Innovative Projects Realized

L2M Launch- Vrit; A handheld bioprinting platform for treating severe skin wounds.

This project supports the commercialization of INSITE (In Situ Tissue Engineering Bioprinting System), a handheld bioprinting platform developed in the Guenther Lab at the University of Toronto. INSITE enables point-of-care delivery of personalized bioinks directly into skin wounds, offering a novel, autograft-free alternative for treating full-thickness burns and chronic wounds. Current gold-standard treatments rely on split-thickness skin grafts, which are painful, resource-intensive, and often unavailable in large injuries. INSITE addresses this unmet clinical need by printing regenerative biomaterials directly into the wound bed, conforming to complex surfaces and eliminating the need for donor site surgery.

The Guenther Lab aims to launch INSITE through a clinical-stage Canadian biotechnology venture, initially targeting smaller burns (0–20% TBSA), which account for over 90% of burn cases yet have no strong alternatives to grafting. Building on the momentum from the Lab2Market Validate program—during which the team conducted 65 stakeholder interviews including over 30 burn surgeons—this Launch project will focus on execution: finalizing reimbursement and regulatory strategies, validating product-market fit, securing strategic partnerships, and preparing for both non-dilutive (e.g., Army) and venture capital funding.

This internship will produce key commercialization deliverables: a reimbursement white paper, a regulatory roadmap, a refined business model, signed partnership agreements, and investor-ready fundraising materials. It will accelerate INSITE’s path toward clinical deployment and position Canada as a global leader in regenerative medicine and wound care innovation.

L2M- ZAP-010 – A natural, effective appetite suppressant

This project is focused on developing a novel, plant-based appetite suppressant called ZAP-010. Originally synthesized for agricultural use, ZAP-010 is a phytohormone that we have shown to reduce food intake and promote sustained weight loss in rodent models. Over 60% of Canadian adults are classified as overweight or obese and current treatment options, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, are expensive, inaccessible, and often associated with significant side effects. As such, there is an urgent need for safer, more affordable, and sustainable solutions, especially considering there are no scientifically validated natural supplements for appetite control. Our goal is to translate strong preclinical findings into a viable product for human use. In partnership with Eurofins Scientific and KGK Science, we will identify a regulatory-compliant source of ZAP-010, determine optimal human dosing, and prepare for a Health Canada–approved first-in-human clinical trial. We are also developing a commercialization pathway to ensure this innovation is positioned for long-term impact. This project directly supports our partner organization by advancing product development, de-risking early-stage innovation, and aligning preclinical science with regulatory and market-readiness milestones. ZAP-010 has the potential to disrupt the 88-billion-dollar global weight loss supplement market by offering a low-cost, accessible alternative for individuals seeking non-pharmaceutical options for weight management. Beyond the commercial potential, the broader public health impact is substantial. If a safe and affordable appetite suppressant becomes widely adopted, it could reduce the national burden of metabolic disease and lead to significant healthcare savings while improving the quality of life for Canadians. Through this innovative partnership, we will refine our go-to-market strategy, deepen our understanding of regulatory and consumer landscapes, and work with experienced advisors to build a scalable solution with meaningful impact. This project represents a compelling opportunity to deliver a scientifically validated solution to a widespread and urgent health challenge.

L2M – Storelx

The proposed project focuses on helping Storelx, a peer-to-peer storage marketplace, grow its user base and improve its online platform. The intern will work on attracting new users through digital marketing, making the website easier to use, and launching a referral program to encourage more people to join. By testing different marketing strategies and collecting user feedback, the intern will help improve the customer experience and make Storelx more competitive. This project will directly support Storelx’s growth by increasing visibility, driving new signups, and strengthening the overall platform.

Investigating the empowerment of teachers and studentsat Northern Canadian schools throughtelecommunication technology

The proposed research project investigates how the Telepresence technology (Connected North) has an impact on Northern students’ and teachers’ educational experience. Our goal is to assess the impact of its implementation within three contexts: connecting students to students, connecting students to experts, and connecting teachers to teachers. To this end, we will administer questionnaires to teachers and students before and after the introduction of the technology, as well as compare groups who experience versus do not experience the technology for a particular curriculum unit. The questionnaires will include measures of teacher and student empowerment, as well as student learning. This research project is relevant to our partner organization because Connected North is an initiative put forth by Cisco to improve the existing educational experience in the Northern territories. This project will directly benefit Cisco because it will inform the effectiveness of the Telepresence technology for the classroom setting. Overall, our research findings will be integrated into Cisco’s wider goal of understanding the impact of broadcast and streaming video in education.

L2M_Launch_NanopHast_BSI_Project_Proposal

NanopHast is developing cutting-edge solid-state pH sensors designed to replace traditional glass pH electrodes. Our sensors offers miniaturized pH measurement, opening up novel possibilities in drug discovery and development. NanopHast has longer shelf life, lower manufacturing costs and a maintenance free design for users. Our goal is to redefine pH measurement standards and help drive advancements in academia, pharmaceuticals and nanotechnology.

L2M – Strategic Development of ADAMTS13 as Novel Thrombolytic for Ischemic Stroke

We are developing a new treatment for ischemic stroke using a modified version of a natural anticoagulant called ADAMTS13. Existing stroke therapies are limited by a short treatment window and can carry serious risks. This new approach aims to safely extend the time patients can receive treatment, increasing access, especially for those in rural or underserved communities. As part of this project, we will study the market, consult with healthcare experts, and create a plan to bring the therapy into hospitals. The goal is to move one step closer to delivering a potentially life-saving option to stroke patients in Canada and beyond.

