A dozen University of Western Ontario research projects, including ensuring innovative research on Ontario’s archaeological heritage and advancing wind research, have received $19-million from the Ontario Research Fund.
In helping attract and retain top researchers who will strengthen the province’s competitiveness in the global innovation-driven economy, more than 250 world-class researchers at Western will be supported with this latest funding.
“We are extremely proud of our researchers, and grateful to the Province of Ontario for its continued support of advanced research through the ORF,” says Western President Amit Chakma. “Innovative discoveries made by researchers across the disciplines are resulting in new knowledge that improve health, social and economic welfare throughout the province.”
Funding world-class research is part of Ontario’s plan to build an innovation economy that turns new knowledge into new jobs, better healthcare, a cleaner environment and endless possibilities for Ontario families, says London West MPP Chris Bentley.
“We are recognizing the work that our researchers do and the wealth and jobs they create in London,” says Bentley. “Today’s investment will support the work of more than 250 London researchers. New discoveries will continue to be made and we want those people, those ideas and those jobs right here in our community.”
This investment at Western is part of a broader $268-million province-wide investment that will support 214 projects and more than 3,300 researchers in 14 cities – creating and preserving more than 1,300 construction jobs over the next four years across the province.
Projects receiving funding at Western include:
Capacities for a Sustainable Archaeology
Ensuring innovative research on Ontario’s archaeological heritage
Lead Researcher: Neal Ferris
Provincial Funding: $3,911,058
Researchers Affected: 30
Neal Ferris is fascinated by the archaeology of southern Ontario and he has been studying it for 30 years. Now, The University of Western Ontario researcher who holds the Lawson Chair in Canadian Archaeology and is cross appointed to the Museum of Ontario Archaeology, is working to ensure that all the archaeological collections (field records, artifacts and plant/animal remains) amassed over the years from southern Ontario are collected and consolidated at two repositories at Western and McMaster University.
He and his team will then convert the objects and the collections into digital data which can be accessed online. His work will promote long-term, innovative research on Ontario’s archaeological heritage.
Centre for the Study of Biomaterials and Tissue Regeneration
Advancing tissue engineering to treat musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Lead Researcher: Douglas Hamilton
Provincial Funding: $162,718
Researchers Affected: 12
Tissue engineering holds great promise for treating all sorts of musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders like arthritis, osteoporosis, fibrosis and periodontal disease. But its potential has yet to be realized because scientists do not fully understand the specific biological, chemical and physical factors necessary to successfully integrate biomaterials with human tissues.
That is the focus of research being done at The University of Western Ontario by Douglas Hamilton. By combining biomaterials science, biomechanics and cell and molecular biology, Hamilton aims to identify the factors that govern successful regeneration of musculoskeletal and connective tissues. The goal is to develop new treatments.
The Wind Engineering, Energy and Environment (WindEEE) Dome
Advancing wind research
Lead Researcher: Horia Hangan
Provincial Funding: $9,476,388
Researchers Affected: 30
Extreme weather conditions, including tornados, are becoming more common and they are costing billions of dollars in insurance claims, as well causing deaths. At a unique new Wind Engineering, Energy and Environment (WindEEE) Dome at The University of Western Ontario, scientists led by Horia Hangan are performing experiments involving the interaction of wind and the environment, experiments that were not possible up to now in any of the world’s existing wind tunnels. Their research will enable engineers to design buildings and structures that can withstand high intensity winds – and optimize the energy created by wind farms.
Improving Testing to Diagnose Genetically Inherited Disease/Disorders and Cancer
Better tests for inherited disorders and cancer
Lead Researcher: Joan Knoll
Provincial Funding: $212,039
Researchers Affected: 12
Molecular cytogenetics combines molecular biology (the study of biology at the molecular level) and cytogenetics (studying chromosomes and cell division). It is a common laboratory test used in the fluorescence and cancer. Joan Knoll’s innovative, technology-driven research builds on patented genomics technology that she co-invented. She will investigate chromosomal abnormalities at high resolution, in patients with genetic diseases including inherited disorders and cancer.
The findings will have potential health and economic benefits, including decreasing the time it takes to get molecular cytogenetics test results, increasing and improving genetic abnormality detection (e.g., unexplained developmental delay in children; DNA changes in leukemia) and commercialization of the technology.
Molecular and Behavioural Genetics Laboratory
Investigating how new species are formed
Lead Researcher: Amanda J. Moehring
Provincial Funding: $163,330
Researchers Affected: 4
How new species are formed and survive is one of the great unanswered questions in biology and it fascinates University of Western Ontario researcher Amanda Moehring. At a new Molecular and Behavioural Genetics Laboratory, Moehring aims to identify the genetic factors that influence the formation and persistence of species. Her work could lead to a better understanding of how to preserve and enhance the survival of endangered species.
