In light of the current crisis in our forests, there has been a general push towards ecosystem management, in which forests are managed for ecological as well as social and economic values. One way to accomplish this may be for management to emulate natural disturbance patterns, thus creating a forest similar to the natural forest. […]

Two specifies of flea beetles attack canola. Overwintering adults feed on canola seedlings, 1st generation larvae on the roots and adults on the mature crop from August to October. There is one generation a year in western Canada, and one or two in southern Ontario. Crop losses in North America as a result of crucifer […]

The American marten is a mink sized member of the weasel family. The Cape Breton Island population is believed to consist of fewer than 50 individuals. The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (NSDNR; partner organization) have already begun efforts to augment the population in association with other partners. Individual based models (IBMs) are used […]

Guayaki is an American tea company looking for areas to showcase their environmental restoration and conservation initiatives and attract potential investors. By assessing the ecosystem services they have been working to conserve, ecosystem marketplaces will be able interpret the economic value of Guayaki‟s environmental initiatives. The Canadian owned resource management group Spectrum Resource Group would […]

Sample preparation for DNA extraction is labour intensive, tedious and a recognized bottleneck and impediment to high throughput automated DNA profiling. The organization sponsor, DNA Ident Inc., has a uniquely designed sample collection container (C‐POD) developed to capture DNA and to streamline sample preparation. The proposed project will develop DNA stabilization formulae for use as […]

This research offers the potential of greater legume crop yields through the identification of key growth signaling metabolites and their future use in plant breeding programs. Recent discoveries suggest that there is a major role for cytokinins, a group of growth hormones, in the yield of rice and possibly other plants, such as legumes. To […]

Environmental Proteomics NB is a biotechnology design and production company that develops systems to measure levels of important proteins, in particular proteins involved in major environmental and industrial processes. Environmental Proteomics uses computational analyses of genetic and protein data, or bioinformatics, to develop these molecular systems to detect and quantitate specific proteins, even in the […]

This research internship expands a prototype of population modeling (PopModel) computer software that was designed to meet the needs of the Saugeen Ojibway – a pair of First Nations deploying and managing the largest Aboriginal commercial fishery on the Great Lakes. A transdisciplinary approach is taken among researchers with advanced expertis in mathematics/statistics, computer software […]

Amorfix Life Sciences has had success producing highly specific antibodies, which can be used to diagnose disease. The company has recently gained access to an algorithm (ProMISTM) which allows to predict antibody targets on proteins in their diseased state, allowing development of very specific antibodies with diagnostic and therapeutic potential. The proposed project involves a […]

The intern will generate DNA sequences to make modified verotoxin proteins that will effectively disrupt the breakdown of a mutant protein (the CFTR protein) that is found in patients with cystic fibrosis. The mutant CFTR protein has normal function but is degraded in cystic fibrosis individuals because of the mutation. The modified verotoxin will reduce […]

Biologists – from field ecologists to epidemiologists to agricultural scientists ¨C are often faced with the daunting task of collecting hundreds or thousands of samples in the field for genetic analyses and tracking those samples from field collection through genetic analysis to final data analysis. DNA Ident Inc. recently developed C-PODTM genetic sample collection containers […]

The use of propagative material represents one of the major methods used for crop establishment in the Ontario floricultural greenhouse industry. A portion of this propagative material is important but there also is substantial inter- and intra-provincial movement. It is important to remain vigilant to potential introductions of insect pests through transfer of this plant […]