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

Evaluation of Cultural Change Interventions in the Workplace

Habanero Consulting group is partnering with Postdoctoral Researcher Ryan Taylor and Professor Bryan Gick from the University of British Columbia, and Fernando Nieto Morales from the Colegio de Mexico. They will apply the most current research from the social sciences to strengthen Habanero?s cultural transformation techniques and create a tool to more quickly and accurately diagnose impediments to organizational improvement. The project aims to achieve this through the identification of beliefs that underlie common problematic behaviours in organizations and scientifically backed means to transform these problematic beliefs and behaviours.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Bryan Gick

Student:

Ryan C. Taylor

Partner:

El Colegio de México

Discipline:

Languages and linguistics

Sector:

Information and cultural industries

University:

University of British Columbia

Program:

Accelerate

Development, implementation and validation of new anti-E6 therapeutics for the treatment of HPV-associated cancer

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are responsible for almost all cervical cancers. Current treatment available relies on chemo- or radiation-therapy or surgery. These methods have several side-effects with high morbidity and survival of just ~ 70%. Our lab, therefore, develops a more patient-centered approach based on targeting the viral E6 protein, the main culprit of carcinogenesis in HPV-related malignancies. We have generated different anti-E6 molecules (siRNA and single domain antibodies) and the goal of the proposed project is to implement and validate these molecules as potential therapeutics as well as developing other molecules (chemical compounds or peptides) to target E6 more broadly and more effectively.  One of the objectives of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute is to develop treatment options for cancer patients as well as developing more collaboration between Physician and fundamental research. If successful, this project would lead to a long term collaboration to bring these therapeutics to clinical application.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Ingeborg Zehbe

Student:

Guillem Sébastien Dayer

Partner:

Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

Lakehead University

Program:

Elevate

Root associated microbiome of trees growing in a fractured bedrock toluene phytoremediation site

Phytoremediation is a promising in-situ technology that uses plants and its associated microorganisms (particularly bacteria and fungi) to clean up contaminated soils. The efficacy of these processes however, requires an in-depth knowledge on the diversity of microbial communities closely interacting with plant roots. Several studies have demonstrated that plants growing in contaminated soils select for competent microorganisms able to degrade these contaminants. Although phytoremediation has received great attention in recent years, research to-date has been limited to typical unconsolidated sediments and its efficacy has yet to be shown in fractured bedrock environments. Therefore, the proposed research will aim to provide a practical evaluation on phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in fractured rock environments. Together, the results in this project will fill knowledge gaps in the scientific literature and evaluate phytoremediation systems as a viable remediation option for our industry partner in a toluene-impacted site. In addition, the proposed research will also provide new insights for industries and regulators to further develop rapid and cost-effective monitoring strategies for phytoremediation performance evaluation at other impacted sites.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Kari Dunfield

Student:

Eduardo Kovalski Mitter

Partner:

BP Corporation North America Inc.

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

Mining and quarrying

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Elevate

Breeding and migratory habitat use in Eastern Whip-poor-will in relation to forest management

Understanding how managed and harvested forests can still provide high-quality habitat for forest birds is key to ensuring both productive forestry operations and sustainable bird populations. We propose to use GPS-tracking technology to study how the Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) uses habitat on its Canadian breeding grounds, during migration, and on the wintering grounds. The Whip-poor-will is designated as Threatened in Canada, and the forestry industry is expected to manage operations to protect Whip-poor-will and its habitat. Forest harvest can maintain the mosaic of open spaces and closed forests that Whip-poor-wills prefer, but detailed information about how these birds use the managed landscape is lacking. The GPS data will allow us to determine timing of use, home range sizes, and how breeding site selection connects to habitat use across the annual cycle. Our results will provide information for more nuanced protection of Whip-poor-will habitat while facilitating productive forestry operations.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Kevin Fraser

Student:

Alicia Korpach

Partner:

Domtar

Discipline:

Other

Sector:

Forestry

University:

University of Manitoba

Program:

Accelerate

Formulating a novel goat-whey based drink and studying its nutritional and health functions – Year two

