Innovative Projects Realized

Hepatic encephalopathy outpatient quality metrics

Hepatic encephalopathy is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. As an initial part of her thesis, the intern will contribute to determining priorities for the development of an outpatient cirrhosis database inclusive of hepatic encephalopathy quality measures. The findings will be disseminated through the intern’s thesis, peer-reviewed publications, and conference presentations, contributing to the improvement of cirrhosis care.

Enhancing Ethical AI Engagement: Revising Public Consultation Frameworks and Annual Review Processes for Responsible AI Practices

This project aims to enhance TELUS’s Responsible AI (RAI) survey, which is designed to gather public insights on key AI ethics principles like fairness, privacy, and transparency. The goal is twofold: (1) to update the RAI survey so that it better captures the evolving values and concerns of Canadians regarding AI technologies, and (2) to develop a formalized annual review process to ensure the survey remains relevant and responsive over time. This new review framework will guide regular updates to the survey, allowing TELUS to address emerging ethical issues as AI evolves and to continuously align its practices with societal values.

The formalized review process will include clear guidelines and structured steps for revisiting core ethical topics each year. This will ensure that TELUS can maintain trust and transparency with the public, as the survey will consistently reflect real-time public sentiment, particularly from underrepresented groups. The survey’s focus on inclusivity will help TELUS better understand and respond to diverse perspectives, promoting fairness and accountability in AI practices.

By refining the survey and implementing a robust review cycle, TELUS can pioneer a model for ethical AI governance that adapts to both technological advances and shifting public expectations. This proactive approach will not only help TELUS maintain leadership in AI ethics but also set a standard for responsible AI development in Canada. Ultimately, the project supports TELUS’s commitment to building a safer, more inclusive digital environment by ensuring that AI practices are continuously assessed, transparent, and aligned with public values. The insights gained through this work will inform TELUS’s AI strategy, helping the company to better serve its customers and contribute positively to the broader AI landscape in Canada.

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

This study is part of a larger project on gender and national security based on cross-country comparisons of feminist national security, led by Dr. Veronica Kitchen (University of Waterloo) and Dr. Tanya Narozhna (University of Winnipeg). It aims to explore Japan’s approach to pursuing feminist foreign policies and identifying areas where national security can incorporate feminist visions of security. Given the focus of national security on the state, it is not surprising that the engagement between feminist foreign policies and national security policies are limited or nonexistent. However, taking Japan as an emerging leader in gender equality, the project’s objective is to investigate Japan’s women peace and security, national security, and feminist foreign policy to find areas where engagement with feminist national security policy is possible. The project will utilize literature reviews of government documents and interviews with experts, and military personnel to enhance our understanding of Japan’s approach to gender and national security. This project will benefit both the host and home institution as it allows for an expansion into Asia for the larger cross-country study, and through the experties of Dr. Masayuki Tadokoro (International University of Japan), a discourse on feminist security policies within Japan will be enhanced.

Chemical Remediation and Valorization of the Electrical Insulating Gas Sulfur Hexafluoride, the Most Potent Greenhouse Gas

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Development of theranostic gold nanorods as new cancer therapeutics

SONA Nanotech is a world leader in the manufacturing of gold nanoparticles and applications thereof. Currently SONA has an anti-cancer technology that gently heats tumors from the inside using gold nanoparticles. The anti-cancer effect comes by virtue of cancerous cells being more susceptible to heat-induced death than healthy cells. Currently, SONA Nanotech’s gold nanoparticles require injection directly into tumors to guarantee a proper concentration of particles. In the proposed research we aim to manufacture the next generation of SONA Nanotech’s anti-cancer treatment that enables this technology to be used intravenously. Furthermore, we aim to enable tracking of these particles in the body by incorporation of radiopharmaceuticals.

Using next generation sequencing to explore the taxonomic identity of a potentially new invasive Magnolia tree in Canada

The Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) in Hamilton, Ontario, face a challenge as Magnolia seedlings have been escaping from their arboretum and naturalizing in nearby forested ravines over the past 12–14 years. Although RBG staff suspect these populations stem from Magnolia kobus, the presence of various cultivars and hybrids complicates identification through morphological observation alone. To address this, the project will use advanced next-generation DNA sequencing to accurately identify the taxonomic origin of the escaped populations and trace them back to specific trees in the arboretum. Identifying the source will allow RBG to manage and control these populations effectively, while preserving as much of their valuable horticultural Magnolia collection which includes trees that have been growing for over 80 years, and are very difficult to replace. This project will help RBG balance ecological conservation with the careful curation of its Magnolia collection, a key attraction for visitors during the spring season.