L2M – Intelligent Bearing Prognostics and Health Monitoring System

Bearings play a critical role as fundamental mechanical components in rotating systems. Any imperfections, such as inadequate lubrication, can gradually result in failure. Industry reports indicate that 40-70% of failures in rotary systems are attributed to bearing failure. The sudden occurrence of such failures poses significant challenges for industries, resulting in decreased profitability, and various business-related issues. Our innovative product is an Intelligent Bearing Prognostics and Health Monitoring System, designed to revolutionize industrial maintenance through a comprehensive suite of advanced technologies. This solution integrates innovative sensor technology, AI-driven algorithms, intuitive software, and a portable monitoring device to deliver real-time, high-quality data collection, fault detection, severity assessment, and remaining useful life (RUL) prediction for bearings. By addressing key challenges such as unplanned downtime, high maintenance costs, and the limitations of traditional monitoring solutions, our system ensures optimal reliability and efficiency in industrial operations.

L2M – Development of a data-driven coaching and rehabilitation app for running based athletes

Lab2Market is a program designed to help graduate students with the innovation and entrepreneurial skills required to develop their research projects into start-ups. This project aims to develop a minimum viable product and develop a business/product roadmap for a single camera markerless motion capture system designed to accurately track human movement’s during a variety of functional movements and athletic tasks.

Business intern working within cross-functional teams to develop and commercialize AI-powered solutions in the Public Services sector (2)

The project comprises internships in a variety of technical and business roles within our organization and within our GovLab program. Within the organization, roles include associate machine learning developer, business development associate, communications associate and finance associate. Within GovLab specifically, roles include associate machine learning developer, associate business solutions consultant, and project delivery associate. The difference is mainly that in GovLab, there is a focus on public sector problems, whereas in AltaML overall, we work across sectors.
The intern listed on this particular application will be working alongside the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) team to further develop our “Secondary Psychological Injury (SPI)” project using Machine Learning. The primary focus of the SPI Project for Edem will allow him to learn from an already deployed machine learning model and retroactively seek performance improvements by interacting with end users and seeking out the vital upgrades that are needed to this model. WCB has been seeking better ways to capture Return on Value and this will be an important model to continue testing the value framework that has been co-developed between AltaML and WCB. Additionally, an objective of this project is to ensure that full adoption and change management has been accomplished. This means that the sub-objective of gathering requirements will be predominant as the model currently does not fill the current process flow requirements.

L2M – Development of a novel cell culture incubator for optimized oxygen control

Cell culture is a critical tool for drug discover and cancer research, allowing scientists to study cells in a controlled environment before testing in animals and humans. However, a major flaw in traditional cell culture is that oxygen levels do not accurately replicate those found in the body. Cells in culture are typically exposed to oxygen levels up to 10 times higher than they would experience in some organs; this is particularly concerning for cancer cell culture as tumours are typically exposed to extremely low oxygen levels. These very high levels can lead to misleading experimental results.
To address this, some cell culturists use incubators that regulate oxygen in the air surrounding the cells. However, this method overlooks the oxygen that cells consume to stay alive. Cells are surrounded by a nutrient rich liquid medium that gets depleted of oxygen faster than it can be replenished from the air. This depletion varies widely depending on a number of factors, reducing the reliability of research findings.
Our novel incubator solves this problem by directly measuring and adjusting oxygen levels in the culture medium, rather than the air. It continuously adapts as cells grow and die to ensure stable oxygen levels intended for an experiment. By making cell culture more relevant to human systems, our technology has the potential to accelerate the discovery of effective therapies and pharmaceuticals and limit waste of resources by increasing the likelihood of promising treatments succeeding in later phases of testing.

Production et caractérisation des biochars issus des résidus agricoles et forestiers en Côte d’Ivoire et au Canada

La Côte d’Ivoire et le Canada sont des pays agricoles et forestiers. Les résidus agricoles et forestiers sont générés sur toutes leurs chaines de production et de transformation. La gestion de ces résidus constitue en enjeu environnemental et économique majeur dans les deux pays. Dans ce contexte, ce projet vise à valoriser les résidus agricoles et forestiers en Côte d’Ivoire et au Canada par la production et la caractérisation de biochars. Le biochar est un matériau riche en carbone issu de la pyrolyse de biomasses et présentant un fort potentiel en agriculture et en assainissement de l’environnement. Le projet se basera sur l’optimisation des procédés de pyrolyse par la Méthodologie de Surface de Réponse, suivie d’analyses des propriétés physiques et chimiques des biochars (SEM-EDX, CHNS, DRX, BET, etc.) pour évaluer leurs performances. La valorisation des résidus sous-exploités en amendement pour restaurer la fertilité des sols contribuera à l’optimisation des ressources forestières et au développement de stratégies de carboneutralité au Canada. Par ailleurs, le projet favorisera le transfert de connaissances et de technologies entre l’UQAT et l’INP-HB et renforcera la recherche scientifique.

Techno-Economic Analysis of Graphene Oxide Nanostructures for CO2 Capture and Storage in Depleted Gas Reservoirs

This research proposes a comprehensive techno-economic assessment of an innovative graphene oxide-based technology for CO2 capture, developed by the Computed Tomography Research Group (GIT) at the Industrial University of Santander (UIS). The study aims to evaluate the feasibility and impact of this technology through a comparative analysis between Colombia and Canada, focusing on its efficiency, scalability, and economic viability. Key activities include developing a computational tool for techno-economic analysis, estimating implementation costs at a pilot scale, comparing the technology with existing solutions, and identifying regulatory, infrastructure, and resource-related factors influencing its feasibility. The outcomes will provide actionable recommendations for optimizing and scaling the technology, contributing to sustainable CO2 capture and storage efforts and fostering international collaboration between Colombia and Canada.