Innovative Projects Realized

L2M – Optimizing Rheology for 3D-Printed Geopolymer Concrete

This project explores how sustainable concrete alternatives can be adapted for 3D printing in construction. Traditional cement-based concrete is a major source of global carbon emissions. Geopolymer concrete—made from industrial by-products like fly ash—offers a greener alternative, but challenges remain in making it printable at scale. This project will develop and validate a new testing method that simulates real-world extrusion behavior, helping ensure these materials can flow consistently through 3D printing systems. In parallel, stakeholder interviews will help assess market needs and potential applications. The goal is to bring environmentally friendly, printable building materials one step closer to real-world adoption.

Analyse comparative de l’impact carbone et systémique d’un spectacle d’art vivant au Québec

Ce projet a pour but de comparer les impacts environnementaux d’une production culturelle au Québec réalisée de façon traditionnelle avec ceux d’une production conçue selon des principes d’écoconception. Au-delà des émissions de gaz à effet de serre, l’étude prendra en compte d’autres effets sur l’environnement, comme la gestion des déchets ou l’utilisation des matériaux.
Le projet est réalisé en collaboration avec Écoscéno, un organisme montréalais qui aide les équipes de création à adopter des pratiques plus écoresponsables et à réutiliser les matériaux de décor. L’objectif est de produire des données claires et fiables qui permettront à Écoscéno de démontrer les avantages concrets de l’écoconception dans le milieu culturel. Ces résultats contribueront à faire reconnaître la valeur de ces pratiques auprès des partenaires du secteur, tout en renforçant l’expertise d’Écoscéno.

L2M Validate – Pi16 Therapeutics

The mission of PI16 Therapeutics is to improve skin health for the ~4 million Canadian’s suffering from long-term skin diseases, including clinically dry skin, chronic wounds, and severe burns. PI16 Therapeutics aims to produce skin solutions for these individuals by genetically engineering naturally occurring stem-cell like fibroblasts that express the gene Peptidase Inhibitor 16 (Pi16) with regenerative properties and packaging these cells in a clinical-grade hydrogel formulation. The resulting PI16+ fibroblast containing hydrogel will be directly applied to painful skin at hospitals and dermatology clinics to bring permanent relief by improving skin vitality, skin healing, and skin immunity.

L2M_BSI Proposal_L2M Health Validate Helixir

Our academic lab has developed technology that could have potential benefits in the Canadian healthcare system. This technology is highly specialized that combines MRI and interventional cardiac treatment. The intern will determine if our technology can satisfy the needs dictated by various stakeholders in the industry, such that a startup is warranted. This objective will be accomplished through conducting stakeholder interviews and analysing the data. Our supervisor and partner organization will provide tools and mentorship to conduct these stakeholder interviews and to verify if the final analysis is reasonable. This will accomplish the goal of the partner organization, which is to train Canadians to be able to spin out academic technologies into potential Canadian startups.

L2M – Market Validation and Human Factors Strategy for an Edge AI-Based Care Platform

This project focuses on validating the real-world use and integration of an advanced, AI-enabled platform designed to improve prenatal care through early detection of conditions such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. Rather than simply testing technical performance, the project places strong emphasis on human factors engineering and understanding how healthcare professionals interact with new technology in busy clinical settings. By working directly with obstetricians, nurses, and clinic staff, the project will assess usability, workflow compatibility, and overall clinician experience. This user-centered approach will identify potential barriers to adoption, streamline training and implementation strategies, and ensure that the platform supports rather than disrupts existing care routines. Insights gained will help create evidence-based recommendations for effective integration into prenatal care and potentially other healthcare areas in the future. Ultimately, this work aims to empower clinicians with tools that are intuitive, reliable, and seamlessly fit into their daily practices, supporting better patient outcomes and more efficient care delivery.

L2M – Advancing the Commercial Potential of a Novel Simulation Tool for Thoracic Surgery Training

This project will support the commercialization of a new medical training tool designed to help doctors learn how to perform technically complex procedures for cancer staging and diagnosis. The partner organization, University Health Network, has developed a realistic 3D-printed simulation model that enables trainees to safely practice this procedure outside the operating room. Unlike current training tools, this model is affordable, portable, and highly customizable to different learning levels. With the prototype already developed and tested, the next step is to determine how to implement this innovation in hospitals and training programs. Through this internship, the intern will conduct market research, speak with potential users, and develop a strategic roadmap to help launch the product. This work will provide the partner organization with the information it needs to grow the business, scale manufacturing, expand its impact, and make advanced surgical training more accessible worldwide.

L2M Validation / Qc Automne 2025 / Production de composites thermoplastiques avancés par pultrusion

Typiquement, les matériaux utilisés dans les composites ne sont pas recyclables. Lorsqu’une pièce est brisée ou qu’elle atteint sa fin de vie, elle peut être brulée afin de récupérer les fibres de renforts, mais plus souvent les pièces se dirigent directement vers un site d’enfouissement. Nous travaillons depuis environ 10 ans sur une méthode de production et des matériaux alternatifs plus résistants, pouvant être retravaillés et même recyclés. Cette technologie est la pultrusion de composite thermoplastique, elle permet la production de pièces en composite haute qualité de manière automatisée.
Les pièces créées par notre technologie peuvent être reformées en les chauffant, elles peuvent être utilisées comme renfort en surmoulage et peuvent même être soudées ensemble. Cette capacité de notre matière à être retravaillé nous permet aussi de la réparer dans le cas d’un bris mineur ou de la recycler entièrement lorsque la pièce atteint sa fin de vie.
Notre technologie permet de remplacer des procédés existant par une nouvelle alternative évitant les sites d’enfouissement comme solution de fin de vie, mais elle ouvre aussi de nouvelles portes. De tout nouveaux produits peuvent être élaborés avec les options de mise en forme uniques à notre technologie.

