Innovative Projects Realized

Explore thousands of successful projects resulting from collaboration between organizations and post-secondary talent.

13270 Completed Projects

1072
AB
2795
BC
430
MB
106
NF
348
SK
4184
ON
2671
QC
43
PE
209
NB
474
NS

Projects by Category

10%
Computer science
9%
Engineering
1%
Engineering - biomedical
4%
Engineering - chemical / biological

Head-mount Portable Multimodal Optical Brain Imaging Device for Un-Anesthetized Rats

The proposed project is aimed at developing a portable optical device to image blood flow velocity and oxygenation in a rat brain. The motivation behind this project is the development of minimally invasive method for long-term neurological studies in un-anesthetized animals, which should provide a better understanding of progression and treatment efficacy of various neurological disorders. The novelty of this proposal is the development of a miniature high-resolution optical imaging system to enable monitoring brain activity that is not compromised by the effect of anesthesia or physical fixation. The proposed timeframe for the project is 24 months, and will span the following areas: initial prototype design and characterization, development of a chronic skull window, biological test on anesthetized rats and comparison against state-of-the-art table-top setup, and biological test on un-anesthetized freely moving animals. Our clinical partners in Toronto Western Hospital will gain the means and methods for conducting long-term neurological brain imaging studies in un-anesthetized animals, while our industrial partners, QImaging and TeledyneDALSA, will get the opportunity to expand their footprint in the bio-imaging market and further improve their product specifically to target the bio-optics niche.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Ofer Levi

Student:

Raanan Gad, Ilya Sigal, Dene Ringuette

Partner:

Toronto Western Hospital

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

The Petawawa Biofibre Harvest Trial

This project will assess the potential for using unmerchantable wood as feedstock for the production of biofuels and bioenergy. Large tracts of forests within the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest (GLSL) consist of low quality pine- mixed woods that could supply feedstock if the unmerchantable wood were recovered in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. We will conduct biomass harvesting trials at the Petawawa Research Forest to assess the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of whole-tree harvest operations in pine-mixed forests characteristic of the region. The intern will assist in monitoring the harvest operations and analyzing the data. The results will help the partners to better estimate the amount of biomass that can be harvested from pine-mixed wood forests. In addition, quantifying costs will help them modify harvest operations to incorporate biomass harvesting.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. John Caspersen

Student:

Derek Wolf

Partner:

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

Discipline:

Forestry

Sector:

Alternative energy

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

Using an analog approach to improve weather forecasts for a hydroelectric energy company

Accurate weather forecasts are extremely important when managing power production athydroelectric dams. BC Hydro uses weather forecasts to predict the amount of water flowing into reservoirs due to rainstorms and snowmelt. This project develops a system that improves these weather forecasts by correcting them based on how the forecasts performed in the past. The system finds days in the past that are similar to the forecast day and makes a correction based on what the forecast errors were on those days. These improved forecasts help BC Hydro keep reservoir levels as high as possible for maximum efficiency while ensuring that water does not spill. In the end this provides economic savings to people and industries of BC.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Roland Stull

Student:

Thomas Nipen

Partner:

Power Authority

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

Energy

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

Analysis of a centrifugal fan designed for a Thrust Cushion Vehicle

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis, is characterized by chronic, relapsing, or progressive inflammation of the intestine. Canada has among the highest incidences and prevalence of IBD in the world with as many as 1 in 160 people with disease [1]. In ulcerative colitis, inflammation predominantly occurs in the epithelia cell lining of the colon, whereas in Crohn’s Disease extends through the entire thickness of the gut wall and most frequently occurs in the distal ileum. These sequelae cause intestinal dysfunction and/or obstruction that requires surgery in 1 in 3 patients with Crohn’s Disease within 10 years of diagnosis. Tremendous strides have been made in dampening down inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease to reduce symptoms but the underlying cause(s) of disease remains unknown. Up to 40% of people with inflammatory bowel disease are predicted to become refractory to all available treatments [2-4]. Novel strategies to target intestinal inflammation are urgently needed. The overall goal of this project is to identify common cellular and molecular mechanism involved in intestinal inflammation in people with IBD to develop novel therapeutic approaches to treat intestinal inflammation.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Sander Calisal

Student:

Mahmoud Alidadi

Partner:

Slipstream Vehicles Ltd.

