Innovative Projects Realized

Treating the Untreatable: Targeting Paediatric Brain Tumours with Multi-omics and Drug Discovery – Year two

Brain tumours, including ependymoma, are some of the most difficult cancers to treat. Although the past few years have seen many exciting advances in characterizing these brain tumours, there are few effective therapies available for patients, many of whom are children and young adults (and for whom long-term side effects can be extremely damaging). Until very recently, research in this area has been hampered by a complete lack of cell lines and animal models. Fortunately, the Taylor Lab at SickKids have successfully developed novel tumour culture methods to get these difficult cells to grow—producing the required model systems.
We now aim to use these new model systems to fully investigate the development of ependymoma disease and screen for compounds in the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC) library that can be used to treat patients with this disease.TO BE CONT’D

Treating the Untreatable: Targeting Paediatric Brain Tumours with Multi-omics and Drug Discovery

Brain tumours, including ependymoma, are some of the most difficult cancers to treat. Although the past few years have seen many exciting advances in characterizing these brain tumours, there are few effective therapies available for patients, many of whom are children and young adults (and for whom long-term side effects can be extremely damaging). Until very recently, research in this area has been hampered by a complete lack of cell lines and animal models. Fortunately, the Taylor Lab at SickKids have successfully developed novel tumour culture methods to get these difficult cells to grow—producing the required model systems.
We now aim to use these new model systems to fully investigate the development of ependymoma disease and screen for compounds in the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC) library that can be used to treat patients with this disease.TO BE CONT’D

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Based Multi Agent System in Banking Environment – Year two

The wide adoption and development of wireless sensing technologies for the monitoring and autonomous identification of financial activities have affected financial institutions in the past decade. However, wider utilization of RFID technologies in the banking sector has introduced challenges regarding the security and privacy of sensitive financial data. The proposed innovations and technological developments will revolutionize the banking sector by increasing efficiency, decreasing cost and provide secure and privacy sensitive financial transactions. In this work, we will deliberately build up a RFID based comprehensive framework and its application to expertly and automatically matching profile of customer and banker according to a number of selected weighted attributes. We will develop a RFID framework which collects, communicates and manages the financial data and customer’s account details securely. TO BE CONT’D

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Based Multi Agent System in Banking Environment

The wide adoption and development of wireless sensing technologies for the monitoring and autonomous identification of financial activities have affected financial institutions in the past decade. However, wider utilization of RFID technologies in the banking sector has introduced challenges regarding the security and privacy of sensitive financial data. The proposed innovations and technological developments will revolutionize the banking sector by increasing efficiency, decreasing cost and provide secure and privacy sensitive financial transactions. In this work, we will deliberately build up a RFID based comprehensive framework and its application to expertly and automatically matching profile of customer and banker according to a number of selected weighted attributes. We will develop a RFID framework which collects, communicates and manages the financial data and customer’s account details securely. TO BE CONT’D

Molecular Characteristics of Cellulose and Cellulose Derivatives – Year two

Cellulose is a commercially important biopolymer. Due to its abundance, biocompatibility and renewability it has shown important commercial applications in food, pharmaceuticals, biomedical. Depending on the origin and the processing methods used, the resulting fiber dimensions, structure, crystallinity and molecular weight (MW) can vary over a broad range. MW is one of the most important parameters in polymer characterization as many of its properties depend on it. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) has been the technique of choice for determining these properties. However, this method has limitations and requires optimization. Its accuracy is dependent on complete dissolution of the sample. Cellulose is insoluble in most solvents due to its structure and strong hydrogen bonding network. Either derivatization or special solvent systems have been used for solubilization. Derivatization changes the chemical nature and there is no consensus on a definitive solvent system for cellulose. TO BE CONT’D

Molecular Characteristics of Cellulose and Cellulose Derivatives

Cellulose is a commercially important biopolymer. Due to its abundance, biocompatibility and renewability it has shown important commercial applications in food, pharmaceuticals, biomedical. Depending on the origin and the processing methods used, the resulting fiber dimensions, structure, crystallinity and molecular weight (MW) can vary over a broad range. MW is one of the most important parameters in polymer characterization as many of its properties depend on it. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) has been the technique of choice for determining these properties. However, this method has limitations and requires optimization. Its accuracy is dependent on complete dissolution of the sample. Cellulose is insoluble in most solvents due to its structure and strong hydrogen bonding network. Either derivatization or special solvent systems have been used for solubilization. Derivatization changes the chemical nature and there is no consensus on a definitive solvent system for cellulose. TO BE CONT’D

Probabilistic Safety Analysis Methods for Applications in NuclearTechnologies

The ability to correctly make safety-related decisions and to demonstrate compliance with

existing limits is of great importance in the nuclear safety analysis industry. For example, we

may be interested to assess whether or not a physical component (such as the pressure tube

which carries fuel) has undergone physical changes that have exceeded its allowable limits.

