Innovations Realized

Energy Optimization Design Tool for Data-driven Building Massing

This project enhances the impact of a basic tool for early stage design decisions such as orientation,and building envelope composition on energy performance of the building. The proposed project adds the capabilities of the basic tool to drive, not only decisions regarding the design articulation of the building envelope, but also the design of the building geometry as a whole, in order to optimize the overall energy performance of the building. The tool will aim as well at integrating advanced building envelope systems (such as ventilated facades) with other building systems (e.g. HVAC/ electrical system).

Frontline organizations and emergency planning in the COVID-19 pandemic

Emergencies in inner-city neighbourhoods come in many forms—illness, fire, violence, homelessness. The COVID-19 pandemic is a different kind of emergency. It is a global crisis, and requires unprecedented changes to everyday life to protect all members of society. COVID-19 has highlighted many long-standing gaps in access to basic needs and has expanded understandings of basic necessities for survival. While frontline organizations are well-placed to address local emergencies, the all-encompassing nature of the pandemic requires new strategies. Focusing on Winnipeg’s inner city, this research asks how community-based and frontline organizations can be ready to continue to deal with the everyday crises of life in vulnerable neighbourhoods, while also responding to the extraordinary challenge of the COVID-19 emergency.

Development of an assay for personalized synergistic blockade immunotherapy treatment of COVD-19 patients using CytoFind™

The current COVID-19 pandemic has posed many challenges to healthcare professionals as they deal with managing the primary disease and it many complications. The proposal aims to develop, test, and validate an assay to detect quickly immune checkpoint targets in T cells in peripheral blood with high specificity and sensitivity using a diagnostic device, CytoFind, that can capture rare circulating cells in whole blood samples. Specifically, we aim to detecting the expression of TIGIT and PD-1 protein receptors, which have been reported to be directly correlated with T cell exhaustion, which results in the body being unable to clear the COVID-19 virus effectively. This leads to disease progression and in most cases, death.
Co-blockade treatments targeting the immune checkpoint targets, TIGIT and PD-1, in T cells have shown promising potential in restoring exhausted CD8+ T cell populations and upregulating viral clearance in compared to current therapies. Thus, our proposed project, will validate a clinical research tool that will be able to capture and characterize patients’ T cell populations, informing health care providers about the likelihood of response to personalized co-blockade therapy in COVID-19 patients by using a simple blood test.

Development and evaluation of the OptiSolve Pathfinder optical assay for viral particle detection on surfaces in environmental monitoring

OptiSolve Pathfinder is a diagnostic tool that allows the easy identification of contamination on surfaces through imaging. Although viral and bacterial organisms are always a threat, during the current COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to easily identify and quantify viruses is of primary importance. The Pathfinder solution developed by OptiSolve will significantly improve quality of care, health, and safety of the global population through the detection of contaminated surfaces. In order to allow this technology to be more easily accessible and widely used by the general public, a system with real-time feedback will be optimized and tested during this project.

Deciphering the catalyst-ionomer interface in fuel cells: Molecular dynamics simulations of local transport properties

Polymer electrolyte fuel cells are a key technology in the race against climate challenge, and while commercial applications are increasingly common, challenges remain in cost, performance, and durability. Most of the issues that prevent full commercialization affect the catalyst layer, the region where the power-generating electrochemical reactions take place, like the oxygen reduction reaction. This layer consists of platinum nanoparticles supported on a carbon material and covered by an ion conducting polymer. Resistance to the transport of oxygen molecules to this layer causes loss of efficiency, especially at a lower platinum surface area. Driving the cost of fuel cells lower by reducing platinum loading and achieving high durability for heavy duty automotive markets both result in lower catalyst surface over the product lifetime and require increased robustness to oxygen transport losses. The small scale of the components in the catalyst layer make it a challenge to study experimentally and computational efforts are crucial at understanding the underlying interactions. To this end, we propose developing a computational model based on molecular dynamics of the platinum/carbon/polymer region to rationalize the factors affecting oxygen transport resistance and to propose design improvements that can reduce power losses and costs in next-generation fuel cells.

A Step Towards a Lower Carbon Future: Integrating Closed Loop Geothermal Technology in District Cooling Applications

This research aims to provide an affordable, clean energy alternative to meet the world’s cooling demands. As global warming, urbanization, and society’s dependency on digital storage increases, the world’s cooling demands continue to rapidly grow with predictions showing that they will outweigh heating demands by 2060. The majority of these demands are currently being met with the use of fossil fuels. Through the use of proprietary Eavor-Loop technology (joined horizontal wells acting like a subsurface heat exchanger), geothermal energy can become a feasible, reliable, scalable solution. This research will design an Eavor Cooling System and determine the feasibility based on process simulations, economics, available applications, and environmental benefits. The newly designed cooling system will open up a world of opportunities for companies and governments looking to transition into a lower-carbon future with a truly renewable energy that’s not plagued with intermittency, geological, or geographical problems.

