January 9, 2007

EASTERN ONTARIO RECEIVES $2.7 MILLION FOR RESEARCH

Under the Research Infrastructure component of the Ontario Research Fund (ORF), today the McGuinty government is announcing the investment of close to $11 million for 68 innovative projects in communities across the province. In eastern Ontario, $2,707,087 will be invested in 18 projects.

KINGSTON 

Queen's University

Dr. Wolfgang Rau

Dark matter search with cryogenic detectors : contributions to CDMS and SuperCDMS

Scientists believe that more than 80 per cent of all matter in the universe is made up of invisible "Dark Matter". Wolfgang Rau will lead a team of researchers who will test and characterize highly sensitive cryogenic devices designed to detect the particles that comprise Dark Matter. The detectors will be far more sensitive than any existing devices, and could lead to a breakthrough in an important area of physics. This endeavour is at the forefront of fundamental science and will be invaluable in the training and development of young scientists in Ontario.

Queen's University

Dr. Scott Davey

Integrating basic and translational cancer research through studies of the DNA damage response

The aim of this research is to develop effective cancer tests, leading to treatments tailored to individual patients. Scott Davey, a geneticist and molecular biologist, will lead researchers developing tests to improve the diagnosis of hereditary breast cancer and to determine which treatment is best for an individual patient. Identifying individuals who have an extreme sensitivity to radiation, for example, would allow cancer treatment to be guided more effectively by oncologists. These applied studies are being fused with the lab's historic work on DNA repair. By altering a cancer cell's ability to repair DNA damage, the efficacy of cancer treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy would be increased.

Queen's University

Dr. Il-Yong Kim

Multidisciplinary analysis and design of innovative biomechanical and automotive systems

Engineering researchers at Queen's University expect products as varied as longer-lasting artificial joints and better lightweight cars to flow from new computer-driven design methods and tools they plan to develop. Led by Il-Yong Kim, the Queen's group is developing new conceptual design methodologies, an integrated approach to analyzing design models and optimizing these by systematically trading off various internal features. The aim is innovative designs for biomechanical and automotive systems. The researchers are expecting that their deeper and broader approach to design will mean better, more robust artificial joints that will reduce costly and painful rehabilitation surgeries. Producing designs for lightweight vehicle chassis is intended to ultimately reduce vehicle emissions, and lower manufacturer costs.

Queen's University

Dr. Alan Lomax

Delineating the mechanisms of microvascular dysfunction during gastrointestinal disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is among the most prevalent and painful chronic conditions in the Canadian population. Blood circulation studies led by Alan Lomax will examine what happens at the cellular level that makes the blood vessels of IBD sufferers dysfunctional. By gaining a better understanding of how normal blood supply systems differ from IBD models, it is hoped that targets will be identified for developing drugs to correct the blood flow changes that contribute to the disease. By restoring normal blood flow it is hoped that inflammatory flare-ups will be prevented and remission from symptoms extended.

Queen's University

Dr. John Allingham

Rational design of novel anti-cancer agents using structural and functional information of the interaction between natural product small molecules and their protein targets

Scientists at Queen's University will study a number of plant and animal materials with the goal of developing novel pharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer. Researchers will investigate the interaction of these materials with proteins like actin and tubulin, which form the skeleton of cells. The investigators led by John Allingham note that the actin cytoskeleton has been recognized as a promising target for cancer drugs because of its intimate role in malignant cells' ability to metastasize and attach to healthy tissues and organs. The goal is the synthesis of simplified mimics of natural products that could serve as novel anti-cancer drugs. Drugs that provide a means of controlling these events could constitute a new method for managing cancer.

OTTAWA

Carleton University

Dr. Maria DeRosa

Laboratory for Aptamer Discovery and Development of Emerging Applications Research (LADDER)

Maria DeRosa will lead research at Carleton University to create tests for the detection of disease, or the contamination of water by pollutants. Aptamers are short stretches of genetic material, and these studies will focus on determining how different aptamers can be used to detect trace amounts of disease or pollutants. This method could lead to faster and more accurate medical biosensors, leading to earlier disease diagnosis and therapy. Sensitive environmental biosensors would help protect Ontario's food and water supply by detecting and tracing contaminants at minute levels.

