Design and Refinement of a Colour-based Metabolomic Biosensor System

This project involves designing a portable device for measuring concentrations of certain metabolites in a person’s blood or urine. This is an easy-to-use device that connects to a smartphone to display a final result based on measurements of multiple components to generate a specific health diagnosis. Different tests can be run on the same device. […]

Read More
Bacteriophage Endolysin Proteins Development

In response to the antimicrobial resistance crisis, several nations (including Canada, U.S., and Europe) have drastically limited the use of medically important antibiotics for livestock production. As a result, alternative methods must be explored for disease prevention and treatment in animals from bacterial infections. The intern will explore the effects of using toxic proteins that […]

Read More
Quantification and Improvement of Juvenile American Eel Passage Through Fishways and Wetland Water Control Infrastructure.

The American Eel is a species of significant ecological, social and commercial value and a species of conservation concern in part due to reduced habitat connectivity to both freshwater habitat as juveniles, commonly known as glass eels or elvers. During the proposed research period the intern will work to quantify passage of elvers through existing […]

Read More
Defining epigenetic drivers of primary and metastatic medulloblastoma

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common childhood brain cancer. Current treatment for these tumors is invasive involving irradiation of the entire brain and spine. Although some types of MB respond well, others have an abysmal prognosis, and the lack of less invasive therapies means that children undergoing treatment suffer from severe developmental defects and reduced […]

Read More
Assessing Quality of Life for Canadians with Mobility-Limiting Disabilities through use of Emitto Technology: Creation of Implementation and Knowledge Translation Frameworks

Many people in Canada are aging and/or may be living with a disability. These people often have to rely on caregivers, and are limited in what they can do independently. Novalte has developed a SMART technology system that connects to WiFi devices in the home to allow someone living with a disability more independence and […]

Read More
Impact of Wind Energy Turbines on Bat and Bird Mortality

In this Mitacs-funded project, a postdoctoral researcher will work with partners at Trent University and Bird Studies Canada to expand our understanding of how wind turbines affect birds and bats. We will leverage an extremely detailed database on wind-wildlife interactions that is managed by Bird Canada. Using these data, we will investigate whether bat and […]

Read More
Assessing the lice cleaning efficacy and diet of lumpfish in Canadian Atlantic salmon sea cages using metabarcoding and conventional diet analysis

The salmon aquaculture industry is a highly profitable industry, known to contribute significantly to the Canadian economy. During this time an ectoparasite called the sea louse may infect the salmon leading to animal welfare concerns a significant economic loss. Lumpfish are a species of cleaner fish used as a biological control for sea lice and […]

Read More
Development of a tissue culture platform to investigate piscine orthoreovirus infectious cycle in-vitro

The aquaculture industry is constantly growing worldwide. Vast arrays of fish species are farmed in freshwater, brackish, and marine systems. In farms, fish reach high-population densities, which facilitates the outbreaks of infectious diseases. This is a big challenge for the aquaculture industry, particularly in the case of viral pathogens because there are few, if any, […]

Read More
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 […]

Read More
Advancing biomonitoring eDNA practices. The case of PCR inhibition and implications on eDNA detections

Conventional biomonitoring methods based on capture and observations can be difficult, destructive of habitat, stressful for the organisms, inefficient, and expensive. Living organisms shed DNA into the environment (eDNA) and this signal can be detected using molecular methods. eDNA allows species detection without physical observation or capture. The non-invasive nature of eDNA is essential for […]

Read More
Complementary and competitive interactions between wild and managed bees

A diversity of native bee species inhabit agricultural and urban landscapes and can be more effective pollinators than the widely employed European honey bee. However, honey and wild bee communities often overlap, which means these bees compete for the same floral resources. Studies of competition between wild and managed pollinators are limited due to methodological […]

Read More
Antigen Tracking of the DPX-R9F immunotherapy using MRI – Part 2

IMV Inc. is developing injectable cancer immune therapy using the company’s DPXTM technology. DPX is a patented formulation that displays excellent tumor control and provides a long lasting and specific effect. The way by which this therapy exerts its effect is unclear but the translational team at IMV is determined to discover its mechanism of […]

Read More