Innovative Projects Realized

Calibration and characterization of micro-spectrometer

Project will see the calibration and characterization of a next-generation spectrometer for advancing both atmospheric research and the Canadian space community by providing instruments for atmospheric research for UAVs and nanosatellites. Calibrating these spectrometers will give the science community a new way to monitor atmospheric gases such as greenhouse gas or pipeline leaks with the option of a low-mass, low-cost and reliable measurement from an airborne platform. Canadian aerospace firms are already recognized as world leaders in optical technology, and the first development and flight of a micro-sized, temperature-insensitive SHS instrument for both UAV and space platform would extend this competitive advantage both by cementing a Canadian claim to the technology as well as ensuring the continued production of HQP in the field.

Industrial application of Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) for detection and monitoring of water pollutants

When light interacts with matter, different effects may take place, depending on the particular characteristics of both light and matter. The result of this interaction, typically a quantitative change in the characteristics of the light (i.e., intensity, wavelength, phase), can be used to measure the presence of a particular specimen of interest. Specifically, Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) has demonstrated to be able to detect accurately very low concentrations of chemical species. This optical effect represents a potential solution to the detection of small quantities of pollutants in water. In parallel, many useful configurations have been studied based on fiber optics technologies, with a variety of configurations that improve the light-matter interactions. This project is focused on investigating the combination of SERS with different configurations of optical fiber devices, with the aim of exploiting both the potential of SERS and the versatility of optical fibers to develop a device to efficiently evaluate water quality.

Evaluation of the CACE Homecare Curriculum

In January 2016, the Centre for Ambulatory Care Education (CACE) at Women’s College Hospital completed the Homecare Curriculum. This online, simulation-based program is designed to help personal support workers, nurses, and rehabilitation professionals provide better care for older adults who wish to stay in their homes. The program presents learners with 3 virtual home environments and 3 patient profiles. Alone, or with a team, users navigate these virtual homes, learn about home-based care and complete quizzes that test their comprehension of the material. The proposed research will evaluate the existing curriculum. Results of the study will show opportunities to improve the curriculum and, potentially, evidence to support its expansion. The evaluation will be incorporated into the research work of the intern, as part of a larger study examining the way health professionals learn about old age.

Somatostatin signalling and diabetes

The prevalence of diabetes is growing rapidly and currently, over 60 million people worldwide use insulin treatment to manage their diabetes. However, insulin treatment can result in hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels. To date only retroactive treatments are available to treat hypoglycemia, which affects an individual’s quality of life and increases the likelihood of recurring bouts of hypoglycemia as well as development of cardiovascular or renal disease. The goal of this project is to test the efficacy of novel therapeutic targets utilizing somatostatin receptor-2 antagonist and agonists to better manage glycemic control in type 1 diabetics. These pre-clinical studies will set the stage for a human Phase 1 clinical trial. This project is an initial step in improving the treatment of diabetes and the quality of life of patients with diabetes. TO BE CONT”D

Ion Mobility Spectrometry for On-Site Detection of Cannabinoids in Oral Fluid

Scintrex Trace Corp. is a company that designs and manufactures systems that detect trace amounts of explosives, narcotics, and other chemicals. Due to upcoming changes to Canadian drug laws, they want to develop a new system that can better detect THC in oral fluid for roadside impairment testing. Scintrex is partnering with Professor Jeffrey Smith at Carleton University, and expert in the field of chemical spectroscopy, to develop a new trace detection system. They will use a new, non-radioactive ion source in this new system and will develop the appropriate chemistry required for the optimal use of this system. This will allow Scintrex to produce a new product for security and law enforcement agencies to detect THC in a mobile setting to assess potential impairment.

NUR77 AND RXR: NEW TARGETS IN DRUG-INDUCED DYSKINESIA

Drug-induced dyskinesia is a debilitating side effect induced by anti-parkinsonian and antipsychotic drugs. Frequency can reach 80% in Parkinson’ disease and around 50% in schizophrenia patients treated with typical antipsychotics. Treatments for dyskinesia currently available have a very limited impact and generate important side effects. We have identified a new pharmacological target that may offer a new perspective in the treatment of these conditions. The target is composed of two nuclear receptors involved in the modulation of gene expression. We developed a sensitive biosensor that can monitor the activity of this complex. We used this assay to screen library of compounds and identified novel molecules (hits) that interact with this cellular target.
In the work proposed in the current application, we will now generate small libraries of hit analogues (hit expansion) in order to improve properties as lead compounds. Lead compounds will then be tested in animal models of drug-induced dyskinesia.

Optimization of novel UV-LED flow-through reactor

Current UV technology used to disinfect drinking water and wastewater is energy intensive, hazardous, and bulky; and the advent of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that emit in the ultraviolet (UV) range provides a unique opportunity to rethink how we design and implement disinfection technology. The overall objective of this project is to investigate the how the arrangement of UV LEDs and the hydraulic conditions in a novel bench-scale flow through UV-LED reactor affect disinfection performance. The project will be carried out in two phases. Phase I will include modeling the reactor with computational fluid dynamics software and determining the optimal experimental operating conditions. Phase II will include confirming the model from Phase I by conducting a bench-scaled disinfection study using a model challenge organism. The expected outcomes include the student learning how to operate and model the novel flow-through reactor, determining the theoretical optimal operating conditions, and developing a deeper understanding of UV reactor design.

