Innovative Projects Realized

Integrated Far- and Near-Field Human Exposure Modelling for Organic Substances – Year two

Thousands of organic chemicals have been synthesized and commercialized for industrial and consumer uses. However, an increasing number of organic chemicals are revealed to be “hazardous” because of their potential adverse environmental and/or health effects. The project seeks to identify the primary route(s) that humans take up these organic substances, e.g., use of personal care products, through inhalation of contaminated indoor air and dust, or consumption of contaminated animal- and vegetable-based food. We develop integrated mechanistic models that combine both near- and far-field exposure pathways in an explicit, coherent manner, and apply these tools to help establish a comprehensive, integrated understanding of human exposure to chemicals in products. TO BE CONT’D

Integrated Far- and Near-Field Human Exposure Modelling for Organic Substances

While we enjoy the modern convenience brought by a multitude of man-made organic chemicals, such as surfactants and flame retardants, the exposure to these compounds, some of which are bio-accumulative, persistent and even toxic, may endanger our health. Humans are exposed to chemicals in consumer products during both product use in the indoor environment (near-field exposure), and consumption of contaminated animal- and vegetable-based foods (far-field exposure). The proposed research will use mechanistic models as powerful tools to systematically explore two fundamental but poorly understood questions: (i) What are the relative contributions of the two general chemical exposure fields to overall human exposure? And (ii) what factors influence these relative exposures the most. The proposed research will build upon the steady-state mechanistic human exposure models RAIDAR and RAIDAR-ICE. Batch simulation will be conducted to systematically investigate the influence of selected key parameters. TO BE CONT’D

The Effects Of Road Reclamation Method On Woodland Caribou And Other Boreal Species

This study will examine the relationship between reclamation methods and when deactivated roads become suitable for caribou, using developing UAV technology to monitor caribou while testing UAV effectiveness in the field. This will be done by establishing long-term cameras along reclaimed road sites, monitoring wildlife movement through the study areas and by completing aerial wildlife surveys with UAVs and different sensors to establish a baseline count of the animals within the area and aid in tracking their movements. Various stages of recovery will help develop chronological sequences of events, measuring the time between reclamation, the rate and quality of forest recovery and the activities of different wildlife species. This is important in protecting forest biodiversity and to look for more effective and efficient ways to regenerate the forests after harvest; adding to the knowledge of interspecies dynamics and how human induced forest disturbance affects the long-term ecology of boreal ecosystems.

Investigating the Non-linear characteristics of EVestG signals in healthy controls andthose of Meniere’s Disease.

Dizziness is among the top three reasons that patients seek medical attention, and one of the

most common disabling conditions that humans face. One of the diseases that may cause

dizziness is Meniere’s disease, which its correct and timely diagnosis and separation from

other causes of dizziness with current techniques are quite challenging. On the other hand,

Electrovestibulography (EVestG) is a new technique for recording vestibular responses in the

ear, and has shown very encouraging results for to show EVestG signals being capable of

discerning Meniere’s disease for both bilateral and unilateral impairments. This study is a

pilot study on the use of EVestG for diagnosis of Meniere’s disease by analyzing the EVestG

nonlinear fractal dimension characteristics. We will validate the fractal dimension

characteristics by statistical analysis between two groups of individuals with no dizziness and

those suspected of Meniere’s.

Development of a High Power Picosecond Infrared Laser for Medical Applications – Year two

This project will focus on furthering the development of a compact picosecond infrared laser (PIRL) system for use in surgical applications. This laser system, which represents a new paradigm for laser surgery, is unique in its ability to provide high-speed cutting of biological tissue without the collateral damage to surrounding tissues inherent in current surgical laser technologies. Furthermore, this laser allows for the possibility of real-time diagnostics, as molecular fragments of the ablated tissue are left intact and can be analyzed through mass spectrometry. As an intern, I will be working on furthering the development of the existing PIRL system to raise the output power by an order of magnitude compared to existing designs. Our industrial partner will benefit from our group’s substantial capabilities in rapid optical prototyping and our group’s extensive knowledge in ultrafast laser technology, with the ultimate goal of bringing the PIRL technology into clinical practice.

Development of a High Power Picosecond Infrared Laser for Medical Applications

This project will focus on furthering the development of a compact picosecond infrared laser (PIRL) system for use in surgical applications. This laser system, which represents a new paradigm for laser surgery, is unique in its ability to provide high-speed cutting of biological tissue without the collateral damage to surrounding tissues inherent in current surgical laser technologies. Furthermore, this laser allows for the possibility of real-time diagnostics, as molecular fragments of the ablated tissue are left intact and can be analyzed through mass spectrometry. As an intern, I will be working on furthering the development of the existing PIRL system to raise the output power by an order of magnitude compared to existing designs. Additionally, I will be working on a fibre-optic delivery system to be used as the surgeon’s “scalpel”. TO BE CONT’D

Validation of novel neurofeedback training engine for improving brain health in aging and neurodevelopmental disorders – Year two

Memory impairment is the most common complaint associated with aging. Promising interventions based on research are generally reserved for clinical settings. Technological advancement has now made it possible to administer neurofeedback, an established technique for self-regulating brain waves, using portable technology. xSensa Labs, the partner organization, has developed a digital solution that translates research protocols for neurofeedback into portable technology for improving cognition. Over the past year, the partner has sought validation of their mobile application by conducting a randomized control trial (RCT) to extend prior research by using wearable brain-sensing technology (e.g. BrainLink). At present, the partner aims to extend the original RCT to include 100 more samples to increase the sensitivity and generalizability of its neurofeedback engine. This scaling-up phase will allow digital health products developed by xSensa Labs to be launched to the general public with the goal of improving memory and attention in older adults.