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

Investigation of the practicality and benefits of integrating photovoltaic (PV) arrays with greenroofs

Throughout Canada manufacturers and distributers of green roof and photovoltaic (PV) panels compete for installation projects on top of industrial, commercial and high-density residential rooftops. These technologies are often viewed as direct competitors as both systems reduce the environmental impact of buildings, albeit through different mechanisms, and consequently, rooftop designs rarely, if ever, apply both technologies. However, when integrated together, green roofs systems may improve the energy performance and lifetime of PV arrays through evapotranspirative cooling in combination with solar reflectance. Curently, there exists no published data on the practicality and benefits of integrating Solar PV with green roof systems in Canada. The research at the Green Roof Innovation Testing (GRIT) lab will deliver to our industrial partners Tremco and Bioroof: improved models, design tools and guidelines, and Canadian-based performance data which are essential to build consumer acceptance of new roof systems and to drive innovation.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Liat Margolis

Student:

Matthew Perotto & Catherine Yoon

Partner:

Tremco

Discipline:

Architecture and design

Sector:

Construction and infrastructure

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Accelerate

Cancer Care Coordination: A Pilot Project

Emerging my previous research with BC Cancer Agency is the notion of care coordination, a fundamental component of supportive care. Care coordination is an approach to care that attends to the unique needs of patients from the time of diagnosis through treatment and beyond across the following domains: practical, family (relationships), emotional, spiritual, physical, social, informational, and psychological. While some components of this work are already undertaken by RNs at BCCA, missing is the ability to attend to these domains consistently and in a coordinated fashion across the care continuum. With an interest to improve BCCA patients' experience of cancer care and pulling together findings from our previous research, this study proposes a pilot study of care coordination that will focus on three distinct processes: assessment, care planning, and follow up. In this study, these processes will be formalised with patient participants. We will analyse their experience of care as well as the experience of the care coordinators and other health care providers working with patient participants. BCCA will gain an understanding of how care coordination may be implemented and its value to their patients.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Mary Ellen Purkis

Student:

Catherine van Mossel

Partner:

British Columbia Cancer Agency - Vancouver Island Centre

Discipline:

Nursing

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of Victoria

Program:

Accelerate

Role of ROS regulation by Hace1 in modulating “stemness” versus differentiation of stem cells

The Sorensen laboratory-based Childhood Cancer Research Program is specifically focused on elucidating the genetic and biological determinants of the metastatic process in childhood cancer. Metastatic disease remains the single most dominant driver of adverse outcome in most childhood cancers, particularly in childhood sarcomas. Cancer stem cells, malignant cells that share many characteristics with normal stem cells, have been implicated to have a central role in the metastatic process. The function of cancer stem cells is potentially regulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the Hace1 tumour suppressor protein, a regulator of cellular ROS levels. This internship will use embryonic and induced pluripotent cell lines as a model to study how Hace1 regulates ROS levels, thereby affecting the function of cancer stem cells. It is hoped that this study will elucidate key processes that govern cancer stem cell function, leading to a greater understanding of tumour metastasis and laying the foundation to therapies that target metastatic disease.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Poul Sorensen

Student:

Tina Yang

Partner:

Team Finn Foundation

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Pharmaceuticals

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

Characterization of Lepeophtheirus salmonis resistance to common therapeutants

The sea louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) is the most economically important parasite that affects salmon farming and it is a cause for major environmental concern due to the risk of transmission to wild salmon population. The development of drug resistance in a number of L. salmonis populations to the most effective sea lice therapy – SLICETM diminishes the ability to control sea lice levels on farmed salmon. This project will characterize the genes and pathways associated with resistance to this drug and determine, whether other sea lice drugs affect similar/different genetic pathways in the parasite. This information will be extremely useful in the development of new drugs to target different pathways within the parasite.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Mark Fast

Student:

Jordan Poley

Partner:

Novartis Animal Health Canada Inc.

