Innovative Projects Realized

Understanding soil loss after wildfires in the Nechako watershed using fallout radionuclides

This project evaluates the impact of wildfires on erosion and carbon movement in forests of northern British Columbia. It uses a novel method, plutonium isotopes (239+240Pu) to quantify soil erosion processes after fire. Two interns will conduct field and lab research to understand how long erosion continues after wildfires and where the sediment in rivers originates. The project supports community-driven priorities identified by the Cheslatta Carrier Nation and will provide data to guide land restoration and forest management. It brings together the University of Northern British Columbia’s expertise in soil geochemistry and erosion modeling with the University of Zurich’s strengths in radionuclide tracing and soil landscape analysis. This collaboration strengthens student training, international research exchange, and contributes to addressing climate-related challenges in Canada and beyond.

Étude de la compensation de la réparation des ADN ribosomiques par les protéines homologues de la maladie humaine Xeroderma pigmentosum de groupe C, Rad4 et RAD34 chez la levure Saccharomyces cerevisiae

L’ADN est le dépositaire de l’information génétique des organismes. Mais ceux-ci font face à des facteurs
environnementaux susceptibles de causer des dommages à l’ADN, mettant ainsi en péril leur vie et leur patrimoine
génétique. Parmi ces facteurs, les rayons UV jouent un rôle majeur. Au fil de l’évolution, les organismes ont
développé un mécanisme de réparation ces dommages connu sous le nom de “Réparation par Excision de
Nucléotides” (NER). Ce mécanisme est hautement conservé et se retrouve aussi bien chez des espèces
unicellulaires, telles que la levure Saccharomyces cerevisiae, que chez des espèces pluricellulaires évoluées, comme
l’être humain. Mon modèle d’étude est la Levure. Dans le cadre de ce projet, on étudiera Rad4p, Rad33 et Rad34p afin de
voir leur rôle dans la détection des dommages causés par les UV ainsi que leur mode d’action au sein de leur réparation. La croissance cellulaire sans et après diverses doses d’UV,
également la réparation de l’ADN par digestion par la T4-endonucléase V, qui permet la coupure de chaque
dommage UV seront étudiés.
Cette étude contribuera à une avancée théorique dans la compréhension de la NER chez la levure, ouvrant ainsi la
voie à une meilleure compréhension de la NER chez l’Homme.

Assessing the resource overlap between juvenile Arctic fish and gelatinous zooplankton in the Canadian Arctic and Barents Sea

The Arctic Ocean is warming four times faster than the rest of the world, which is negatively impacting Arctic fishes in their early life stages. The influx of boreal species, known as borealization, introduces more species from the Atlantic, including gelatinous organisms (e.g., scyphozoan jellyfish) that can compete with young fish for food or prey on them directly. This project uses DNA metabarcoding to extract and identify DNA fragments in the stomachs of three families of Arctic fish (Gadidae, Liparidae, and Cottidae) and scyphozoan jellyfish. The aim is to determine whether these groups feed on the same prey and to assess if the increase in species from the Atlantic has greater impacts in certain regions compared to others. The intern will work entirely on this project at the Arctic University of Norway (UiT), where she will dissect the stomachs of juvenile fish and jellyfish, perform DNA extractions, and analyze the genetic data using bioinformatics. The novelty of this project lies in its integration of samples from both Canadian and Norwegian waters, which is rarely done in a single project. This project will strengthen scientific collaboration through shared research goals and data integration, and demonstrate effective partnership across the circumpolar Arctic.

Conservation genomics of the Lowland Tapir in Northern Argentina

The Lowland Tapir (Tapirus terrestris), the largest Neotropical herbivore, is increasingly threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. In northern Argentina, remaining populations are small, isolated, and genetically understudied. This project applies reduced-representation sequencing (NextRAD) to assess genomic diversity, population structure, and connectivity across three ecoregions: Yungas, Gran Chaco, and Atlantic Forest. Results will identify conservation units and support science-based management. PhD candidate Sofía M. Esquenazi will carry out genomic analyses during a 24-week research stay at the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO), supervised by Dr. Michael Russello. The initiative builds on a long-standing collaboration between UBCO and the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), enhancing access to genomic tools not available in Argentina and generating urgently needed data for species recovery and land-use planning. The project also addresses technical challenges of working with degraded DNA, developing transferable protocols for conservation genomics. For Canada, it provides the opportunity to study a non-model, threatened species of global relevance, and establish new analytical frameworks that can be extended to species of concern within Canadian landscapes. The project promotes diversity in STEM by training a Latin American woman scientist. Outcomes will build international capacity to address biodiversity loss and strengthen Canada–Latin America scientific cooperation.

Decision-Support System for Operational Optimization and Capacity Expansion in Modular Construction

This research project aims to help Modulable Inc., a modular construction company, improve how it plans and manages its operations. The project will develop a smart decision-making tool that uses advanced mathematical models to optimize key areas such as factory production, transportation of modules, onsite assembly, and future manufacturing expansion. By utilizing this research will help the company make better choices about when to produce in-house or outsource, how to schedule deliveries, and how to manage onsite work efficiently. It will also support long-term growth by identifying the best ways to expand production capacity. The tool will be tested using real company data and will include a visual dashboard in Excel to help managers easily explore different planning scenarios, reduce delays, and save costs.