In Vivo Reprogramming of Spiral Ganglion Glial Cells into Primary Auditory Neurons

Sensorineural hearing loss involves damage to hair cells, the sensory transducers of the auditory system, and/or the auditory neurons that transmit this information to the brain. Once these cells are lost the body does not naturally regenerate them. Elsewhere it has been shown that cells of one type may be converted into another cell type. This project involves using viral expression of select transcription factors in the spiral ganglion to convert resident cells into new auditory neurons to restore hearing.

The Influence of Time and Timbre on Cross-Cultural Music Perception

The world’s music is created with a variety of sounds and structures. For example, traditional Japanese music and classical Western music use different key signatures, rhythms, and instruments. This has suggested to music cognition researchers that different musical traditions might require unique mental processes and even distinct brain areas. Indeed, research by Professor Rie Matsunaga and her colleagues has shown that Japanese listeners detect the key signatures of Western and Japanese melodies with different brain areas and cognitive processes. This has suggested to us that detecting other elements of Japanese and Western music, such as timing (rhythm) and timbre (instrumentation), might require similar differences in psychological processing. The research we propose here will test this possibility through a series of experiments that will determine whether the rhythms and timbres of Japanese and Western music are processed by different brain areas and cognitive processes. Such experiments will inform not only our understanding of the the world’s musical arts, but will also tell us more about how this music is processed in the brain.

Quartz in garnet (QuiG) Inclusion Barometry of the Exhumed Himalayan Mid-crust

Most of the thermobarometric methods available to measure the pressure and temperature of metamorphism rely on the assumption of thermodynamic equilibrium and knowledge of the partitioning of elements between minerals. The pressure estimates obtained from these methods could be affected by chemical diffusion and/or variation in stress distribution, common during metamorphism. Furthermore, they also may be affected by bias during selection of mineral and chemical compositions for analyses. In contrast, pressure estimates from inclusion barometry methods rely on measurements of physical characteristics of an inclusion-host pair to gain insight into metamorphic conditions independent of the chemical equilibrium between minerals. This project aims to implement and utilize Quartz in Garnet (QuiG) inclusion barometry at IPICYT and extract pressure measurements from rocks collected across the Himalayan metamorphic core. The resulting data will be used to better constrain the pressure portion of the pressure-temperature-time paths obtained for these rocks using other analytical methods. These combined datasets will be evaluated together with detailed structural and kinematic information to provide insight into the geologic evolution of the Himalayan mid-crust and orogenic systems in general.

Optimizing Natural Fibre Quality for Industrial Applications

Natural fibres are abundant in Canada and have the potential to be used in a wide variety of biocomposites and industrial bioproducts. In order to develop a thriving biomaterials sector, the quality and consistency of this vast resource must be continually assessed and monitored to ensure a quality product can be delivered to end-users on a consistent basis. However, variations in climatic growth conditions, seed variety and agronomic practices can lead to annual variations in natural fibre properties making it challenging to provide a reliable and consistent supply for industrial applications. The Composites Innovation Centre (CIC) through its FibreCITY (FC) initiative is working with industry to address some of the key issues of fibre retting, fibre processing and seed variety as they relate to optimizing natural fibre quality for industrial biocomposite applications. The interns and their supervising faculty mentors will assist the CIC-FC in understanding some of the fundamental research questions that underlie natural fibre quality as well as understanding the economics behind developing a fibre industry from crops traditionally grown for seed and food sources.

CONTRIBUTION À l’ANALYSE DE LA SÉCURITÉ DES COMPOSANTS ÉLECTRIQUES : APPLICATIONS AU DOMAINE DE L’AUTOMOBILE

Aujourd’hui, les applications automobiles exigent des capteurs de position à différents endroits des véhicules ; par exemple sur la pédale d’accélération. Traditionnellement, ces capteurs ont été équipés par des potentiomètres. Avec la tendance à l’augmentation de la complexité technologique, il y a des risques croissants de défaillances des systèmes électriques et / ou électroniques. ISO 26262 adopté en 2011, est la norme la plus importante concernant la sécurité fonctionnelle dans l’industrie automobile. La sécurité du système de capteur de position doit être assurée par un certain nombre de mesures de sécurité.

L’objectif principal de ce projet de recherche consiste à améliorer un système inductif de mesure de position absolue en vue d’une utilisation dans les applications automobiles tout en tenant compte de l’aspect fiabilité.

Notre travail dans le cadre de cette thèse de doctorat couvrira les aspects concernant le choix de la configuration du capteur de mesure de position sans contact, la modélisation d’un capteur inductif de position (un système de transfert d’énergie sans contact), la synthèse de la fiabilité de capteur de position sans contact pour les applications automobiles.