The general objective of the proposed activity is to increase the future productivity of Burrard Inlet and the contribution of seafood to the diet of Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) members in support of the TWN Cumulative Effects Monitoring Initiative. Specifically, we propose to identify the primary environmental drivers of clam productivity and species composition in Burrard […]

The proposed project seeks to improve the processing of Canadian oilsands bitumen using two key technical advancements associated with the upgrading of bitumen to fuels. Firstly, we will seek to reduce the consumption of costly hydrogen by using light-ends as a source of hydrogen and secondly we will improve the catalysts used to control the […]

Among healthcare workers the yearly global needlestick prevalence is 35.1%, which is expected to be much greater due to 30-50% needlesticks going unreported, putting a large number of workers at risk for contracting dangerous diseases and infections. However, data is lacking on how animal care and research personnel experience needlesticks compared to healthcare workers. Our […]

RepliCel is a regenerative medicine company that develops autologous cell therapies to treat chronic tendinosis, UV-damaged or aged skin, and pattern baldness. The cells in this technology are isolated from skin biopsies obtained from patients. However, because of limited available tissue samples, RepliCel seeks novel technologies to improve their cell culture process, which is currently […]

While the partner organization for this project is the Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative Society (HSBRIS), the intent of this project is to concurrently benefit Forestry companies working in the Howe Sound and Canadians as a whole as we strive in our commitment to the UNSDGs. Bioshpere regions are mandated to promote SDGs, educate, and […]

The generation of a huge amount of plastic waste creates serious social and environmental concerns. As such, there has been a movement to develop fully biodegradable compostable biocomposites in recent years. To join this initiative, Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory (NPNL) at UBCO, in collaboration with Advanced BioCarbon 3D (ABC3D) seeks to develop fully biodegradable […]

In spite of major advances in our knowledge and better treatments, heart attacks, strokes and blood clots in the legs and lungs, continue to major causes of disability and death. Recent studies reveal that a protein (a so-called “serine protease”) in our blood, when increased, may heighten the risk of excess blood clot formation in […]

The aim of this research project is to observe the difference in function between the dominant and non-dominant lower limb in elite youth hockey athletes. Further, to observe how this difference is altered when the athlete is fatigued. Reducing or eliminating limb imbalances is thought to have a positive outcome on reducing injury risk, ensuring […]

Chronic pain (CP) is a prevalent, disabling, and costly disorder. The gold standard treatment for chronic pain is care from an interdisciplinary pain clinic (IPC) – a rare resource in Canada that is often associated with long wait times (up to five years). These long wait times increase the risk of physical and mental deterioration […]

The impoundment of a reservoir can cause erosion that poses risks to public safety and land use around its shoreline. Methods that are currently available to predict shoreline erosion rates and help manage these risks rely on inputs that are challenging to constrain without historical observations, resulting in uncertain predictions that may significantly underestimate or […]

The Virtual Meditative Walk (VMW) (1) is a well-developed therapeutic protocol that can be used alone or in combination with the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction techniques in an Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) environment. It has been shown to be effective in reducing pain levels in patients with chronic pain (CP); however, little is known about how […]

Recently, principles gleaned from research on learning have been applied to change people’s brains. Specifically, there is evidence that how the brain communicates can be changed through the application of positive and negative reinforcement, a concept known as neurofeedback. Importantly, researchers claim that by changing how the brain communicates, neurofeedback can change behaviour and reduce […]