Strain Selection and Fermentation Optimization for Food-Grade Fungal Proteins

This project supports BioWise Technologies Inc. in advancing the development of sustainable, food-grade fungal proteins through controlled microbial fermentation. The intern will screen and evaluate a library of fungal strains based on protein content and amino acid composition to identify high-performing candidates. Selected strains will undergo purification and genetic characterization, followed by optimization of growth and fermentation parameters at the bench scale using 2-L bioreactors. The goal is to develop efficient and scalable processes for protein-rich fungal biomass production. These outcomes will strengthen BioWise’s R&D capabilities and contribute to the commercialization of environmentally sustainable protein ingredients with reduced greenhouse gas emissions and lower land and water usage compared to conventional animal and plant-based sources.

The effects of exercise intensity on cognitive function in people with Parkinsons Disease

This study explores how cycling at different intensities affects cognitive performance, brain blood flow, and certain blood markers related to brain health in people with PD. We will compare results from individuals with PD to healthy adults of the same age and sex. From this, we can better understand how exercise influences these measures. Proteins of interest include both Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor and ?-Klotho protein, as they have previously been seen to play a role in protecting against cognitive decline. Participants will complete three testing visits: one without exercise, one with moderate-intensity cycling, and one with high-intensity cycling. We will test memory, attention, and visuospatial abilities, as well as brain blood flow and blood protein levels before and after each session. Our goal is to identify the most effective exercise intensity for boosting brain health in people with PD. These findings could lead to better exercise recommendations and identify biological markers effected by exercise that play a role in aging.

Towards a cure for NARS disease

Pathogenic alleles in human asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (NARS1) cause heterogeneous genetic disorders collectively known as NARS1 diseases. NARS1 disease is an early onset disease, and few children reach adulthood. No NARS1 specific therapies are available, and treatments remain supportive. The molecular and cellular consequences of most pathogenic NARS1 alleles remain unknown. We will investigate NARS1 mutations using biochemical analyses, a humanized yeast model system, and human cell models of NARS1 disease. Results from these systems will reveal how NARS1 mutations contribute to disease, thus enabling exploration of potential treatment options for NARS1 patients. For other diseases related to aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, amino acid supplementation has shown success in patients, and tRNA therapy was successful in mouse and humanized yeast models. Additionally, small molecule therapeutics have shown promise in alleviating cellular consequences associated with NARS1 alleles. We anticipate NARS1 alleles will require allele-specific interventions. Using humanized yeast, I will test whether amino acid supplementation, tRNA supplementation, or small molecule therapeutics can alleviate phenotypes associated with disease. By processing patient data, this project will support CHRI/LHSC physicians that frequently diagnose and treat aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase diseases. By identifying priority alleles to study, the results of this research will improve patient outcomes.

Communications Plan – Madhu Verma Migrant Justice Centre

The Madhu Verma Migrant Justice Centre’s main program is operating a migrant worker legal clinic that assists migrant workers in accessing legal aid and social services in New Brunswick. We also coordinate the NB Sanctuary Network that connects precarious-status migrants with social services. Our legal clinic is innovative in that the services we provide are done so virtually, which better meets the needs of the migrant populations we serve who are mostly found in rural areas and spread out across the province and have challenges with transportation. Operating virtually also avoids some of the administrative tasks and costs that come with operating in a physical environment, which is important given the Madhu Centre currently does not have core funding and relies on project-based funding.

This project will address challenges that have arisen in relation to our digital infrastructure, namely, enabling various databases to effectively communicate and meet both the short-term and long-term mission of our centre, which involves advancing migrant justice and supporting migrants with precarious status in New Brunswick, including migrant workers, refugee claimants, international students, and people with irregular immigration status. The interns will be expected to lead innovations in our internal and external communication channels that further our mission of a more equitable New Brunswick and Canada.

Methane-assisted catalytic cracking of kraft lignin for syngas production

This project explores a new way to turn kraft lignin—a waste byproduct from the pulp and paper industry—into useful gases that can be used to make chemicals and fuels. Currently, kraft lignin is mostly burned for heat, but it contains valuable elements that are hard to recover due to its complex structure. The proposed process uses methane and natural chemicals already present in the waste (like sulfur and sodium) to help break down the lignin into a cleaner gas called syngas, which contains hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This process could take place right at the pulp mill, before the waste is normally burned, and the leftover chemicals can be reused in the pulping process. The project will test this idea using lab equipment at UBC’s Clean Energy Research Centre. If successful, it could help pulp mills reduce waste and produce valuable new products more efficiently.

Automated Risk & Compliance Analytics Framework for SureStep’s GRC Solutions

SureStep is developing an Automated Risk & Compliance Analytics Framework to improve how it delivers Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) services. Instead of relying on spreadsheets and manual reporting, this project will create automated tools to collect and analyze risk data, calculate risk scores, and generate interactive dashboards for clients. The intern will build data pipelines, develop statistical models, and design dashboards that help SureStep’s consultants work more efficiently. This innovation will help SureStep serve more clients, reduce costs, and offer faster and more consistent compliance insights across industries.

Development of an AI-Based System for Objective Skill Assessment in Robotic-Assisted Gynecologic Oncology Surgery

This project aims to improve how doctors learning to perform robotic surgery in gynecology are trained and evaluated. Currently, there is no clear or consistent way to know when a trainee is truly ready to operate on their own. Most training programs rely on the number of surgeries performed or subjective opinions, which are subject to variation. This research will use artificial intelligence (AI) to create a tool that scores surgical skill based on how closely a trainee’s movements match those of expert surgeons. The goal is to develop a reliable, objective system that helps determine when someone is ready to perform surgery independently. The Jewish General Hospital (JGH) Foundation, which helped launch Canada’s first robotic program in gynecologic oncology, will benefit from this project by advancing its mission to improve patient safety and care through innovation. The results could lead to safer surgeries, faster procedures, and better training for future surgeons, while also supporting the Foundation’s outreach, education, and research efforts in women’s health.