Innovative Projects Realized

Sol-gel encapsulation of safflower derived oilbodies and for the evaluation of stability under simulated gastrointestinal conditions and manufacturing processes – Phase II

A policy analysis of rebate and incentive programs for stormwater management in local governments

A system dynamics model of the continuum of care for HIV

Operations Research — often referred to as the “Science of Better” — uses Mathematics to improve the efficiency of everything from the operation of airlines to hospitals. In collaboration with the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS at St. Paul’s Hospital and Merck Frosst, this project will use Operations Research to improve the treatment and care of HIV/AIDS patients in British Columbia. The delivery of care to HIV/AIDS patients is a complex process. It begins with the diagnosis through testing of at risk individuals, as well as the identification of potential contacts from whom they may have either been infected or to whom they may have passed on the disease. After diagnosis, patients receive a clinical assessment and then treatment with highly active retroviral therapy is started. During treatment, it is important that the physician work with the patient to maintain optimal adherence to therapy. With optimal delivery of care, it is possible to improve the health of patients living with HIV/AIDS and limit the spread of the epidemic. 

Healing the body, healing the brain: Nutrition and exercise treatments for childhood neurodevelopmental disorders

In the absence of a clear set of recommendations from doctors for the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) such as fetal alcohol, cerebral palsy, and autism spectrum disorders, many parents and children affected by NDDs turn to unproven diet- and exercise-based treatments. While some research suggests that such interventions can boost brain functioning, very few studies of these programs look at their effectiveness for NDDs. This project will produce a long-form piece of investigative journalism seeking to explore the promises and dangers of relying on diet and exercise to remedy NDD. Sidebar articles with multimedia components will further examine and provide alternative angles to the use of such non-drug treatments. Additionally, monthly articles about NDD science and related social and legal issues will be produced. Work will appear in The Vancouver Sun, in print and online versions. Ultimately, this work aims to benefit The Sun’s audience by explaining complex science and ethical concerns in plain language that accurately reflects the facts and issues. The articles will include numerous stories of real people and their struggles and provide an opportunity for empathy, interest, and understanding of children and adults affected by NDD and their families. 

Multiphase and multiphysics CFD modeling of a gasifier and a 3 phase reactor for Enerkem technology

Fast approximate simulation of complex structures and contact in immersive virtual environments

Corporate behaviour and voluntary energy programs: influences on voluntary participation.

Improving automatic calibration of computationally intensive groundwater models

Research on HTML5 security and solution

Adaptive operating room (OR) scheduling and control

Toward an understanding of how YB-1 regulates drug resistance in glioblastoma multiforme through epigenetic regulation governed by BMI-1

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive form of brain cancers and is the second most common cancer in children only behind leukemia. Conventional therapy consists primarily of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, and while these approaches have slightly improved the length of patient survival, there remains no cure for this disease. With the emerging understanding of biology in the process of cancer development, identification of therapeutic targets are being elucidated that will allow more targeted and effective treatment of the disease. This approach is especially important in pediatric brain cancer where conventional therapies may result in damage to the brain causing long-term neurocognitive deficits. We have identified one such target, a protein called the Y-box binding protein (YB-1) that is expressed in adult and pediatric GBM. In those cancer cells it promotes tumor cell growth and also drug resistance making it an attractive target for drug therapy. This project delves into a deeper understanding of how YB-1 controls drug resistance through its partnership with another protein, BMI-1, with the aim of increasing therapeutic efficacy. 

Managing shared state for video games in a networked multi-core environment