Changes in the impact attenuation performance of field-used hockey helmets over time

A hockey helmet should be capable of protecting the user over the helmet’s intended life span. There is currently little evidence quantifying the changes in the impact attenuation performance of field-used hockey helmets over time.
This study will collect a large sample of field-used hockey helmets from the hockey community for impact testing. The sample is expected to include helmets over a large age range. The impact testing and subsequent statistical analysis will identify age effects over the continuum of helmet age specific to individual helmet makes/models, impact attenuation materials and the entire helmet population. This data will inform an evaluation of the expiry dates applied to helmets and guide future evaluation of helmet standards essential to continual improvement of injury reduction and prevention strategies.

Development of the Metaplex Immuno-Oncology Platform – Formulation Component

Current cancer immunotherapies, although highly successful, are complex to implement, costly, and only effective in small patient populations with specific cancer types. We propose to overcome these problems by developing small molecules to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD), a cancer cell death process that engages the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells and to generate immunological memory. Cuprous Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CPI) has identified ICD-inducing compounds that are enhanced by copper (Cu) as an adjuvant. Using CPI’s Metaplex technology, Cu and small molecules are co-delivered in nanoparticles to overcome solubility and drug delivery barriers. This research will evaluate how ICD-inducing nanoformulations engage the immune system in animal models and identify lead candidates. Two Elevate Fellows with expertise in immuno-oncology and nanoformulations will contribute to the proposed research, which is anticipated to generate data packages needed to establish strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical partners, ultimately translating the technology to the clinic.

This application describes both projects generally, and the objectives to be completed by Kent Chen (Formulations component)

Next generation cannabinoids for pain, inflammatory response, and cancer – Utilizing allosteric pathways in GPCRs to achieve greater specificity and bias

The recent legalization of cannabis in Canada offers a unique opportunity to conduct fundamental research without the bureaucracy issues faced in other countries. The current state of cannabinoid (CB) based therapies have focused their use in the treatment of cancer, pain, inflammation and opioid addiction, and suffer from unwanted side effects and lack of efficacy. Our focus is on the development of new CB lead compounds that target the cannabinoid and related receptors (i.e. CB1, CB2, GPR55, opioid- and serotonin receptors). We propose to invigorate the current repertoire of CB lead compounds by linking them with fragments that have been identified to obtain more specific signal bias and therapeutic outcomes.

Radiofrequency coil design for intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

We are creating a powerful tool for improvements in surgeries of the brain and spine. A new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine will be used inside operating rooms so patients undergoing surgery can be imaged in the middle of the surgery for quality control. For instance, surgeons can obtain an MRI to ensure the entire tumor was removed before ending the surgery.

In order to collect MR images, special electronics are needed to create and receive signals from the patient. These electronics are called radio-frequency (RF) coils. The purpose of this proposal is for a postdoc to create these electronics for this new MRI machine. The postdoc must ensure the electronics produce high quality images and do not interfere with the surgeon.

Obstacles and Opportunities in Improving Social Service Intake Referral Processes

When people seek help from a social service, the assistance they need may be best provided by another service in the community. In these cases, they should be referred to the appropriate service. At this stage, things sometimes go wrong: Sometimes the service agent misunderstands the person’s needs or misunderstands the kind of help provided by other local services. Or sometimes the agent doesn’t explain enough about why another service would be helpful. The result is that the person who needs help might not follow up on the referral or, if they do, they might end up thinking that it wasn’t helpful for them after all.

To help improve this situation, I will do research at a social service agency in Edmonton. The agency makes referrals to many other agencies in the community. The purpose of the research is to learn more about how referrals are made and why problems sometimes occur. By watching agents make referrals and interviewing people at the agency, I will help create a new approach to their referral process. We will test out the new approach to see if it helps avoid some of the problems listed above.

Exploring barriers and facilitators in achieving positive sexual health among trans-femme youth

The overall purpose of this study is to explore sexual health needs of trans-femme youth using a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) appraoch. Trans-femme is a term used to indicate anyone who was assigned male at birth and now identifies with femininity. The lack of understanding about the sexual health needs of trans-femme and low levels of relevant sexual health education have put an increased risk of Sexually Transmitted Infections/Sexually Transmitted Disease (STI/STDs) and HUman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infenction among trnas-femmes. Yet little is known about their sexual health concerns. My study will idenify the barriers and facilitators experienced by trans-femme youth in achieving positive sexual health. The photographs taken by the participants will help them to share their concerns around sexual health. Findings will generate suggestions for policy maker about the ways to achieve the gender-inclusive sexual health system.