Innovative Projects Realized

Co-creation and evaluation of tools to facilitate the implementation and appropriation of evidence-based adapted physical activity training modules for community-based organizations.

Based on the needs of community partners (Viomax and Adaptavie), we co-developed nine training modules and successfully trained kinesiologists who provide adapted physical activity services to persons with disabilities. Our proposed project aims to co-create and evaluate tools to support the implementation of these training modules within adapted physical activity community-based organizations who provide adapted physical activity services. Using an integrated knowledge translation approach, this project will be completed in two phases. Phase 1 consists of working groups to co-create the implementation tools. In Phase 2, organizations (Adaptavie, Viomax, and 2-3 arms-length organizations) will actively use the tools to implement the training modules within their organizations while being observed by the research team to determine what works and what does not. The result will be useable tools to facilitate the appropriation and implementation of training modules within community-based organizations

Product Marketing Internship

Foodiepages is corporate gifting business based in Toronto. We help our clients drive personal connections through corporate gifts, with a focus on sourcing from small businesses, sustainability, and personalization at the core of our offering. The company is exploring new B2B products and strategies that will create recurring revenue opportunities with current customers.

Investigation and Development of a Sensor and Imagery System to Physically Validate Performance of Conformally Cooled Tooling

This project will create a first of its kind system to measure and validate the performance of conformally cooled tooling (CCT) for die casting and injection molding. CCT increases production efficiency and
quality helping Canadian manufacturing to stay competitive with foreign manufacturers. Yet, many manufacturers are reluctant to adopt CCTs due to uncertainty around its performance when installed in a
manufacturing line. This project will create a system that guarantees CCT performance removing any uncertainty and helping to make Canadian manufacturing more efficient.

Algorithmic and Software Innovation in Parametric System Solving, Polyhedral Geometry and Symbolic Analysis

Computer Algebra Systems (CAS), with their unique ability to analyze and solve mathematical problems, are gathering new communities of users, who challenge those software systems with more and more complex tasks. It is necessary, therefore, that the core engines of CAS to implement state-of-the-art algorithms. This proposal capitalizes on the research conducted by academic partners at the University of Western Ontario in order to strengthen and extend the technology of their industrial partner, MAPLESOFT, the developers of MAPLE, one of the leading CAS world-wide.

Role of Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Physician and Emotional Symptoms of Opioid Withdrawal

With the number of opioid-related deaths continuing to rise, the demand for an effective treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is growing. While opioid antagonists are effective, compliance is an issue since they induce withdrawal. The botanical compound, TGIR-C is a promising non-opioid alternative that treats detoxification without inducing withdrawal. Further research on its neural mechanisms would assist in the clinical adoption of TGIR-C under development by Resilience Biosciences Inc. A hallmark of opioid withdrawal is hyperkatifeia, which is a heightened awareness of aversive events and a shift in positive events towards a negative valence. Addicts try to counteract hyperkatifeia by taking more drug, creating a vicious cycle of abuse. Hyperkatifeia depends on changes in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) that are likely driven by withdrawal-induced elevations in dopamine (DA). Preliminary in vivo neurochemical evidence suggests that TGIR-C acts as a DA “stabilizer”. Building on this, we propose that TGIR-C is therapeutically effective because it stabilizes DA levels in the ACC during withdrawal, thereby abolishing hyperkatifeia and effectively removing the motivation for continued drug use. We will test this possibility using electrophysiology and fiber photometry in order to gain a better understanding of the therapeutic potential of TGIR-C.

The Connected Workplace: Public Sector

The workplace remains a largely underdeveloped market for wireless service providers. This project will focus on the use of wireless technologies in the Canadian Public Sector workplace. The overall purpose is to better understand the obstacles to technology adoption in the workplace, and offer actionable recommendations on how to mitigate them. The work will be done in conjunction with a team from Rogers media. The student intern will be charged with conducting a literature review of this field, conducting interviews and surveys in public sector work environments, and drafting a report that will be delivered to Rogers. The partner organization will gain valuable insight to a workplace that employs over three million Canadians. l

Cryptocurrency Adoption in Canada

This research project aims to help the Bank of Canada understand how people in Canada are using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Cryptocurrencies are becoming more popular, but their prices often have large fluctuations, which can make them risky to use. By studying survey data, the project will explore how Canadians include cryptocurrencies in their investments and spending. The research will focus on organizing and analyzing survey data to get a clearer picture of cryptocurrency use in Canada. The expected benefit for the Bank of Canada is better information about the risks and opportunities that cryptocurrencies present, which will help them create better policies to keep the financial system stable and secure.

