Innovative Projects Realized

Real-time Analytics and Decision Support for Patient Flow Management

Large community hospitals and teaching hospitals in Ontario operate at congestion levels most of the time. This translates into long wait times for the patients, cancelled procedures, undue stress for the clinical staff, and inefficiency in hospital operations. In order to address the bottlenecks in patient flows, decisions are made by the clinical staff based on incomplete data which may be several hours to several days old, manually, in an ad hoc manner. Furthermore, these decisions may be optimal for the Unit (the Emergency Department, for instance), but sub-optimal for the hospital as a whole. Our proposed research project is to investigate an information system to facilitate and guide the decision-making on patient flow management when needed, in order to address the root causes of the bottlenecks, and hence decrease the patient wait times. This would improve the patient outcomes and user experience, and increase the efficiency of hospital operations.

Inclusionary Zoning as a Municipal Tool to Support Affordable Housing in Winnipeg

In 2011, 21% of Winnipeg residents (or 61,790 households) were living in unaffordable housing, as defined by Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) is a tool available to municipalities to respond to this issue by ensuring all new residential development includes a certain percentage affordable housing. Inclusionary Zoning is used successfully across the United States, Europe, and Australia to create affordable housing, but implemented differently by each city to respond to local need. Through engagement with North American municipalities that have enacted IZ, this research will explore key considerations for potential implementation in Winnipeg.

Emissions control and reduction for natural gas engines

The use of natural gas as a fuel for on-road commercial vehicles offers significant benefits, including lower greenhouse gas emissions. Methane, the main component of natural gas, has many virtues as a fuel. However, its stability makes it harder to react in an engine. This introduces two challenges: first, an ignition source is needed to start the combustion (unlike diesel, which is self-igniting), and second, it is hard to remove any left-over methane from the exhaust. This internship will help to address both these factors. First, the intern will use a Westport test facility to evaluate how well a continuous heater can ignite a jet of methane. Second, the intern will install and test a novel sub-scale catalytic converter, specially designed for methane removal, on the exhaust from a research engine at UBC. These results will help to advance Westport’s ongoing efforts to develop cleaner and more cost-effective natural gas engines.

The effects of oil and gas development on the density and reproductivesuccess of grassland songbirds in southeast Alberta

Native grasslands provide important breeding habitat for many grassland birds, including species at risk.

However, the quantity and quality of remaining native grassland may be threatened by increased development

associated with the oil and gas industry. Recent evidence suggests that the relative abundance of some grassland

bird species is lower near gas wells and in areas with increased densities of wells. Further research is needed to

understand the mechanisms contributing to lower abundance of grassland birds in areas exposed to oil and gas

development. My goal is to determine the degree to which oil and gas development influences the density and

reproductive success of grassland songbirds. Results will assist land managers and responsible government

departments to make informed decisions regarding the effects of industrial activity on species-at-risk to ensure

the conservation and protection of native grassland habitat for all species.

An ecosystem-based approach to conserving salmon species: Using bald eagle foraging behaviour as an ecological indicator to the health of coastal food webs and salmon ecosystems

Across British Columbia, pacific salmon species provide nutrients for coastal food webs and ecosystems by returning to their natal rivers to complete their spawning cycle. As salmon are the main prey species of bald eagles, it is essential to further understand the effect that the current decline in salmon populations across British Columbia could have on the foraging behaviour of these apex predators. The goal of this research is to identify the foraging techniques of bald eagles under current salmon spawner abundances to determine if their foraging techniques will change under a modeled decline in carcass availability. To determine this, field observations on bald eagle foraging behaviour will be compared to their behaviour under a simulated crash in salmon populations in a scientific model. The anticipated results of the model include: 1) adults will outcompete juveniles for food, causing their mortality rate to increase and 2) the eagle predation rate on waterfowl species will increase, which will put additional pressure on already endangered bird populations.

Canadian Communities of Practice in Global Health: meeting the SDG challenge – Year two

Canada’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has implications for both domestic and foreign policy in a complex, shifting, and interdependent global health system crowded with multiple actors and stakeholders. The array of activities involved with global public health practice necessitates engagement with health policy and systems research (HPSR), and Knowledge Translation (KT) is critical to bridging the gap between knowledge generated through research and the knowledge that is used to inform policy, practice, and programs. My proposed two-year Fellowship, with the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) and the University of Ottawa, advances KT through deepened engagement with the Canadian global public health community for the integration of SDGs within health systems in Canada and internationally. TO BE CONT’D

