Backgrounder

November 6, 2009

Projects Funded In Oshawa

Today, through the Ontario Research Fund–Research Infrastructure program, Ontario is investing $222,091 at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology to support four research projects and 16 researchers. This investment is part of a broader $268-million province-wide investment that will support 214 projects and more than 3,300 researchers in 14 cities, and help to create and preserve more than 1,300 construction jobs over the next four years across the province.

Increasing Understanding of Antibiotic Resistance in Two Species of Illness-Causing Bacteria
Developing new therapeutic options to treat infections
Lead Researcher: Ayush, Kumar
Provincial Funding: $30,000
Researchers Affected: 1

The high rate of antibiotic resistance in infectious illness-causing bacteria and the associated significant increases in mortality rates are a grave concern in health care facilities. Dr. Ayush Kumar will study Gram-negative bacterial species that have developed antibiotic resistance at a very rapid rate. The pharmaceutical industry will use the knowledge gained to develop new therapeutic options to treat the infections caused by these bacteria. Dr. Kumar’s research tools will also be of interest to researchers in related fields.

More Effective Use of Nuclear Infrastructure through Innovation
Lead Researcher: Gaspari, Franco
Provincial Funding: $32,000
Researchers Affected: 1

Dr. Franco Gaspari’s research will focus on studying novel materials for application in the renewable energy sector. The findings will contribute to greater understanding of safe ways to store and use tritium (a major by-product of the CANDU reactor) and developing novel materials and devices to produce renewable clean energy.

Simulating Motor Vehicle Operation to Help Reduce Injuries and Deaths Due to Motor Vehicle Accidents
Developing vehicle active safety control systems
Lead Researcher: He, Yuping
Provincial Funding: $73,000
Researchers Affected: 13

Injuries and deaths from motor vehicle accidents have enormous costs associated with health care, infrastructure, lost workdays, insurance premiums and general social impact. From 2002 to 2003 in Ontario, more than 2,800 drivers were hospitalized with injuries due to road crashes at a cost of $1.1 billion. Using a simulator, Dr. Yuping He’s research will focus on developing innovative vehicle active safety control systems and evaluating driver interaction with the safety control systems and the vehicle under difficult driving conditions. The research findings will lead to innovative technology for active safety control systems that will help prevent accidents. The work will benefit Ontario’s automotive industry and provide commercial opportunities for vehicle safety software.

Experimental Facility for Advanced Manufacturing Robotic Systems Research
Helping to improve our manufacturing industry’s competitiveness
Lead Researcher: Zhang, Dan
Provincial Funding: $87,091
Researchers Affected: 1

Employing close to one million people and producing nearly $300 billion worth of products annually, Ontario’s manufacturing sector is crucial to the province’s economy. In recent years, the sector has come under increasing pressure from lower-cost jurisdictions. At the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Dr. Dan Zhang is working to improve the performance of parallel robotic manufacturing systems. These promise to increase the flexibility of production lines, reduce costs and create a much-needed competitive edge for Ontario manufacturers.

To date, Dr. Zhang has received $13,000 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.

The Ontario Innovation Agenda

Research at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology is an example of Ontario leading the world in the quest for knowledge and discovery. Support for this kind of work is part of Ontario’s Innovation Agenda, the province’s $3.2-billion strategy to make innovation a driving force of Ontario’s economy.  By targeting investments toward areas where Ontario already is, or is poised to become a global leader, and by building on our greatest strength – the talent and ingenuity of our people – Ontario is harnessing innovation to ensure ours is one of the winning economies of the 21st century. 

Support from the Ontario Research Fund–Research Infrastructure program

Part of Ontario’s Innovation Agenda, the Ontario Research Fund (ORF) is key to the province’s plan to move world-class research from the lab to the global marketplace. The role of the ORF is to help ensure that Ontario researchers have the tools they need to lead the world, or lead international collaborations, in their respective fields.