Lightweight Composite Consoles for Aerospace Applications

Lightweight Composite Consoles for Aerospace Applications: Carbon fiber composites used in aerospace applications are subjected to harsh environments while in service. In particular, structural components are often exposed to oils, fuels and hydraulic fluids. Over time, these contaminants may affect the material properties of the composites and thus, the mechanical behavior of the components. This project will investigate the effect of various contaminants and combined stress environments on composite materials used in aerospace applications. The goal is to gain an improved understanding of the effects of various loading types on in-service, retrofitted and/or degraded composite materials. This project will compliment ongoing investigations at General Dynamics Canada for the retrofit of a lightweight composite console used in the Government of Canada’s Cyclone Maritime Helicopter.

Harnessing Poultry Manure for Energy: A Strategy for Net Zero Emissions and Cost Reduction

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Design and screen novel cell-penetrating peptides intracellular delivery of proteins

This project focuses on improving the delivery of a therapeutic protein called ribonuclease (RNP) into cells, which could help treat certain genetic diseases. The challenge with current delivery methods is that the proteins often have trouble getting inside the cell and reaching the nucleus, where they are most needed. To address this, Sinedore Bioscience, in partnership with UBC, is working to develop better versions of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) that act as “carriers” to help proteins enter cells more efficiently. By using computer models to design new CPPs and testing them in the lab, the team aims to create peptides that significantly improve protein delivery. This will help Sinedore advance its drug delivery technologies, potentially leading to new treatments for genetic diseases.

The Land of the Setting Sun: An Examination of Contrasting Japanese Expressions of Nostalgia in Kazuo Ishiguro, Hayao Miyazaki, and Yukio Mishima

This project aims to contrast three differing expressions of nostalgia regarding the loss of traditional forms of life in Japan present in three Japanese cultural figures: the novelist Kazuo Ishiguro, the filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, and the novelist Yukio Mishima. A significant amount of academic literature has already been published on the theme of nostalgia in these figures; however, the approach frequently taken in this literature largely takes the term “nostalgia” as elementary, neglecting the important work that has been done in the field of nostalgia studies over the last 25 years to advance a more subtle understanding of the concept, particularly its status as a distinctly modern emotion. By utilizing the insights provided by nostalgia studies to conduct a more subtle analysis of the nostalgia present in Ishiguro, Miyazaki, and Mishima, the project aims to both help clarify the true nature of Japanese expressions of nostalgia for a lost Japan and to identify what these three particular expressions of nostalgia are able to contribute to our understanding of nostalgia more broadly, beyond the Japanese context. Apart from the knowledge production itself, the project also affords an excellent opportunity for Japanese and Canadian researchers to network with one another.

Detecting Trends in Conversations using NaturalLanguage Processing and Visualization

At WorkSafeBC, an overwhelming amount of data is being produced, particularly in conversation logs between people who have an active claim with WorkSafeBC and various practitioners with whom they have regular contact (usually over the phone). These records are transcribed into text and the information is far beyond what any analyst could possibly read and understand without the help of analysis and visualization tools. This project aims to transform the underlying natural language data into a format that is amenable to visualization by expert analysts at WorkSafeBC, and also to provide effective visualization tools for this purpose.

Implantation d’une bibliothèque numérique d’apprentissage pour soutenir la trajectoire d’apprentissage des patients hospitalisés dans la trajectoire de récupération améliorée après la chirurgie : Étude pilote d’acceptabilité, de faisabilité et d’effets préliminaires

L’enseignement auprès des patients est un aspect crucial à la trajectoire de récupération améliorée après la
chirurgie (RAAC). L’environnement numérique d’apprentissage (ENA), incluant un espace de suivi des
apprentissages en ligne, représente un outil utile pour assurer un transfert d’informations plus spécifique et
pédagogique. Ce projet vise à explorer l’acceptabilité, la faisabilité et les effets préliminaires de l’utilisation de
l’ENA pour soutenir l’enseignement auprès de la clientèle de RAAC selon les patients, le personnel soignant et
les gestionnaires. Des questionnaires quantitatifs et des entrevues qualitatives seront complétés par les
participants. Ainsi, il est souhaité de contribuer au développement de connaissances au sujet de l’utilisation de
l’ENA et des retombées possibles, notamment au niveau de la qualité des soins et de la sécurité des patients.