Carleton University

Dr. Andy Adler

Biomedical and biometric sensors and signal analysis

Portable, non-invasive, low-cost biomedical monitoring devices that keep more accurate and reliable track of body functions such as heart rate promise safer home care. The devices are designed to perform repeated measurements on a specific patient, and make it possible to obtain a continuous picture of the patient's health. These Carleton University studies led by Andy Adler are to be undertaken with new sensing and data acquisition and analysis equipment. Researchers will focus on the development and testing of ways to generate more accurate and reliable measurements from biomedical sensors contained in the monitoring devices. By improving the capability and reliability of these instruments using multiple sensors and fusing their measurements, researchers hope to be able to eliminate sensor errors, caused by issues such as sensor movements.

Carleton University

Dr. Shelley Hepworth

Carleton facility for the study of plant metabolism and development

Carleton University biologists are aiming to improve the production of food and crop-based materials by altering the composition of waxes on the surfaces of plant leaves, making the plants tolerant to drought and able to survive pests more easily. Led by Shelly Hepworth and Owen Rowland, scientists will study how plant genes control the growth and patterning of leaves and flowers and how waxes are made and deposited on the exterior surfaces of plants.  Molecular strategies for manipulating plant architecture or wax composition in crop plants have yet to be fully exploited as a method for crop improvement.

University of Ottawa

Dr. Luke Copland

Laboratory for Cryospheric Research

Major changes in the glaciers and ice caps of northern Canada are recognized as important indicators of global climate change. Despite this, there are great gaps in our knowledge of what, precisely, is happening to arctic ice. Headed by Luke Copland, this new lab will be dedicated to measuring, observing and monitoring glaciers and ice caps. The ice fields of northern Canada are currently poorly monitored, despite the fact that they contain the largest volumes of ice in the world outside of Greenland and Antarctica. By better understanding changes of these ice masses, it will be possible to clarify how climate is changing in the Canadian Arctic and the potential impacts it may have on issues such as shipping accessibility, wildlife populations and native hunting practices.

University of Ottawa

Dr. Lisheng Wang

Laboratory for human embryonic stem cell research and regenerative medicine

University of Ottawa stem cell researchers are seeking effective new treatments for a variety of conditions, especially blood diseases such as leukemia. Embryonic stem (ES) cells are the general cells that evolve into the body's various highly specific cells such as muscle cells, blood cells, skin cells, bone cells, liver cells and so on. Led by Dr. Lisheng Wang, researchers intend to uncover and understand the details of the transition from generalized human embryonic stem cells to highly specialized blood forming cells and endothelial cells (cells lining the blood vessels). Understanding the requirements of transforming a human ES cell into a specific desired cell type is necessary for the creation of healthy cells that can replace diseased cells as therapeutic treatment.

University of Ottawa

Dr. Wail  Gueaieb

Infrastructure for Smart Autonomous Mobile Robots for Rescue Missions (SAMRRM)

Research engineers at the University of Ottawa intend to develop intelligent, autonomous mobile robots able to move through hazardous environments, such as atomic accident sites, to pinpoint victims, communicate with operators and support rescue operations. The Ottawa researchers led by Wail Gueaieb will develop methods to allow for the localization and tracking of robots and surrounding objects. Researchers will develop a natural speech communication protocol between robots and remote human operators using an embedded wireless communication platform for faster, reliable, and secure communications.

University of Ottawa

Dr. André Marcoux

The research unit on childhood hearing impairment

Studies to be conducted in a new state-of-the-art laboratory at the University of Ottawa promise new hope for children born with impaired hearing. André Marcoux, Christian Giguère and Chantal Laroche, specialists in audiology, acoustics and biomedicine, lead the studies.  They will generate new behavioral, physiological and technological information, leading to a better understanding of congenital hearing impairment and developing new biomedical tools and prosthetic devices to help maximize every child's hearing ability, communication skills, learning potential and overall quality of life. The impact of hearing loss can be minimized with early detection and aggressive intervention. The Ottawa studies will increase understanding of the underlying mechanisms of paediatric hearing loss and permit the development of optimal diagnostic and rehabilitative strategies.