Nanobeam Materials Analyser for Probing Planetary Evolution and Resources (NanoMAPPER)
Learning more about the evolution of the planet
Lead Researcher: Desmond Moser
Provincial Funding: $310,051
Researchers Affected: 17
In early 2008, an international research team led by University of Western Ontario earth science professor Desmond Moser made a startling discovery when they unearthed three-billion-year-old microcrystals in northern Ontario. The researchers found that the crystals are not only resistant to change; they grew incrementally over 200 million years, preserving records of their movements through and around the planet during the formation of early North America.
They are providing new information about planetary evolution and the processes that formed Earth’s continents, and resources such as gold and diamonds. With a new electron microscope and analyzer, Moser will conduct more advanced micro- and nanomineral research that will improve our knowledge of planetary evolution. It will also have important applications for industry, including mining and advanced manufacturing.
Image-Guided Minimally Invasive Intervention and Simulation
Improving surgical techniques through real-time imaging
Lead Researcher: Terry Peters
Provincial Funding: $2,577,602
Researchers Affected: 30
Ushering in a new era of surgical intervention is the goal of research being conducted by Terry Peters at The University of Western Ontario. Peters and his colleagues are developing minimally invasive surgical procedures guided by real-time imaging, providing surgeons with surrogate eyes and hands inside the body. These new procedures will significantly reduce post-operative discomfort and recovery time, and lead to lower health care costs.
A Laboratory for Investigating the Role of Fetal Programming In Metabolic Syndrome
Developing drug targets for prenatal prevention of adult diseases
Lead Researcher: Timothy Regnault
Provincial Funding: $288,000
Researchers Affected: 15
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. While scientists know that genetics, lifestyle and diet contribute to the development of MetS in adults, new research suggests that the risks of developing it may begin at the fetal stage. At the University of Western Ontario, Timothy Regnault and Daniel Hardy are looking at the role fetal programming plays in developing MetS. Their goal? To develop drug targets for the prenatal prevention of MetS, which already affects an estimated one in five Canadians and is of rapidly growing concern worldwide.
Chromosomal and Point Mutation Discovery and Interpretation in the Post-Genome Sequencing Era: Tools for Bioinformatic And Genomic Analysis
Advancing “personalized” medicine
Lead Researcher: Peter Rogan
Provincial Funding: $374,063
Researchers Affected: 20
Scientists have come to realize that in medicine, one size does not fit all. Two patients with the same cancer may experience very different responses to similar treatment. That is because we all inherit variations in our genes and those variations can affect how our bodies respond to medications. How we can tailor medications based on an individual’s genetic make-up is an area that fascinates many researchers, including The University of Western Ontario’s Peter Rogan. A pioneer in the field of “personalized medicine”, Rogan is developing technology to identify genetic variants that influence treatment.
Using Advanced Light Sources to Better Understand Nanostructures
Advancing nanotechnology
Lead Researcher: T.K. Sham
Provincial Funding: $1,052,286
Researchers Affected: 30
Nanotechnology holds the promise of transforming virtually every high-tech industry, from advanced manufacturing to life sciences to information technology. Nano-size semiconductors will lead to small, faster, less expensive computers. Nanomagnetic materials will increase data storage capabilities. Materials with nanofibres will be lighter and stronger. But realizing the potential of nanotechnology requires an understanding of the scientific properties of the materials, having a means of preparing them and the tools to assemble them. At The University of Western Ontario, Tsun-Kong Sham is using advanced light sources to examine the chemistry of nanostructures – research that will lead to the creation of innovative new devices.
Translational Imaging Centre for Cardiovascular Outcome Research (TRICORE)
Developing better diagnostics and treatments for cardiovascular disease
Lead Researcher: Samuel Siu
Provincial Funding: $359,419
Researchers Affected: 14
Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of Canadians. It also robs people of their quality of life and costs the Canadian economy more than $18 billion every year in physician services, hospital costs, lost wages and decreased productivity. Better diagnosis and treatment are needed. That is the goal of research being conducted by Samuel Siu and his co-applicant James White at a new laboratory at The University of Western Ontario. Siu and White are using new technologies, including 4-dimensional cardiac ultrasound and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, to develop biomarkers to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease.
Facility For Stable Isotope Analysis (Facsia) Of Modern And Ancient Biogeochemical Cycles In The Global Environment
Developing new methods of resource exploration
Lead Researcher: Elizabeth A. Webb & Neil Banerjee
Provincial Funding: $394,971
Researchers Affected: 40
The demand for minerals, metals, and petroleum is growing, particularly in emerging economies in Asia and eastern Europe. Canada is positioned to be a leader in providing these commodities to world markets, but it will take new methods of resource exploration to find them. That is where earth scientists like Elizabeth Webb and Neil Banerjee come in. Using isotope-ratio mass spectroscopy, The University of Western Ontario researchers are examining the complex geological processes that affect ore and petroleum generation.
Their research also has applications for climate change, sustainable agriculture, and the search for early life.