Innovative Projects Realized

Investigating the organohalide dehalogenation respiratory chain of Dehalococcoides mccartyi CBDB1

Organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB) are important agents of bioremediation, helping to clean up groundwater contaminated with toxic compounds such as chloroform, perchloroethene (PCE), and chlorobenzene. This metabolic pathway relies on enzymes known as reductive dehalogenase homologs (RdhAs). The mechanisms by which RdhAs reduce organohalides remains elusive, particularly in the case of the Chloroflexi OHRB Dehalococcoides and Dehalogenimonas. These microbes are critical to bioremediation efforts, as they are the only OHRB known to reduce PCE to ethene without accumulation of the toxic intermediate vinyl chloride (VC). Previous work in Dehalococcoides mccartyi CBDB1 has identified seven proteins thought to form a respiratory complex. The goal of this work is to explore the complex further by 1) attempting heterologous expression in E. coli, 2) testing the identity of the proton pump, and 3) determining the number of complexes expressed per cell. Understanding the biochemistry of organohalide respiration will inform OHRB application to contaminated sites, as well as advancing our knowledge of enzyme function and extreme metabolisms.

Aménager la diversité ethnoculturelle à Bruxelles et Montréal : Représentations de la communauté politique de référence dans l’action publique

Ce projet de recherche porte sur les politiques d’intégration des personnes immigrantes dans deux grandes métropoles multiculturelles : Bruxelles et Montréal. Il vise à comprendre comment les administrations locales s’adaptent aux défis de la diversité ethnoculturelle et comment leurs actions s’articulent avec celles des gouvernements supérieurs (fédéral, provincial ou régional). En analysant les discours des acteurs publics et les outils concrets mis en place, le projet évaluera dans quelle mesure les administrations locales peuvent développer des approches propres ou doivent suivre des orientations nationales. Les résultats attendus permettront d’éclairer les politiques d’intégration et de mieux coordonner l’action des différents niveaux de gouvernement. Cela aidera à bâtir des sociétés plus inclusives et à relever les défis liés à la diversité dans un contexte de changements sociaux importants.

Virtual reality as a strategy for intra-operatory anxiolysis and pharmacological sparing in patients undergoing breast surgeries: the V-RAPS randomized controlled trial

This project will explore the use of virtual reality (VR) to reduce the need for sedative medication during breast surgeries performed under regional anesthesia. Currently, patients undergoing these procedures often receive intravenous sedative medication to ease anxiety, which can lead to complications like breathing problems or longer recovery times. VR immersion, which has already been shown to help reduce pain and anxiety in other medical settings, might offer a safer alternative by helping patients stay calm without as much medication. In this study, 100 adult patients will be randomly assigned to either a VR group or a control group. Both groups can use sedative medication as needed, but the VR group will also wear headsets offering immersive scenarios to help them relax during surgery; researchers will be able to measure how much sedative each patient uses, along with their comfort, satisfaction, and recovery times. If successful, this approach could benefit healthcare providers by reducing medication-related risks, improving patient experiences, and potentially lowering recovery times. For the partner organization, this study could provide valuable insight into the optimization of VR technology for intra-operative use, based both on clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction data.

Predicting moisture and bark content of woody biomass using visible light spectroscopy

Two of the most important characteristics of woody biomass to consider when evaluating their suitability for use in bio-energy applications are moisture content and ash content. The industry has long been seeking a technology capable of rapidly and economically characterizing feedstock, however such a solution is currently not available. This project will lay the groundwork for a potential solution that predicts these important characteristics based on the color of the feedstock. Using spectrophotometry, the study of how an object absorbs the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, this project will attempt to uncover any relationships between the color of woody feedstock and its moisture and bark content. Industry sponsor Cogent Industrial Technologies is a consulting service provider and will gain valuable insight to the ways various feedstock characteristics affect each step of the energy pathway and to the development of this new technology.

TRLUP – Quinan Labs, Agentic AI Technology

This project is focused to democratize enterprise-level information technology solutions for Atlantic Canadian small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) through a revolutionary one-person or small team, agile, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered consultancy model. This project will provide key innovation using cutting-edge AI tools (Claude, agentic AI), which can deliver digital transformations at 1/10th the traditional cost while maintaining significant profit margins – making sophisticated technology finally accessible to small and medium businesses.

This project will assist with productizing existing developments to streamline service delivery and determining how to best serve the SMB/Non-profit markets. It will allow time to develop workflows and automation processes and research market penetration and marketing strategies. The problem facing commercialization is how to best modify existing enterprise level technologies to serve small and medium sized businesses and non-profits to achieve the stated goal of democratizing access and evening the access to markets, capturing revenue streams and attempting to keep them more local. The project plan is to meet with these market participants, find their actual problem areas, address their concerns, and test the viability of the strategy.