University of Ottawa

Dr. Nina Kazanina

Brain and Language Laboratory

University of Ottawa researchers are seeking methods to help people overcome language disabilities by exploring the way the brain processes language in real time. Led by Nina Kazanina, the researchers plan to utilize a new electroencephalography (EEG) system, a device that closely monitors brain activity. The EEG system records brain activity through a number of locations on the scalp, and this brain activity is correlated with ongoing linguistic computations of a study subject. The researchers will then determine where language creation and understanding are happening in a brain structure. This research could have a direct impact on the diagnosis and rehabilitation language deficits such as aphasia, which is a loss or impairment of the ability to produce and/or comprehend language due to brain damage.

University of Ottawa

Dr. Frank Rauch

Bone Health Research Laboratory

Researchers at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa aim to find new treatments for children suffering from bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Frank Rauch will lead the research using equipment that helps examine and analyze bone structure, development, properties and performance. The results of this research program will help identify strategies to optimize bone development through physical activity programs, and create novel pharmacologic and biologic interventions.

University of Ottawa

Dr. Zisheng Zhang

Fermentation of recombinant organisms for the production of functional proteins

University of Ottawa researchers are developing new technology for the low-cost production of new protein-based drugs, enzymes and health foods. When the fundamental chemicals in DNA are recombined, new proteins are generated as a result.  Led by Zisheng Zhang, the researchers are cultivating recombinant yeast for the creation of theraputic protiens, with the goal of commercial-scale production. Over the last 20 years, many novel recombinant species that overproduce valuable proteins have been generated and legally protected for their great commercial potential. In order to convert them to viable commercial technologies, extensive studies such as this one are needed to develop the means to produce these proteins inexpensively, easily and in a fully functional form.

University of Ottawa

Dr. Xia  Zhang

Equipment for studying cannabinoid receptor coupling with opioid and dopamine receptors

This project, led by Xia Zhang, will examine interactions between different brain receptors (the structures on cell surfaces that receive chemical signals) and a number of important chemical compounds. Chemicals like cannaboids (from marijuana), opioids (from heroin and morphine) and dopamine (a nervous system transmitter) are all active substances that influence brain receptors. These interactions are central themes in drug addiction and in age-related motor and cognitive decline. They are hoping what they learn will lead to novel and safe therapies by disrupting the coupling of the receptors with the substances. Xia Zhang and researchers at the University of Ottawa hope that this work will lead to treatments for drug addiction, and to offset some of the more pernicious effects of aging.

University of Ottawa

Dr. Lori Beaman

CRC Chair in the Contextualising of Religion in a Diverse Canada

Interdisciplinary studies at the University of Ottawa's proposed Centre for Religion in a Diverse Canada will focus on understanding now is religion defined in Canada, how do these definitions translate into interpretations of religious freedom and what boundaries are being placed on religious freedom as it is conceptualized by the courts. The studies led by Dr. Lori Beaman will involve focus groups examining case studies and personal experiences.  The focus groups will include people from the community and researchers in sociology, anthropology, religious studies, history, philosophy, political science, and law drawn from across the country and abroad. Dr. Beaman says since research methodologies for each discipline are very different, the considerable interaction of the researchers will contribute to a better understanding of religion in Canada.

University of Ottawa

Dr. Anne Theriault

A multimedia centre for research in counsellor supervision training.

Ottawa University plans to open a new multimedia centre to help improve the training of men and women who supervise mental health counselors. Led by Anne Thériault, the centre will concentrate on research into best practices in counselor supervisor training. An array of video recording, display and computer equipment will be used to capture, analyze and assess the outcome of live supervision sessions. The results will be used to develop better supervisor training programs and so ensure the quality and safety of counseling service in Ontario.  The need for mental health care is rising and represents 12% of the global burden of disease.

For a complete list of awards and a detailed breakdown of the funding under this round of the ORF, please visit www.ontario.ca/innovation.