L2M – Developing Machine Learning Models to Accelerate our In-Vivo Creatinine and Potassium Biosensor Development

Many people with heart failure are not prescribed the full set of guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMT), which can shorten their lifespan and reduce quality of life. One major reason is the difficulty and inconvenience of regularly checking potassium and creatinine levels, which are needed to safely adjust these medications. To address this, we are developing the first on-demand system to measure potassium and creatinine, making it possible to optimize GDMT in weeks instead of years.

A key challenge we encountered is interference in electrochemical sensors: when other compounds in biological fluids create signals that interfere with accurate detection of the target molecule. Traditionally, solving this requires slow and labor-intensive trial-and-error testing of electrode materials in the lab. This delays development and limits how quickly new sensors can be brought to use.

Our solution is to use existing data and electrochemical knowledge to train machine learning models that can predict potential interferents and recommend better sensor designs before lab testing. This approach transforms biosensor development into a faster, data-driven process and could significantly accelerate the creation of reliable, clinically useful sensors.

Mixed Methods in Indigenous Health Research: Colombia, Canada & the Caribbean

In 2020, there were 19.3 million new cancer cases and 9.9 million related deaths, with 70% occurring in low- and middle-income countries. In Latin America, cancer remains a leading cause of mortality, with cases projected to rise from 4 million in 2020 to 6 million by 2040. Indigenous populations are among the most affected; in 2016, the Colombian Ministry of Health identified cancer as the fourth leading cause of death in Indigenous communities. However, Colombia lacks clinical guidelines tailored to Indigenous perspectives, as well as consistent epidemiological data to inform policy and intervention strategies. Dr. Angela Zambrano’s thesis examines how Indigenous health practices and beliefs interact or conflict with the traditional biomedical care model. Dr. Zambrano will carry out a comparative analysis of Indigenous health research in Indigenous populations in the Caribbean Island of Dominica, northern Quebec, and Colombia and employ epidemiological methods to calculate health disparities. This will inform a reflection and research protocol to support the development of future studies in Indigenous communities, notably in the Caribbean and Latin American regions, to support the development of intercultural cancer prevention, treatment, and care policies.

Artefacts of Disaster Memory: Architecture for Remembering and Forgetting Disasters

This research project investigates how disaster memorial spaces such as museums, monuments, and preserved sites contribute to collective memory and public engagement in different cultural contexts. Focusing on case studies in Japan and drawing comparisons with prior research in Türkiye, the project examines how spatial design, narrative construction, and visitor interaction shape societal understandings of disaster and recovery. Through fieldwork and interviews conducted in Japan, the project will generate original data and comparative insights that enhance academic knowledge on commemorative practices and disaster resilience. The collaboration will strengthen ties between the participating institutions by fostering international research exchange and supporting ongoing interdisciplinary initiatives in urban planning, memory studies, and disaster recovery.

3D-Printed CNT/rGO–PALF Aerogels for Solar Interfacial Evaporation

Access to clean water is a critical global challenge, with billions facing water scarcity or contamination. This project aims to develop a sustainable water purification system that uses solar energy to convert contaminated or salty water into clean water, offering a low-cost, off-grid solution for rural and resource-limited communities. The system will use solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) with advanced 3D-printed aerogels made from carbon nanotubes (CNT), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and pineapple leaf fiber (PALF). These materials provide excellent sunlight absorption, strong resistance to fouling and UV damage, and a biodegradable structure.

By combining these materials in a 3D-printed design, the project will improve water evaporation efficiency and long-term stability, making the system more practical for real-world wastewater treatment. Collaboration between Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia and the University of Waterloo will strengthen research ties, share knowledge, and offer valuable training for students and researchers at both institutions. This joint work will enhance both universities’ expertise in green technology and sustainable water treatment, supporting their missions to deliver innovative solutions for clean water access and address global environmental challenges.

L’utilisation des philosophes anciens dans le Theophrastus Redivivus

Le Theophrastus Redivivus est un texte anonyme rédigé à Paris au 17ème siècle et est le premier texte ouvertement athée de l’ère chrétienne en Occident. Ce texte propose plusieurs idées qui annoncent la Modernité des Lumières, quoiqu’il soit près d’un siècle en avance. Le texte est abondamment bâti sur la littérature ancienne (sont tirés de l’Antiquité des citations, avec et sans référence, des informations, des anecdotes et des faits scientifiques). Notre projet consiste en l’étude de l’utilisation de l’Antiquité, et en particulier des philosophes, pour étudier le lien entre l’Antiquité et la Modernité naissante en France au 17ème.