Discipline:

Animal science

Sector:

Fisheries and wildlife

University:

University of Prince Edward Island

Program:

Accelerate

Development of a lignin biorefinery integrated into a Kraft pulp mill

Integrated lignin biorefineries present opportunities to increase the profitability of Kraft pulp mills through the diversification of product portfolio and improved sustainability. The purpose of this work is to develop optimized lignin biorefinery designs, which would be integrated into a Kraft pulp mill. A methodology combining process simulation, analysis and synthesis is proposed to achieve the purpose. Lignin acid precipitation process will be optimized in terms of chemical usage and yield and will be integrated into Kraft process. The impacts on energy and Na/S balances will be analyzed and quantified. CO2 , H2S04 and water required for lignin precipitation and washing will be provided internally. Finally, strategies to minimize the chemical and energy consumption of integrated lignin biorefinery and Kraft mill will be proposed. Following the method would lead to optimized, sustainable and integrated lignin biorefinery designs, which can be used for process development by the partner organizations'.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Jean Paris

Student:

Miyuru Kannangara

Partner:

Kruger Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Pulp and paper

University:

Polytechnique Montréal

Program:

Accelerate

Systematic approach of equipment performance analysis using new Key Performance Indicators

The research proposal introduced is a development of a systematic method for evaluating the performance of Kraft process equipments from the point of 'view of energy, water and chemicals, using new and adapted key performance indicators. The objectives are (i) to develop new Key Performance Indicators adapted to the Kraft process operations and equipments to evaluate their performance regarding energy, chemicals and water utilization, (ii) to propose process improvement projects and validate their practicality with the mill engineers. Both the first and the second objectives of the internships will be applied on both partner mills. At the end of the internships, adapted key performance indicators will be developed. These KPls will help the industries to systematically analyze the performance of their processes, diagnose the causes of the inefficiencies and propose improvement projects for water, energy and chemical utilization. At these KPls could also be used in other Kraft pulp mills. At the end of the internships, guidelines will be developed to help the industries apply the KPls.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Jean Paris

Student:

Radia Ammara

Partner:

Kruger Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Energy

University:

Polytechnique Montréal

Program:

Accelerate

Detoxification of hemicellulosic hydrolysate for butanol production

High demands for fossil fuels and increasing concerns over global warming have renewed the interests in bio-butanol production from biomass resources as an alternative liquid fuel. Hemicellulose, as an inexpensive and abundant raw material, has great potential for being suitable fermentation substrate. A problem associated with the fermentation of hemicellulosic sugars into butanol is the presence of a broad range of compounds such as weak acids, furfural, HMF (Hydroxymethyl furfural) and phenolic compounds, which are toxic for the fermenting microorganisms and prevent efficient fermentation. Overcoming the impact of these inhibitory compounds is one of the main challenges for butanol production. So, the main objective of this study is to develop an efficient detoxification strategy of hemicelluloses hydrolysates, obtained from pulp mill in order to enhance the production of butanol by fermentation ensure the profitability of this butanol route.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Jean Paris

Student:

Salomeh Engineering

Partner:

GreenField Ethanol Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Alternative energy

University:

Polytechnique Montréal

Program:

Accelerate

Development of a process for furfural production in an Integrated Forest Biorefinery

An integrated biorefinery for furfural production is an opportunity for Kraft pulp mills to create value from hemicellulose, a class of wood component that is currently burnt for energy. Furfural is one of the top bio-products with the potential to replace many industrial organic compounds that are currently produced from crude oil revenue. The objective of this work is to develop an optimized biorefinery process that can be best integrated into a Kraft pulp mill. The approach taken consists of two stages: (I) conceptual design of a process using process simulation (II) the experimental validation of its process steps. The second stage is the objective of this internship. The experimentally validated process simulation will be used to develop and propose a biorefinery implementation strategy that will have a minimal effect on the energy and material balance of the host mill. Lastly, the validated process design can be used as a process development and improvement tool by the industrial partners.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Jean Paris

Student:

Olumoye Ajao

Partner:

FPInnovations

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Energy

University:

Polytechnique Montréal

Program:

Accelerate

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