Pétrogenèse des pegmatites lithinifères du projet Shaakichiuwaanaan, Eeyou Istchee Baie-James, Québec

Récemment le modèle de pluton source pour la génération de pegmatites lithinifères a été questionné et ainsi d’autres modèles de formation ont été proposés. Les pegmatites lithinifères du projet Shaakichiuwaanaan dans la région d’Eeyou Istchee Baie-James (Québec) se concentrent le long d’un couloir (CV Lithium Trend) de plus de 20 km de longueur sur moins de 2 km de largeur et ne montrent pas de relation évidente avec un pluton source. Ce stage Mitacs vise à documenter la variation chimique de minéraux ciblés et d’acquérir des âges géochronologiques des pegmatites lithinifères définis jusqu’à présent dans ce couloir. Ces données apporteront des contraintes sur la génération du magma des pegmatites, leur mise en place et le nombre d’événements minéralisateurs, en plus de favoriser une exploration plus ciblée pour la compagnie partenaire. Elles permettront, entre autres, de déterminer si une zonation chimique des pegmatites existe à l’intérieur des deux gisements définis jusqu’à présent (CV5 et CV13) ainsi que sur l’ensemble du CV Lithium Trend en plus de cerner les âges de mise en place de ces pegmatites lithinifères.

TRLUP – Apex Health Digital Health Platform enabling global health record accessibility

Apex Health is an emerging Canadian digital health company dedicated to advancing equity, security, and innovation in health information management and informatics. Its operations are focused on delivering privacy-first digital health solutions, including health data analysis using machine learning and predictive analytics. Apex Health is committed to helping Canadian healthcare organizations optimize clinical outcomes, enhance operational efficiency, and manage digital transformation through robust infrastructure and expert-led support. Canada’s healthcare data landscape remains fragmented, relying on outdated legacy systems that lack full interoperability and depend heavily on manual processes. These limitations hinder effective care coordination, data sharing, and compliance with evolving analytics and privacy requirements.

To address these issues, Apex Health is developing an AI-enhanced, standards-based health data platform that combines intelligent automation with expert validation. By integrating AI-driven analytics and medical coding with oversight from qualified professionals, the platform ensures both accuracy and regulatory compliance. This hybrid approach accelerates workflows, strengthens data quality, and supports advanced insight generation—paving the way for smarter, more responsive care in Canadian settings.

Development and characterization of SSE-compatible inks for point-of-care 3D printing of pediatric drugs

La stagiaire participera à la conception d’encres pharmaceutiques pour l’impression 3D de comprimés mâchables destinés à l’usage pédiatrique. Cette nouvelle technologie permet de fabriquer de façon rapide et sécuritaire des imprimés gélifiés contenant une dose personnalisée d’un ou plusieurs médicaments. La stagiaire mettra au point de nouvelles formulations d’encres imprimables et en assurera la caractérisation, incluant la stabilité dans le temps.

Development and Characterization of Metal Organic Frameworks for Industrial Gas (CO2, O2 , N2) Separations

The aim of the project is to develop and characterize metal organic frameworks (MOFs), a new class of porous
material that can be used for selective nitrogen (N2) , oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) gas separation. These
new molecular compounds will unlock a remarkable suite of possibilities for future technologies, far beyond today’s
gas separation applications. In general, due to their unique characteristics, MOFs fall under the category of advanced
materials. Ultimately, the proposed project will be to develop long lasting MOF products and determine their optimal
operating conditions. This will help the partner organization to commercialize the products for industrial gas
separation applications. It is also an excellent opportunity for the partner organization because they can easily access
equipment and other resources that are available at the university via experienced researcher. This can also help the
organization to grow faster and achieve their organization goals.

Reducing socioeconomic inequalities in adult cardiovascular disease risk by addressing unhealthy movement behaviours during adolescence: A population-based intervention modelling study

Youth from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to develop heart disease as adults, partly because they face more challenges meeting physical activity, screen time, and sleep recommendations. This study will examine how improving these movement behaviours during adolescence could reduce future health inequalities. Using data from a long-term United States study that has followed more than 20,000 adolescents into adulthood, this project will test how changes in movement behaviours – such as getting more physical activity, limiting screen time, and improving sleep – might lower the risk of heart disease later in life, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The project will strengthen collaboration between two leading research institutions: the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital in Canada and the Population Health Laboratory at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. By bringing together experts in health equity and disease prevention, the project will enhance international research partnerships and support future joint efforts to improve public health and reduce health inequalities.

Preclinical-Grade Bioprinted Models of Breast Cancer Lung Metastases Using ECM-Derived Bioinks

The objective of this project is to develop decellularized extracellular matrix-based biomaterials suitable for extrusion bioprinting that capture the properties of breast cancer that has metastasized to the lung, and then to use these biomaterials to culture cells into human tissues that can be used as accurate models for preclinical drug development.

NEEDS program development

This project will support N.E.E.D.S. Inc. in delivering and improving their programs for newcomer children and youth, especially the Introduction to Canadian Education (Intro) and Enhanced Wellness (EW) programs. As a classroom assistant, I will help staff with educational activities, create learning materials, and support students’ social and emotional well-being. This work will help N.E.E.D.S. Inc. reach more students, improve program quality, and make better use of their limited resources by adding extra support in the classroom and behind the scenes.