés par l’entreprise dans le cas de certaines composantes et serviront de point de départ pour les développements futurs. Par ce projet, l’organisme partenaire bénéficiera de l’accompagnement du chercheur dans les différents scénarios de développement. Le projet facilitera également le recrutement futurs de talents dans le domaine de la sciences des données.