This project will create novel goat milk-based products and test their health effects in healthy adults. Interest in goat milk is increasing, mainly due to two market trends: consumers’ new taste trends for niche/ethnic products, and the perception of goat milk having added health properties. Goat milk is perceived as having intestinal anti-inflammatory effects and improved digestive properties compared to bovine milk, due to the unique functionalities of its oligosaccharides and triglycerides. However, the basis of claims is often founded on anecdotal evidence, and these health effects have not been extensively studied, particularly in adults to whom these products are marketed. Objectives: To manipulate goat milk fractions to prepare a product matrix with nutritionally significant amounts of oligosaccharides and higher fat. This matrix will need to be acceptable to consumers, so that further studies can evaluate the mechanisms behind the health benefits. Specifically, human intervention trials will investigate physiological and biochemical markers. In particular, the development aims at highlighting the health beneficial effects of oligosaccharides and short and medium chain fatty acids on postprandial satiety and gut health markers. The research findings will be exploited to create highly functional ingredients and new products for the Canadian and export markets.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Amanda Wright

Student:

Niloufar Rafiee Tari

Partner:

Gay Lea Foods Co-Operative Ltd

Discipline:

Food science

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Elevate

Municipal Energy Futures Project: A Case Study of Regina, Saskatchewan

Meeting Canada’s commitment to the Paris Agreement will require a fundamental shift in the energy systems of
Canadian cities. Regina, Saskatchewan is located in the sun-belt of Canada and also lies within the Great Plains wind corridor. Recognizing this potential for renewable energy, the City of Regina has committed to a target of meeting 100% of its energy needs using renewable energy by 2050. This research project will support the City of Regina’s efforts by engaging with residents, industry, and expert stakeholders to identify consensus pathways for moving towards the 100% renewable energy target. We will conduct surveys and interviews of residents and businesses and hold deliberative dialogues on Regina’s energy future. The insights from the deliberative dialogues will be used to inform community conversations (workshops, or forums) in partnership with David Suzuki Foundation to engage the public on Regina’s energy future and support municipal governments to achieve renewable energy targets.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Brett Dolter;Ann Dale

Student:

Larissa Shasko;Robbi Humble

Partner:

David Suzuki Foundation

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

Program:

Accelerate

Evaluating community-based behavioural interventions for persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities.

Our research goal is to improve community-based services for persons with developmental disabilities. We’ll test a service that helps people who are in crisis because their caregivers find it hard to meet their needs. We’ll develop and test a program to teach therapists how to involve parents in treatment decisions. Finally, we’ll test a program to teach kids to cross the street safely. Our partner, St.Amant, serves thousands of individuals and families every year. St.Amant and other agencies can use what we learn to help those people live safe and independent lives in their communities.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Toby Martin

Student:

Jessica Summers;Carly Cressman;Daniel Foidart

Partner:

St. Amant Foundation

Discipline:

Psychology

Sector:

Health care and social assistance

University:

University of Manitoba

Program:

Accelerate

Development of a personalized in-vitro model for dystrophic muscle endogenous repair for drug discovery

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder resulting in progressive muscle degeneration. Satellos Bioscience Inc is developing small molecule drugs that target and modulate DMD muscle stem cells to repair the dystrophic muscle. Despite the advantages of DMD animal models, they are not always predictive of human DMD phenotypes, or their response to drug treatments. In collaboration with the Gilbert lab, this project is focused on adapting an in-vitro model for muscle endogenous repair (MEndR) to include cells from dystrophic mice that can capture dystrophic muscle biology and recapitulate known biology of key published drugs in dystrophic mouse models. Next, to enable human testing of candidate drugs in a ‘personalized’ culture assay, we will incorporate induced pluripotent stem cells, derived from DMD patients, to create DMD MEndR, and then use this assay to evaluate Satellos’ lead therapeutic compounds.This project aims to develop a feasible model to bridge the gap between animal experiments and human clinical trials and enable Satellos to identify drug candidates most likely to ultimately succeed in clinical trials.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Penney Gilbert

Student:

Sadegh Davoudi

Partner:

Satellos Biosciences

Discipline:

Engineering - biomedical

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Elevate

Program evaluation for JUMP Math: An empirical assessment of a resource for math education

