Innovative Projects Realized

An investigation into the motivations of individuals who volunteer and work at charitable and not-for-profit organizations

The goals of this research proposal, therefore, are to: 1) conduct a publishable review of the psychological literature to further understand the motivations of the unique group of individuals who choose to volunteer or work with charitable or not-for-profit organizations; and 2) develop an employee survey that will provide further insight into the motivations of this group of individuals. Taken together, these two products will provide a solid foundation for other human resources documents and practices at charitable and not-for-profit organizations. These documents will also help leaders and human resource practitioners better understand, manage and motivate their volunteers and workers.

Predicting Scleral Lens Rotation Based on Corneoscleral Toricity

Patients with corneal disease often require treatment with scleral lenses. Unlike regular soft contact lenses, these lenses are much larger and have a space between the cornea and the lens that is filled with fluid before lens application. These lenses are extremely useful in cases of extremely ocular dryness and in patients with irregular corneas. Adjusting these lenses to perfectly mold the surface of the eye is of the utmost importance to ensure that the patient is comfortable and sees well with their lenses. Current techniques to adjust scleral lenses involve a “trial and error” fitting technique, which takes a lot of chair time for both the patient and the practitioner. This study aims to evaluate the ways to fit lenses empirically using two topographers, instruments that provide information on the shape of the eye, ultimately improving lens fittings for practitioners, patients and contact lens manufacturers.

Electro-bioreactor (EBR) upgrading for high ammonium removal

The objective of this project is to build up an electro-biological system of high potential capacity for the removal of ammonium and phosphorus. Conventional biological treatment methods have limited capacity for removal of ammonia at higher concentrations. However, anammox bacteria have a high capacity to remove ammonium. The electro-biological treatment aims to enhance this capacity by electrically activating anammox bacteria on a fixed media. The work of the intern will be dedicated to study the feasibility of scaling up the compact electro-bioreactor so that the partner organization can use it for commercial applications, particularly where high ammonium concentration is a problem in treated wastewater. Works related to this project will be conducted partially in Environmental Lab and partially at the pilot facilities.

Atlas-based Attenuation Correction for PET/MRI

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images need correction for the loss of photons. This

loss, or attenuation, is due to interactions with patient tissues. Corrections are currently done

with X-ray Computed Tomography (CT), however we are proposing a method whereby

Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) are used. This will be done by creating an attenuation

map (?-map). The construction of ?-maps can be divided into two categories, patient specific

?-maps by MRI segmentation, and registration of a predefined atlas to an MRI. Challenges

with the former include object truncation, and reliance upon heuristics to transform an MRI

into a u-map. The latter technique can overcome these challenges, but relies upon the

selection of an atlas that is adaptable to a patient population. We will evaluate three

strategies for constructing an atlas suitable for whole-body PET/MRI. We will then compare

the performance of these methods with MRI segmentation-based and the gold-standard CTbased

methods.

Postprandial zinc isotope effect in human serum

Geologists are accustomed to studying geological processes, often using our knowledge of physics, chemistry, and biology to locate mineral deposits. However, a sub-discipline within geology, isotope geochemistry, is able to apply its expertise to not only locating mineral deposits, but also solving a wide variety of other problems, ranging from detecting doping in sport to diagnosing breast cancer. We do this by studying changes in the distribution of elements and their isotopes that occur due to different physical or chemical processes.

Blood zinc concentrations fall by 15% after eating, but gradually return to normal if no meals are consumed over the following 4-5 hours. This study will determine whether a fasting period is required before drawing blood in studies involving the measurement of Zn isotopes in blood. This research will help ensure the best representative sample is taken in future studies investigating the potential of Zn isotopes to detect diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Avantage comparatif, libéralisation commerciale de la Chine et émissions de CO2 : Cas du commerce Chine-Afrique

La libéralisation commerciale (réduction des droits de douane) de la Chine, en augmentant les échanges commerciaux entre elle et ses partenaires, a eu certainement un effet sur les émissions de CO2 mondiales. Les échanges sont guidés par les avantages comparatifs. Premièrement, la Chine peut exporter plus de produits les moins polluants parce qu’elle dispose de la main-d’œuvre à moindre coût, facteur le plus demandé dans la production de ces produits. Ainsi, la Chine dispose d’un avantage comparatif traditionnel dans les produits les moins polluants. Deuxièmement, comme la Chine à moins de contraintes de réductions de la pollution, elle devrait exporter plus de produits polluants à la demande des pays ayant des objectifs contraignants de réductions de la pollution. Ainsi, la Chine dispose d’un avantage comparatif environnemental dans les produits polluants. Par conséquent, ce projet analyse la relation entre la libéralisation commerciale et l’impact des exportations chinoises sur les émissions de CO2 mondiales, en considérant l’importance des avantages comparatifs des pays. L’étude se focalisera spécialement sur la relation commerciale entre la Chine et les pays africains.

