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Biology

Project Leader(s): 

Postdoctoral fellow: Dr. Maurizio Ceseri, Mathematics, Simon Fraser University

Lead faculty member: Dr. John Stockie, Mathematics, Simon Fraser University

This project aims to investigate the physical and biological processes that initiate sap flow in maple trees during early spring when maple sap is harvested. Our study will be centered around developing a mathematical model that captures both sap flow and heat transport in the porous wood tissue, and then investigating solutions using a combination of analytical and numerical techniques.

Project Leader(s): 

Postdoctoral fellow: Dr. Yijun Lou, Mathematics and Statistics, York University

Lead faculty member: Dr. Jane Heffernan, Mathematics and Statistics, York University

Genital herpes (GH), caused by Herpes simplex virus type 1 or 2 (HSV-1 or -2), is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases in the world. Currently, there is no effective treatment for GH, but a new vaccine Simplirix (by GSK), is currently in clinical trials. Simplirix has had some success in preventing disease, but only in females that are HSV-1 and -2 negative. Since oral herpes (OH, also caused by HSV-1 and -2) infection can occur at very early ages, vaccination against GH may be most effective in a childhood vaccination program.

Project Leader(s): 

Postdoctoral fellow: Dr. Majid Jaberi-Douraki, Mathematics and Statistics, York University

Lead faculty member: Dr. Seyed Moghadas, Mathematics and Statistics, York University

A major pharmaceutical intervention for management of many infectious diseases is the use of antiviral drugs. However, the rise of drug resistance poses significant threats to the effectiveness of drugs. This research proposes to determine optimal treatment strategies, through the development of population dynamical models for disease transmission and control, which can minimize the effect of resistance emergence in the population. This work will primarily focus on influenza infection, which still inflicts substantial morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic costs worldwide.

Project Leader(s): 

Postdoctoral Fellow: Dr. Yildiz Yilmaz, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Lead faculty member: Dr. Shelley Bull, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

The objective of the project is to develop, evaluate and apply informative statistical methods to the task of identifying novel genes/pathways involved in breast cancer recurrence. A model for time to cancer recurrence using clinical, pathological, and molecular measures in the setting of high-dimensional genome-wide genetic scans will be developed that allows for a proportion of the patients to be long-term survivors.

Project Leader(s): 

Dr. Hermann Eberl, University of Guelph and Dr. John Stockie, Simon Fraser University

Project team: 
Dr. John R Dutcher, University of Guelph
Dr. Ian Frigaard, University of British Columbia
Dr. Nilima Nigam, Simon Fraser University
Dr. David Pink, St. Francis Xavier University
Dr. Gideon Wolfaardt, Ryerson University
Funding period: 
October 1, 2021 - March 31, 2021

Bacterial biofilms are microbial depositions on immersed surfaces and are ubiquitous in natural and engineered environments. For example, they play a significant role in medical applications where they can grow on artificial implants and cause infections; they form dental plaques and contribute to tooth decay; they can be utilized to assist in clean-up of contaminated soils or groundwater aquifers; they accelerate corrosion of metal surfaces; and they are a main culprit behind contamination of drinking water systems and food processing equipment.

Project Leader(s): 

Dr. Jack A. Tuszynski , University of Alberta

Project team: 
Dr. Thoms Hillen, (University of Alberta)
Dr. Gerda de Vries, (University of Alberta)
Dr. Michael Y. Li, (University of Alberta)
Dr. D. Peter Tieleman, (University of Calgary)
Dr. Lukasz Kurgan, (University of Alberta)
Dr. Eric Cytrynbaum, (University of British Columbia)
Dr. Stephane Portet, (University of Manitoba)
Dr. Siv Sivaloganathan, (University of Waterloo)
Dr. Roderick Melnik, (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Funding period: 
July 1, 2021 - March 31, 2021
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Project Leader(s): 

Dr. Anne Condon , University of British Columbia

Project team: 
Dr. Holger H. Hoos, University of British Columbia
Dr. Ming Li, University of Waterloo
Dr. Irmtraud Meyer, University of British Columbia
Dr. S. Cenk Sahinalp, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Ladislav Stacho, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Peter J. Unrau, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Kaizhong Zhang, University of Western Ontario
Funding period: 
April 1, 2021 - March 31, 2021
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Project Leader(s): 

Dr. Fahima Nekka , Université de Montréal

Project team: 
Dr. Jerome del Castillo, (Université de Montréal)
Dr. Renée Bergeron, (Université Laval )
Dr. Jacques Bélair, (Université de Montréal)
Dr. Jacques Turgeon, (Université de Montréal)
Dr. Sylvain Quessy, (Université de Montréal)
Dr. Jun Li, (Université de Montréal)
Funding period: 
April 1, 2021 - March 31, 2021
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Project Leader(s): 

Dr. Peter Swain , McGill University

Project team: 
Dr. Terry Hebert, McGill University
Dr. Brian Ingalls, University of Waterloo
Dr. Mads Kaern, University of Ottawa
Dr. Stephane Laporte, McGill University
Dr. Ted Perkins, McGill University
Non-academic participants: 
Funding period: 
April 1, 2021 - March 31, 2021
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