The problem relies on the development of models that involve parameters describing such

components and to use the models to predict and assess whether the parameter has become

non-compliant. These predictive models are based on (imperfect) experimental data or

complex computational codes. Thus, these physical parameters are considered as random

variables that are subject to uncertainties (e.g., stochastic and epistemic uncertainties) that

affect our ability to make safety-related decisions. The objective of this project will be to

investigate the development of methods and tools required to demonstrate the statistical

basis for reaching decisions that are consistent with the so-called 95/95 industry standard.

Nanoparticle-encapsulated Cannabinoid and Temozolomide Combination Therapy for the Treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) (the deadliest form of brain cancer) is associated with poor survival rates (approximately 12-15 months from the time of diagnosis). This is due to the fact that most cases of GBM are resistant to current standards of care. As a result, novel effective treatment options are highly desirable. It has recently been shown that the combination of cannabinoids (such as THC or CBD) with the standard of care chemotherapy agent, temozolomide, demonstrates promise in the treatment of animal models of GBM. The main aim of this project is to design a novel nanoparticle that can deliver a combination of cannabinoids and chemotherapy to GBM tumours.
The proposed project combines 13 years of nanoparticle and drug combination research in the Allen Lab, with Avicanna Inc., a Toronto-based medical cannabis company. TO BE CONT’D

Technical and Economic Assessment of Implementing UV Treatment in Potable Reuse Process Trains – Year two

Driven by climate change induced water scarcity, further enhanced by rapid urbanization and population growth, potable water reuse initiatives are gaining interest. Potable reuse involves the indirect or direct use of highly treated municipal wastewater as a municipal drinking water source. Historically, the most commonly installed potable reuse train consisted of microfiltration, reverse osmosis (RO), and ultraviolet (UV) as treatment stages. Today, in many non-coastal geographies, non-RO based alternative advanced water treatment trains such as ozone-biological activated carbon (BAC) are being evaluated. UV plays a significant role in potable reuse trains because of its capability to inactivate pathogens up to 6-log. Thus, given the multiple reuse treatment trains where UV plays an essential role, there is a need to minimize the UV energy consumption and maximize the performance depending on the various upstream treatment trains. TO BE CONT’D

Technical and Economic Assessment of Implementing UV Treatment in Potable Reuse Process Trains

Driven by climate change induced water scarcity, further enhanced by rapid urbanization and population growth, potable water reuse initiatives are gaining interest. Potable reuse involves the indirect or direct use of highly treated municipal wastewater as a municipal drinking water source. Historically, the most commonly installed potable reuse train consisted of microfiltration, reverse osmosis (RO), and ultraviolet (UV) as treatment stages. Today, in many non-coastal geographies, non-RO based alternative advanced water treatment trains such as ozone-biological activated carbon (BAC) are being evaluated. UV plays a significant role in potable reuse trains because of its capability to inactivate pathogens up to 6-log. Thus, given the multiple reuse treatment trains where UV plays an essential role, there is a need to minimize the UV energy consumption and maximize the performance depending on the various upstream treatment trains. TO BE CONT’D

Integrating biodiversity functional guild responses to land use and climate change in natural heritage system update – Year two

Urbanization continues to drive the land conversion from natural areas to urban uses dominated by impermeable surfaces. This conversion has direct and indirect impacts on ecosystem services that are critical for a sustainable and resilient ecosystem as well as human wellbeing. Habitat removal and fragmentation accelerate biodiversity loss in urban landscapes. Additionally, climate change exacerbates these impacts even further. Hence, green infrastructure is also becoming more common in urban landscapes to offset negative urbanization impacts. Here, species and habitat data in the Greater Toronto Area will be used to derive functional guilds based on their sensitivities to urbanization and climate change. Habitat suitability analysis will be conducted on each of these functional groups under current and future land use scenarios assessing changes in the landscape’s capacity to provide habitat with three climate scenarios (current, 2050, and 2080). TO BE CONT’D

Integrating biodiversity functional guild responses to land use and climate change in natural heritage system update

Urbanization continues to drive the land conversion from natural areas to urban uses dominated by impermeable surfaces. This conversion has direct and indirect impacts on ecosystem services that are critical for a sustainable and resilient ecosystem as well as human wellbeing. Habitat removal and fragmentation accelerate biodiversity loss in urban landscapes. Additionally, climate change exacerbates these impacts even further. Hence, green infrastructure is also becoming more common in urban landscapes to offset negative urbanization impacts. Here, species and habitat data in the Greater Toronto Area will be used to derive functional guilds based on their sensitivities to urbanization and climate change. Habitat suitability analysis will be conducted on each of these functional groups under current and future land use scenarios assessing changes in the landscape’s capacity to provide habitat with three climate scenarios (current, 2050, and 2080). TO BE CONT’D