Numerical Simulations for Plowing Soil Process

The industrial drainage plow is a mechanized tool used for the installation of agricultural drainage and land reclamation. This research aims to optimize the plow’s shape for various soil conditions to increase the tile installation speed and the service life, and to reduce the drag force, which will reduce the fuel consumption. Numerical methods will be used in this study to predict the performance of the drainage plow in soil, such as force, pressure distribution, topsoil placement, etc. The benefits to the partner organizations are (1) the project will give the partner organization a scientific understanding and performance of their product and (2) the partners will be able to create designs that are more fuel efficient and that have lower costs to the end customer.

L2M – A Hybrid B-Mode + Ultrafast Doppler Imaging scheme for Miniaturized High Resolution Ultrasound-Guided Tumor Resection

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain cancer with a five-year survival rate of less than 5%, primarily due to the tumor’s high recurrence rate. The critical challenge in GBM treatment is extending patient survival while maintaining quality of life.

Current minimally invasive surgical techniques for GBM involve using endoscopic tools guided by optical microscopes and pre-operative MRI. However, these methods have significant limitations. The brain can “shift” up to 24mm during surgery, making pre-operative MRI images unreliable. Additionally, optical microscopes can only visualize the brain’s surface, limiting their usefulness during surgery. These challenges force surgeons into a difficult decision: either risk not removing enough of the tumor, reducing survivability, or remove too much healthy tissue, reducing the patient’s quality of life.

Ultrasound has emerged as a promising alternative. However, traditional ultrasound probes are often too large and low resolution for the precision required in minimally invasive brain surgeries. To address this, we have developed a high-resolution, miniaturized ultrasound imaging probe and advanced beamforming system. In our first clinical trials, this device successfully detected residual tumor missed during surgery, showcasing its potential to improve surgical outcomes.

Building on this success, we are now developing a hybrid B-mode + ultrafast Doppler imaging technique. This innovative approach aims to provide a clear view of the tumor and healthy brain tissue by highlighting their physical structures and vascular networks. By offering real-time, high-resolution images during surgery, this technology can help eliminate the guesswork in tumor resection, improving patient survival rates and quality of life.

Explainable AI Models to Predict Metabolic Cancer Biomarkers

Cancer’s persistent prevalence calls for innovative steps in early detection and therapeutic interventions. Metabolomics offers a comprehensive view of the metabolites that measure the function of cellular processes in this context. As explainable AI (XAI) emerges, it sheds light on these intricate systems’ decision-making processes and outcomes, making them accessible to human understanding.
The project aims to address the critical need for early cancer detection and treatment by advancing the field of metabolomics. Metabolic data will be analyzed to identify possible cancer diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers. The project will employ XAI techniques to enhance the interpretability of the prediction models used in medical diagnostics. This will ensure that healthcare professionals can understand and trust these complex systems’ decision-making processes. The interns will apply XAI models to metabolite features, validate their significance through pathway analysis, and strive to improve the transparency and applicability of these models in clinical settings. The ultimate goal is to contribute to personalized medicine by bridging the gap between data analytics and clinical practice.

Innovative Digital Storytelling Content on Mozaik.Global Platform for Immigrant Integration and Support

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Additive Manufacturing for Prototype Development in Prosthetic Treatment Delivery

Beacon Ortho hopes to identify and deliver additively manufactured devices to improve the patient experience, improved fit and comfort, and to reduce the extremely high amount of input waste in fabrication of prosthetic devices. This project aims to test additively manufactured trial devices against moulded thermoplastic trial devices, and composite definitive devices. Using ISO 10328 (current international standard for prosthetic device testing), we hope to validate our design workflow to ensure patient safety through destructively testing devices designed and fabricated in house over the last year.