Our People - Targeted Drug Delivery

Research Interests:

• Viral vector drug delivery

• Biological nano-particles (Virus-Like Particles or VLPs)

• Vaccines, gene therapy, gene expression, genetic diseases

• Baculovirus Bioprocessing

• Process dynamics of virus-based systems for the production of complex biologics such as viral vectors and vaccines

• Development of strategies using multiple viruses to obtain recombinant products in cell culture

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[YouTube Lecture] September 30, 2014 "Tools and strategies for complex biologics production in animal cells: applications to insect and mammalian cell culture"

[YouTube] January 26, 2011 "Research Profile: Marc Aucoin"

Research Interests:

• Ecological Interface Design
• Cognitive Work Analysis
• Graphical interface design and visualization
• Healthcare systems and clinical diagnostic systems

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[CBB researcher story]

[Office of Research] May 22, 2018, CBB Executive Director reappointed for third term 

[YouTube] February 5, 2010 "Research Profile: Catherine Burns"

Research Interests:

• Nano-Biomedical engineering, biochemistry, molecular cell biology

• Colloid and Surface Science (surface chemistry, absorption kinetics, thermodynamics)

• Polymer materials, CO2

• Energy storage and conversion, battery systems and alternative energy

• Drug and gene delivery, genomics

• Lipid bilayer and cell membrane actions

University Research Chair

Research Interests:

• Effect of food, beverages, herbal products and other drugs on drug metabolism and disposition
• Investigation of the interaction between grapefruit juice and prescription medication
• pharmacokinetics

• drug metabolism

• pharmacogenomics

• drug interactions

• bioavailability/bioequivalence

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Research Interests:

• Mathematical modeling - Stochastic Modeling and Optimization, Markov Decision Processes, Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes, Dynamic Programming, Simulation Models.
• Health Care: Medical Decision Making, Organ Transplantation, Cancer Screening, Health Care Delivery.
• Production Planning: Multicriteria Scheduling

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Research Interests:

• Intelligent drug delivery system design (dermal, transdermal, transmucosal, ocular, and intranasal) for Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Cancer, Immunology (Glaucoma, neural degenerative disorders, HPV, LSIL/CIN I, cervical cancer, Scleroderma)

• Non-invasive drug delivery technologies, biomolecular devices

• Gene therapy, protein, and vaccine development

• Nanomedicine, pharmaceutical development

• Nanotoxicology (nanomaterials, bioimaging, biomarkers)

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[Global Impact] [CBC] April 30, 2018 "Working with gene therapy to treat glaucoma"

[Waterloo Stories] July 5, 2012 "Revolutionary drug delivery"

Research interests:

• Imaging, treatment, and prevention of diseases
• Fabrication and characterization of innovative biomaterials for drug delivery systems (nanoparticles, medical devices, biodegradable films, hydrogels, etc.)
• Vaccine development for protection against HIV and other diseases

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[Waterloo News] February 6, 2019 "Researchers find new treatment for Chlamydia"

[Waterloo News] April 16, 2018 "Developing new way to fight transmission of HIV"

Research Interests:

• Methionine chemistry and biochemestry (amino acid methionine and its roles in proteins, cellular pathways and its functions)

• Bionanomaterials, bionanotechnology (for novel drug carriers, molecular foundations for nanodevices)

• Medicinal chemistry

• Enzymology
• Bioorganic chemistry
• Protein structure and function

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[Daily Bulletin] June 1, 2018, 11 CBB Members Named Outstanding Performance Award Winners

Research Interests:

• Clinical trial design
• Contact lens performance
• Drug delivery
• Ocular biomaterials
• Proteins at interfaces

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University Research Chair

Office of Research - Technology Transfer & Commercialization:

• Long-lasting Eye Drop Delivery Platform for Targeted Ocular Delivery Applications

Research Interests:

• Smart structures, actuators, biomechanics, assistive devices, human-robot interaction, wearable sensors (fitness, monitoring, fall prevention, Alzheimer's)
• Ophthalmic instrumentation, senors, technologies and hardware design (MRI, CT, ultrasound)
• Micro-energy harvester through human locomotion
• Magnetically driven medical microrobots for drug delivery and microsurgery
• Regenerative prosthetic knee, and cost-effective prosthetic leg (structural design, sensory system, and controller)
• Micromanipulation using magnetic levitation
• Auto-focusing mechanism for microscopy using electrorestrictive
• ​Clean room applications 

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[Waterloo Stories] August 28, 2018 "New sensor could help doctors monitor patient progress from a distance"

[Waterloo Stories] March 2, 2014 "Charge your phone while you shovel - and shiver"

Research Interests:

