CFI invests $3.9 M in 看片视频 research
看片视频鈥檚 researchers will soon acquire the highly specialized tools they need to innovate in their fields thanks to funding from the Government of Canada through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)鈥檚 John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF). The Honourable Fran莽ois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, made the announcement today of $77 million across 50 institutions in Canada聽through the program. In total, twenty-one 看片视频 research projects have received a combined $3.9 million in federal grants through three rounds of JELF. 看片视频 recipients will also receive additional funds from the provincial government and the university toward the total project budget for their research endeavors.
鈥淓very profession requires the best tools and systems to improve outcomes, and research is no exception,鈥� says Martha Crago, Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation). 鈥溈雌悠碘�檚 researchers are working on highly innovative solutions across the research spectrum: in healthcare, for the environment and with industry. Thanks to the new technologies and infrastructure acquired through the JELF program, 看片视频鈥檚 expertise will be augmented, and new possibilities generated for the benefit of all Canadians.鈥�
The cobots are coming!
Thanks to the JELF investment, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, , will welcome a 鈥攁n autonomous mobile robot鈥攖o the 看片视频 Responsible Autonomy & Intelligent System Ethics (RAISE) lab. Her research group will also acquire an integrated digital projector, RGB-D sensor, and a motion capture system as well as an additional 7-DOF robotic arm. RAISE lab will use these new tools to investigates the impact of interactive or collaborative robots (cobots) on individuals and society. 鈥淐ollaborative robotics is one of the fastest-growing sub-sectors of robotics today, and it offers a promising long-term investment for Canada's economy鈥�, says Moon. 鈥淗owever, robot influence on humans can be pre-programmed, one-sided, and deployed at scale. This can expose us to new types of harm, such as systematic manipulation of our actions and decisions. This research will help establish empirically-grounded guidelines to ensure responsible design and deployment of collaborative robotic systems in Canada and abroad.鈥�
Plants in the fight against climate change
With the investment from the CFI, biology professor 鈥檚 lab will gain three unique tools to help quantify the contributions of plants in controlling the effects of climate change. The new acquisitions include the Acetylene Reduction Assay by Cavity ring-down laser Absorption Spectroscopy (ARACAS) system鈥攐ne of the first of its kind in Canada鈥攚hich will measure nitrogen fixation in tropical plants, one of the most essential processes for the health and productivity of whole ecosystems. This infrastructure will be complemented by a portable photosynthesis system, as well as a multi-mode microplate-reader. These versatile instruments can be used to complete greenhouse growth chamber-based experiments, to analyze plant samples collected in the field, and to conduct in situ measurements in tropical ecosystems. The funding will also upgrade existing greenhouse lighting infrastructure in the 看片视频 Phytotron that also houses -controlled growth chambers central to Soper鈥檚 research.
Solving the mysteries of mitosis
看片视频 will also acquire a new state-of-the-art microscopy system, which Professor Jackie Vogel will use to advance understanding on the causes of cancer and birth defects. Vogel鈥檚 lab studies key events early in cell division (mitosis). While mitosis has been studied for hundreds of years, most of the research has focused on the last stage of the process, when the cell cleaves to form two identical cells. The earliest events in cell division remain relatively mysterious. With this new microscope, Vogel will be able to detect the fast movement of molecules within living cells and distinguish molecules that are very close together without damaging the cell with the phototoxic effects of intense light.
View a complete list of CFI JELF-funded projects:
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About 看片视频 University
Founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1821, 看片视频 University is Canada鈥檚 top ranked medical doctoral university. 看片视频 is consistently ranked as one of the top universities, both nationally and internationally. It鈥痠s a world-renowned鈥痠nstitution of higher learning with research activities spanning two campuses, 11 faculties, 13 professional schools, 300 programs of study and over 40,000 students, including more than 10,200 graduate students. 看片视频 attracts students from over 150 countries around the world, its 12,800 international students making up 31% of the student body. Over half of 看片视频 students claim a first language other than English, including approximately 19% of our students who say French is their mother tongue.