Canadian math scores are in decline. Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of numerical proficiency for outcomes such as health, employability and financial stability. Therefore, the effectiveness of a child’s math education is key to future success. It is of utmost importance, then, to identify effective math education programs. The proposed project will evaluate JUMP Math – a not-for-profit math curriculum – in a selection of schools within the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB). Along with investigating growth on several key numerical outcomes measures, this study will determine the effectiveness of JUMP Math for reducing anxiety regarding math in both children and teachers. These data will provide valuable information on the effectiveness of the JUMP Math program. Another focus is a literature review to communicate the evidence base for JUMP Math. This will provide clear links to the research that supports design and implementation of JUMP Math. In sum, our collaboration with JUMP Math will provide an empirical investigation and validation of an alternative curriculum for math pedagogy; work that holds great promise to positively impact the state of math education in Canada.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Daniel Ansari

Student:

Celia Goffin

Partner:

JUMP Math

Discipline:

Psychology

Sector:

Education

University:

Western University

Program:

Elevate

Exploring neuroimaging methods to assess the effects of music therapy

The objective of this project is to research new technologies and methods to help in the assessment and functional imaging of neuroplasticity related to music therapy. The approach utilizes key novel technologies being researched in partnership with Dr. Ryan D’Arcy. It takes advantage of on-going, integrated work with Music Heals to research music therapy as a means to improve mood in patients experiencing Post-Concussion Syndrome and those with challenges related to Adverse Childhood Experiences.
The interns and companies will benefit through the new knowledge and information generated with respect to the new protocols, methods and devices that will be generated during this project. In addition, interns will benefit from exposure to all aspects of clinical studies, collaboration with industry and the healthcare system and interaction with patients.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Ryan D’Arcy

Student:

Mekayla Knol

Partner:

Music Heals

Discipline:

Languages and linguistics

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

Simon Fraser University

Program:

Accelerate

Development of nanoparticle in vivo labeling contrast probes for tissue clearing 3D microscopy compatible with multi-modal imaging in fluorescence, dark field, MRI, CT and electron microscopy modalities.

High resolution 3D microscopy in combination with tissue clearing techniques such as CLARITY, iDISCO, CUBIC is a rapidly growing area of biomedical research. It also has high potential to replace traditional 2D histology to become a method of choice for the analysis of tissue biopsy samples used in diagnosis of cancer and other diseases. However, currently there is a limited availability of contrast agents that can label organs, biological tissues, and cells in a live animal and are compatible with these techniques. To bridge this gap the Mitacs Fellow will work in collaboration with Luna Nanotech scientists to develop novel nanoparticle based probes that can label specific organs, tissues, structures, and cells in vivo. The outcome of this work will be a commercial line of labeling probes which are fully compatible with the tissue clearing techniques. Furthermore, unique properties of nanoparticles will make these probes highly versatile, allowing the high resolution fluorescence and dark field 3D microscopy to be combined with other whole body and tissue specific imaging modalities, such as magnetic particle imaging, microCT, and electron microscopy. This research will position Luna Nanotech as one of the leaders in the field of 3D tissue clearing microscopy and multi-modal imaging.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Datong Song

Student:

Trevor Janes

Partner:

Luna Nanotech

Discipline:

Chemistry

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Elevate

Multi-agent reinforcement learning for decentralized UAV/UGV cooperative exploration

Over the last decade, artificial intelligence has flourished. From a research niche, it has been developed into a versatile tool, seemingly on route to bring automation into every aspect of human life. At the same time, robotics technology has also advanced significantly, and inexpensive multi-robot systems promise to accomplish all those tasks that require both physical parallelism and inherent fault tolerance—such as surveillance and extreme-environment exploration. Decentralized control laws are key to achieve reliability of these systems (as they eliminate the risks posed by single-points-of-failure). Yet, the effective synthesis of (i) machine learning, (ii) multi-robot approaches, and (iii) field robotics is no small task. Previous machine learning and distributed control research rarely ventures beyond computer simulations. GDLS-C and the University of Toronto will investigate how to effectively use multi-agent reinforcement learning in field robotics. GDLS-C’s goal is to improve situational awareness of ground vehicles by using swarms of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Learning decentralized cooperation strategies will improve the resilience of these multi-robot systems—potentially faced with adversarial environments—and, ultimately, the safety of their human operators. Answering our research questions will also enable large collections of robots to learn how to interact with one another—beyond the point human designers can attain.

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Faculty Supervisor:

Angela Schoellig

Student:

Jacopo Panerati

Partner:

General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada

Discipline:

Engineering - other

Sector:

Information and communications technologies

University:

University of Toronto

Program:

Elevate

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