Canadian Communities of Practice in Global Health: meeting the SDG challenge

Canada’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has implications for both domestic and foreign policy in a complex, shifting, and interdependent global health system crowded with multiple actors and stakeholders. The array of activities involved with global public health practice necessitates engagement with health policy and systems research (HPSR), and Knowledge Translation (KT) is critical to bridging the gap between knowledge generated through research and the knowledge that is used to inform policy, practice, and programs. My proposed two-year Fellowship, with the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) and the University of Ottawa, advances KT through deepened engagement with the Canadian global public health community for the integration of SDGs within health systems in Canada and internationally. TO BE CONT’D

Inclusive and Accessible Energy Governance: Recommendations for the National Energy Board Modernization

A series of high-profile pipeline proposals and controversial changes to federal environmental legislative have created a “crisis of confidence” in the National Energy Board (NEB). As a result, the federal government has initiated a review and modernization of the NEB in conjunction with a broader review of federal environmental legislation. The purpose of this project is to support the Pembina Institute’s ongoing engagement in the NEB modernization process by undertaking policy research and developing recommendations to facilitate inclusive and accessible regulatory processes. Specifically, the research examines proposed institutions for public and stakeholder engagement and the accessibility of energy and climate data.

Probiotics and their role in an intestinal inflammation: Use of a novel in-vitro model to understand mechanisms of action

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the role the gut plays in our overall health and wellbeing. Changes to this gut microbial population has been linked a host of disorders, ranging from metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity to mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. Depending on lifestyle factors, diet, antibiotic use and age, certain populations can be at a greater risk of microbial imbalances. In order against such conditions, probiotics are used as therapeutic agents. However, there has been limited success in developing long term solutions, mainly owing to the lack to understanding the relationship between these supplements and the gut microbes. Our proposed study aims to bridge this gap by using a novel model developed in our lab to study these interactions in more detail and help develop more targeted therapeutic strategies.

Modélisation et mesures thermofluides de l’écoulement d’air dans une maquette alternateur

Ce projet s’inscrit dans un vaste programme de diagnostic et pronostic visant, à l’aide de simulations multiphysiques et de mesures expérimentales, à caractériser la ventilation dans les alternateurs hydro-électriques. Une meilleure connaissance du refroidissement de ces machines permettrait de les opérer de façon optimale afin de prolonger leur durée de vie et ainsi d’éviter des remplacements prématurés. Afin d’atteindre cet objectif, une maquette alternateur a été construite à l’institut de recherche d’Hydro-Québec dans le but d’obtenir une base de données expérimentales permettant de valider les outils numériques. En effet, la dynamique de l’écoulement dans les parties tournantes et fixes demeure très complexe à modéliser mais une fois que ces outils auront été validés, il sera alors possible d’optimiser les équipements présentant des anomalies de ventilation et de proposer des nouveaux concepts de ventilation.

Elucidating the Impact of Probiotics on the Fungal Microbiome: Mechanisms of Interkingdom Interactions

Interactions between bacteria and fungi are ubiquitous. One environment where these interkingdom interactions are crucial for maintaining human health is the vaginal microbiome. A decline in abundance of bacteria can lead to overgrowth of fungi such as Candida albicans, which occurs in ~75% of healthy women at least once in their lifetime. This imbalance is associated with significant economic costs and has a negative impact on quality of life. Probiotics normally present in the vaginal microbiome have emerged as a strategy to restore homeostasis, though the mechanisms involved remain unknown. This research will assess the capacity of Lallemand probiotic species to impair C. albicans filamentous growth, a key virulence trait, and will elucidate the mechanisms involved. This research enable the development of the most suitable probiotics for future nutritional programs. Ultimately, this program has potential to stimulate economic growth and to improve the quality of life of women globally.

Stagiaire en gestion de portefeuille TI

Ce projet concerne premièrement la gestion de projet, sois le processus de gestion de processus de dévelloppement d’une idée à ça réalisation en équipe. Les avancer informatique nous permettent maintenant de mieux suivre le processus de l’idéation à la création pour permettre au gestionnaire de l’équipe une meilleur compréhension de la progression et ainsi décider de façon plus rationnelle plus rapidement et de façon ciblé. Le système de suivi répertorie ainsi les projets, les tâches, les différentes équipes de travail, les efforts mis sur les tâches et les contraintes. Le gestionnaire prend donc ces données actualisées au fils du processus pour évaluer les problèmes et difficulté de l’équipe pour ensuite réagir de la bonne manière et corriger le tir avant que la situation ne s’enivre. Ce projet à pour objectif de prévoir ces problèmes et enjeux pour permettre au gestionnaire d’agir en amont.