Innovative Projects Realized

Beta testing an electronic detector for liquid chromatography and developing an electronic detector for gel electrophoresis in partnership withend users

In this internship, UNS-Tech will partner with Profs. Cynthia Goh and David

McMillen to use UNS-Tech’s electronic detection technology to detect molecules,

including proteins, polymer nanoparticles and DNA, that are of interest in their

research. UNS-Tech’s state-of-the-art electronics-based detectors for HPLC and

gel electrophoresis will be employed in Prof. Goh’s and Prof. McMillen’s labs,

respectively. Head-to-head tests between UNS-Tech’s technologies and stateof-

the-art detection will be conducted, the results will be analyzed and the

findings will be published in scientific journals. The interns will benefit from this

internship by gaining tremendous knowledge of electronics-based detection and

beta testing of electronic detectors. The host company will benefit by having an

opportunity to beta test its technology in a cutting-edge application and to

evaluate its electronic detectors against present art detectors, hopefully proving

superiority over present art detectors. The supervisor will benefit by having

access to state-of-the-art detection technology that will enhance the performance

of their HPLC and gel electrophoresis.

Sentiment Analysis for the Assessment of Financial Fitness (SAFF)

We apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Sentiment Analysis for the Assessment of Financial Fitness (SAFF), which can help an individual to understand one’s latent feeling and reservation towards money saving, spending and planning. The SAFF framework can be applied to not only financial institutions, but also other sectors, e.g. healthcare, rehabilitation and education. Sentiment analysis can alert current situations, as well as to monitor long term financial development. The SAFF system can help providing better services to the public, help individuals achieve personal satisfaction and enjoy financial stability. Since the user communication tool is web-based, the framework supports user mobility. The system can be deployed across provinces, nationally and internationally. We believe that the current revolution in financial sectors is towards AI innovation, including Chatbot mediated sentiment analysis, and we want to make sure Canada is the leading country in AI adoption.

Fibre in IBD: Feeding Our Microbes vs. Fuelling Inflammation – Year two

While studies show that dietary fibres are beneficial in many diseases, they are not digested or absorbed directly by the host, but rather fermented by gut microbes. Fermentation byproducts (mostly short-chain fatty-acids; SCFAs) are responsible for health benefits. Only select inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) patients benefit from fibres; many patients report sensitivity to high fibre foods, especially during disease flares. Dietary fibres resemble structures found on the surface of pathogens that induce host cell inflammation. We hypothesize that the hallmark gut microbe imbalance in IBD leads to dysregulated fibre fermentation, increased interactions of unfermented fibres with host cells, and reduced beneficial byproducts, resulting in worsened inflammation. This study aims to define how fibres are processed in IBD and identify novel dietary/microbe-altering therapeutics, offering safer therapeutic options for IBD patients. The Weston Foundation has offered partnership for funding our research, and providing a panel of experts to assist regularly with the translational aspects of the study. Our research program has been identified as a priority by the Weston Foundation and they are interested in further developing our findings to aid in improving the lives of Canadians, and o
thers, suffering from these chronic and severely debilitating gastrointestinal diseases.

Fibre in IBD: Feeding Our Microbes vs. Fuelling Inflammation

While studies show that dietary fibres are beneficial in many diseases, they are not digested or absorbed directly by the host, but rather fermented by gut microbes. Fermentation byproducts (mostly short-chain fatty-acids; SCFAs) are responsible for health benefits. Only select inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) patients benefit from fibres; many patients report sensitivity to high fibre foods, especially during disease flares. Dietary fibres resemble structures found on the surface of pathogens that induce host cell inflammation. We hypothesize that the hallmark gut microbe imbalance in IBD leads to dysregulated fibre fermentation, increased interactions of unfermented fibres with host cells, and reduced beneficial byproducts, resulting in worsened inflammation. This study aims to define how fibres are processed in IBD and identify novel dietary/microbe-altering therapeutics, offering safer therapeutic options for IBD patients. The Weston Foundation has offered partnership for funding our research, and providing a panel of experts to assist regularly with the translational aspects of the study. Our research program has been identified as a priority by the Weston Foundation and they are interested in further developing our findings to aid in improving the lives of Canadians, and o
thers, suffering from these chronic and severely debilitating gastrointestinal diseases.

Hybrid Bicomponent Fibres for 3D Printing

Hybrid bicomponent fibers are a novel type of intermediate material for the production of thermoplastic polymer composites with continuous fiber reinforcement. Such intermediate materials consist of reinforcing fibers which are individually coated with a thermoplastic polymer sheath. Upon the application of heat and pressure, these sheaths melt, join together and the remaining air between the fibers is pushed out. Once this is completed, the material can be cooled below solidus temperature, resulting in a composite part. State-of-the-art additive manufacturing technology exploits these properties to 3D print composites by processing similar hybrid precursor materials. This project will assess how using hybrid bicomponent fibers as a precursor for 3D printing can benefit the material throughput of this technology and compare the measured performance to a state-of-the-art printing system. It is expected that the use of hybrid bicomponent fibers will increase the quality of the printed material in terms of void content as well as the line speed at which this material can be printed.