Metabolic and biochemical characterization of terpenoid profiles in the high-value plants hop (Humulus lupulus), tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), and cannabis (Cannabis sativa)

Despite advances in biotechnology and organic synthesis, plants remain the main source of many of high-value bioactive compounds used in the medical, fragrance and food industries. Increasing demand for bioactive plants (e.g., cannabis and extracts thereof) require robust authentication approaches to verify feedstock, identify product adulteration and ensure product safety for consumers. This research aims to develop such robust testing methods for a wide range of high-value plant materials and related products including tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil and hops (Humulus lupulus), as well as cannabis (Cannabis sativa) and edible cannabis products. Our work will focus on terpenoids with conventional and enantiomeric profiling approaches, as enantiomeric terpenoids may exert distinct biological effects separate from and/or in combination with other compounds. We will use state-of-the-art gas chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled with various sampling methods (e.g., high-temperature headspace and vacuum-assisted sample extraction) for phytochemical profiling of commercial hops, tea tree essential oils, and cannabis varieties with a focus on mono- and sesqui-terpenes. High-throughput comparative genomics/transcriptomics, biochemical characterization and synthetic biology will follow to elucidate the biochemical pathways behind any distinct terpene enantiomer profiles, and potentially produce these valuable stereoisomers on scales appropriate for further research and development.

Health care delivery readiness for non-communicable diseases in areas of humanitarian crisis

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death around the world. Most of these deaths take place in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs). In the event of a humanitarian emergency, people are often forced to flee their homes. These emergencies can last over a long-duration with people needing aid and assistance. When individuals with NCDs are forcibly displaced from their homes, it becomes difficult for them to access the resources they need to manage their condition. This project will look at how prepared LMICs are to deal with NCDs in crisis situations. It will identify what is needed to ensure the continuity of care, what guidelines are already present, and what the ethical issues are in providing such care. This will lead to a more informed approach to managing NCDs in the event of a humanitarian emergency.

La politique et les intérêts du Japon dans l’Arctique

L’objectif général de mon projet est d’étudier et de définir les dynamiques d’interactions entre les acteurs gouvernementaux, académiques et économiques au Japon par rapport à leurs différents intérêts présent dans l’Arctique. Mais également d’étudier le processus d’élaboration de la politique Arctique japonaise nationale, des initiatives mises en place par le gouvernement pour soutenir de possibles investissements des entreprises japonaises dans cette région. Et enfin d’analyser les initiatives régionales mises en œuvre concernant l’Arctique avec par exemple la préfecture de Hokkaido et le port de Tomakomai qui souhaitent valoriser son emplacement comme porte maritime entre l’Asie et l’Arctique. Cette bourse me permettra de me rendre au Japon afin de mener des entretiens avec des entreprises ou conglomérats japonais potentiellement intéressés par la région Arctique, des membres du gouvernement Japonais ainsi que des chercheurs impliqués dans la recherche polaire. TO BE CONT’D

To Investigate the Role of Prohibitin-1 (PHB1) In the Functional Plasticity of Macrophage

Macrophages are a highly diverse cell type that plays crucial roles in the body such as fighting pathogens, maintaining self-tolerance, surveillancing early cancer cells and tissue repair, whereas dysregulation of these functions are often associated with diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cancers and autoimmune diseases. Up to date, factors that regulate the metabolic switches between macrophage phenotypes are largely unexplored. My PhD focuses on one potential factor named prohibitin-1 in the regulation of macrophage plasticity and functions. I will use a combination of in vivo and in vitro experimental approaches along with molecular biology techniques and proteomics tools. Research findings will give us a better understanding of the integration of cell signaling events with metabolic pathways within macrophages in both normal body physiology and disease states, which may provide potential therapeutic benefits.

Addressing Energy Poverty in British Columbia’s Rural and Indigenous Communities

Rural and indigenous communities in Canada experience energy poverty due to poor quality housing, lower incomes, high fuel costs, limited access to natural gas, and in some cases no access to grid electricity. Ecotrust Canada’s Community Energy Initiative seeks to address Energy Poverty by improving access to affordable heat in rural and indigenous communities across Canada. Residential heating constitutes majority of energy costs for Canadian households, and so, heating system retrofits are a compelling opportunity to address high energy costs. We will assess opportunities for rural indigenous communities in British Columbia to reduce heating costs by analyzing a range of alternatives including pellet stoves, high-efficiency heat pumps, building envelop retrofits, and natural gas connections close to existing pipeline. Through this, we attempt to design policy recommendations and pricing structures to better support delivery of affordable heat in rural and indigenous communities across British Columbia.

Characterization of heterogeneous strain fields by digital image correlation

Structural components, such as turbine parts, are often subjected to severe mechanical and

environmental conditions. In order to extend their in-service life and thus reduce the costs associated

to their maintenance and replacement, it is of importance to understand the factors that impact their

behavior. The development of deformation heterogeneities figures among the main factors. This

project aims at providing a tool for studying the damaging and failure of materials by means of

evaluating strains at the micrometer scale. The tool consists in a code based on the technique of

digital image correlation which compares pairs of images of the same specimen before and after

applied deformation. Typically, these can be optical images, but more sophisticated observation

instruments can also be used. The code evaluates the global necessary deformation to transform the

first image into the second one, hence giving access to the real, mechanical deformation undergone

by the specimen. The final goal is then to investigate relationships between the……..