Validation of novel neurofeedback training engine for improving brain health in aging and neurodevelopmental disorders

Memory impairment is the most common cognitive complaint among older adults. On the other side of the developmental spectrum, young adults that have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have difficulty adapting flexibly to changing social circumstances. These memory and social deficits disrupt every day living. At present, promising interventions based on research using expensive and specialized equipment are reserved for clinical settings. For example, there is extensive evidence that neurofeedback, an established technique for self-regulating brain waves, can have long-lasting effects on brain function. Technological advancement has now made it possible to administer neurofeedback using portable technology that can be purchased at a reasonable cost (approximately $300) and used in the home. xSensa Labs, the partner organization, has developed a digital solution that translates research protocols for neurofeedback into portable technology for improving mental health. TO BE CONT’D

Analysis of protein interaction complexes by advanced mass spectrometry workflows – Year Two

By studying protein complexes, scientists gain insight into how cells are regulated and how aberrations in protein-protein interactions cause disease. Mass spectrometry is a technology that allows proteins to be identified and quantified in a systematic and unbiased manner. New technologies from mass spectrometer vendor SCIEX aim to improve the throughput, accuracy and reproducibility of the analysis of protein complexes. Successful completion of this project will provide SCIEX with validated data on the utility of these technologies to applications of considerable interest to scientists in the proteomics field. This feedback will be incorporated with other data from internal or external sources to help SCIEX make an informed decision on how best to market these technology improvements and to also guide potential new redesigns of mass spectrometry hardware.

Optimization of Long Term Quantitative Market Predictions

Financial markets today are monitored and controlled by machine learning algorithms. The primary objective of this project is to further develop the algorithm for financial market analysis and prediction that the partner possesses at the moment. The algorithm currently demonstrates high accuracy, subject to certain constraints, among which: a small time interval between a prediction and the actual event and not highly efficient computation of indicators. In addition, the current algorithm is missing any form of analysis of the dynamics of distances to training clusters. These drawbacks are proposed to be eliminated. Additional set of market events will trigger computation of prediction to increase the time span between a prediction and the predicted event. Some of the computation will be done in parallel, potentially using a GPU, since the current model can be easily parallelized. To estimate the relationship between the distances to the training clusters and its dynamics, …

Optimization of the immune response against transferrin receptor based vaccines

The bacterial transferrin receptor is considered to be a potentially efficacious candidate vaccine antigen against pathogens important in human disease and in animal husbandry. Previous data suggests that transferrin receptor-based antigens can elicit protection from both invasive disease and potentially from asymptomatic colonization. One major consideration when developing vaccines is the choice of adjuvant, a component able to influence the intensity, quality and breadth of the immune response. In order to evaluate potential adjuvants, panels of adjuvants representing diverse immunological effects will be chosen and evaluated in established mouse models reflecting respiratory and genital mucosal infection and invasive disease. Additionally, we will work to establish mouse models of agriculturally important animal pathogens using novel transgenic mouse lines that expresses either porcine or bovine transferrin, enabling the more economical and higher throughput evaluation of potential antigens through the use of a smaller animal model. TO BE CONT’D

Analysis of protein interaction complexes by advanced mass spectrometry workflows

The analysis of protein-protein interactions is critical for understanding cell growth control, and how aberrant connections contribute
to cancer and other diseases. Mass spectrometry is a critical tool in this field, but sample complexity, instrument dynamic range and
resolution limit some applications. This project will evaluate the use of the SelexION ion mobility device and High Resolution TOF
with Zeno pulsing for enhanced separation and detection of cross-linked peptides from protein complexes and to detect posttranslational
modifications of proteins, specifically phosphorylation. Ion mobility should separate phosphorylated peptides from one
another in a manner orthogonal to HPLC separation and increase sensitivity resulting in more comprehensive site analysis. Finally, a
critical component to understanding protein-protein interactions is the cellular response to drugs and/or mutations. For this,
quantitation is required, and we propose to investigate the use of a series of novel mass-defect reagents to allow for multiplexed DIA
quantitation of protein-protein interaction samples. By accessing High Resolution TOF with Zeno pulsing, the mass defect labels will
allow multiple samples to be analyzed at once, with quantitation resolved by mass measurement. This project will showcase new
instrumentation capabilities and provide feedback for instrument design and marketing material.