NMR Chemical Shift Prediction for Diamagnetic Li-Ion Solid-State Electrolytes

This research is focused on understanding the microscopic mechanisms of lithium ion dynamics in novel solid-state electrolyte materials, which have a wide array of potential applications ranging from electric vehicle batteries to grid storage of renewable energy. A major gap in the development of all-solid-state batteries, which will be safer and more energy-dense than state-of-the-art lithium ion batteries containing flammable liquid electrolytes, is a solid-state electrolyte with ion conductivity comparable to these liquid electrolytes. Improved solid-state electrolytes can be designed at the atomic level provided that a comprehensive understanding of the factors which affect the rate of ionic transport as a result of these chemical substitutions is achieved. This project aims to build on our recent experimental work concerning direct measurement of these ion dynamics by performing detailed computational calculations on the electronic environments experienced by the ions for a promising candidate solid-state electrolyte material.

An Optimal Hybridized Design Methodology for a Solid-State Fermenter: Safe Pesticide Alternatives Using Microbes

Crop Defenders, our industrial partner grows a high-value type of fungi that can kill crop pests without harming or poisoning the crops. This type of fungus is currently being grown in a manual and labor-intensive process. The aim is to automate this manual process to drastically increase the company’s productivity. By doing so, Crop Defenders expects to lower their cost per acre 10-fold and be able to sell to field-farmers as well as greenhouses. The first step towards automating the process will be achieved by designing a solid-state fermenter or bioreactor where the environmental conditions needed for the fungi to grow can be observed and controlled. The first stage of this project aims to develop a conceptual design for this instrument up to the embodiment stag

Harnessing digital tools for Cultural Heritage Promotion and Conservation

Cultural Heritage is the legacy of the past that needs to be protected and tarnsmitetd to future generation, its conservation makes part of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations Conservation. This proposal is focused on the development of a digital information platform for conveying the importance of conservation and protection of cultural heritage places at a global scale by harnessing advanced reality-capture techniques for recording heritage places. The project will be conducted in close collaboration with Google Arts and Culture technologies to enhance public awareness of the conservation and sustainability of cultural heritage and with the support and guidance of the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMSO) national committee of Canada.

Targeting platelet-neutrophil axis: a novel therapeutic approach for Scleroderma

Scleroderma or Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by progressive fibrosis of skin and multiple internal organs and prominent and often severe alterations in the microvasculature. Although SSc is the third most common systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease, there is currently no effective disease-modifying therapy for SSc. The overall objective of this project is to develop a novel therapeutic approach for SSc via the modulation of autophagy levels in disease-causing neutrophils. Recently it has been shown that that activated platelets from SSc patients produced microparticles and these SSc-microparticles induced neutrophil activation through autophagy. In this research we propose the interruption of this platelet-neutrophil axis via the modulation of autophagy and monitor its effects in the prevention of SSc disease pathogenesis and endothelial damage and. Therefore, the proposed research will shed light on the development of novel therapy for SSc.

Interdisciplinary Comparative Regional Assessment of Opportunities and Challenges of Alternative Energy Technologies and Their Environmental Impacts In Relation To Energy Transition

The purpose of this study is to explore the opportunities and challenges of alternative/renewable energy technologies in different regions, particularly Alberta and Bavaria (Germany), and their environmental impacts for proper policy decision making in relation to the interface of energy transition, climate change and environmental impact.
The project is significant because it will contribute to the existing knowledge on the need for reduction of excessive emission of greenhouse gas through energy generation and other anthropogenic activities that have the potentials to increase global warming. It promotes environmental sustainability in an interdisciplinary and unique manner by presenting a research approach that uses integrated modeling systems to cut across environment, energy and socio-economic interactions.
The study investigates possible barriers that keep the regions of interest from achieving complete or higher percentage of the ongoing energy transitions. Such challenge includes lack of renewable energy storage facilities, excessive dependency on cheap fossil gas, economic and the overall environmental impacts from alternative technologies.
It is expected that this research will contribute significantly to the body of literature, which as yet hasn’t documented economic, social and environmental impacts from our selected combinations of renewable gas plants technologies until the 2050 in a systematic and consistent manner.

Effect of Hydrostatic Testing Pressure on High-temperature Fatigue Life of Boiler Wall Tubes

Boiler wall tubes are important components in boilers for safe and efficient operation. After service exposure, boiler wall tubes often require replacement or repair, in which new sections of boiler tubes are welded onto the old boiler walls. Following the repair welding, the code requires the boiler be hydrostatic tested before putting the boiler back to service. Our long-term objective is to develop a safe boiler tube hydrostatic test standard. Our short-term objective is to measure the effect of pressure test on welded and repaired boiler wall tube performance.

Improving cancer care operations

This project is composed of three sub-projects, all sharing the goal of improving cancer care

operations. The first project aims to improve the scheduling of ambulatory clinics at Princess

Margaret Hospital and Women’s College Hospital. Better scheduling will result in less

overtime, improved utilization of shared resources, and increased patient satisfaction. The

second project is focused on optimizing the treatment planning process for patients receiving

radiation therapy at Princess Margaret Hospital. A treatment planner uses sophisticated

software to design radiation therapy treatments in consultation with an oncologist. Much effort

is spent in trial-and-error approaches working with the software. Our approach will reduce the

manual effort and subjectivity needed to design treatments, ultimately making the planning

process more consistent and efficient. The third project, in collaboration with Cancer Care

Ontario, aims to evaluate the efficiency of medical surgery departments of hospitals and

cancer centres across Ontario. Hospitals that are identified efficient will form a peer coaching

team to pass on effective perioperative practices…..TOBECONTINUED