• Biophysics of lipids and lipid-protein interactions

• The role of structural changes and physical properties of lipid template in controlling biological processes and diseases

• Biomedical nanotechnology (lipid films, molecular mechanism of Alzheimer's disease)

• Drug development and delivery systems, antimicrobial peptides in lung disorders

• Fluorescence and atomic force microscopy

• Kelvin probe force microscopy and single molecule force spectroscopy

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[Global Impact] May 2018, studying Alzheimer's at a molecular level to find a cure

[YouTube Lecture] October 1, 2014 "Scanning probe microscopy in biomedical research"

Research Interests:

• Biomedical diagnosis

• Targeted drug delivery

• Environmental monitoring

• DNA-based biosensors and functional polymers

• Nanomaterials, (gold nanoparticles, liposomes, magnetic nanoparticles, quantum dots, graphene hydrogels, hybrid nanomaterials)

• Bioinorganic / Bioanalytical chemistry

University Research Chair

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[Waterloo Stories] February 27, 2013 "Waterloo researcher uses nano-materials to clean water"

Research Interests:

• Polymer Science and Engineering
• Renewable polymers: Processing and Chemical Modifications
• Polymer blends, composites and nanocomposites

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[Science Mag] June 6, 2016 "This desert moss can water itself with fog"

[Nature] June 08, 2016 "How desert moss drinks from air"

[PNAS] June 22, 2017 "Cavitation onset caused by acceleration"

Research Interests

• Early Cancer Detection
• Eliminating Positive Surgical Margins
• Non-contact Biopsies for Endoscopy 
• Functional Brain Imaging 
• Early Detection and Understanding the Age-related Vision Loss Problems
• Wound Care
• Cardiovascular
• Machine learning/AI

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Alternate Location:

• Satellite Campus, UW-Schlegel Research Institute for Aging, Research Building, Sensors and Devices Lab

Research Interests:

• Bio-wearable electronics and systems
• Bio-electromagnetics, bio-technology, bio-sensors and energy harvesting systems
• RF/microwave/millimeter wave/Terahertz (THz) circuits and antenna systems
• Radio frequency (RF)/microwave packaging and Electromagnetic compatibility 
• (EMC)/Electromagnetic interface (EMI) analyses
• Vehicle and UAV wireless communications, navigation systems, and telematics systems
• Complex propagation and scattering phenomena
• Devices and novel electromagnetic materials and wireless sensors

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Awards:

• Top downloaded paper in Medical Physics (arXiv) – October 2019
• Best Imaging Paper, CVS, 2018
• ACM MobileHCI 2017 Best Worskshop Paper Award
• IEEE APS 2017 SPC Honorable Mention Paper Award
• IEEE Sensors Most Popular Article (March 2017)
• IEEE Sensors Annual Volume Cover Page

[CBB Events] November 15, 2019 "Professor Shaker organizes a Health Canada Regulatory insights Workshop"

[CNN] November 11, 2019 "Scientists develop sensor to save children and pets from hot car deaths"

[Waterloo News] October 29, 2019 "Advancing healthcare through innovative technology"

[Inside Digital Health] June 3, 2019 "Study: Radar Monitors Sleep with Accuracy Comparable to Current Standards"

[Waterloo News]  June 28, 2018 "AI and radar technologies could help diabetics manage their disease"

[Engineering News] June 28, 2018 "Researchers developing a prick-free glucose monitor"

[RD Magazine] June 28, 2018 "AI and Radar Technologies Could Help Diabetics Manage Their Disease" 

[Engineering News] July 5, 2016 "Waterloo wins big with tiny power device"

Research Interests:

• Drug discovery, delivery systems and nanomedicine

• Gene therapy, microbial genetics

• Oncology, Antiviral therapeutics design

• Anti-bacterials

• Acne cosmeceutical design

• Phage-based biotechnology

• Viral exclusion systems

• Cosmeceuticals

• Vaccine design (dementia), bacteriophage-based biotechnology, use of coliphages to design and construct vectors for the development of novel vaccines, pharmaceuticals and gene delivery systems, and the identification and application of novel phage genomic anti-bacterial genes with potential phage therapy applications.

• Strategic management in Pharmacy; healthcare reform

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Research Interests:

• Calcium channel analysis for target drug delivery for treatment of pain, arrhythmias, angina, and potential benefits in treatment of epilepsy and cancer.

• Structure, function and pharmacology of calcium channels and sodium channels

• Structure and function and analysis of NALCN cation channel  and anti-calcium channel toxins

• The Spafford Neurobiology Research Laboratory studies voltage-gated calcium channels, molecular physiology, biophysics, cell biology, protein biochemistry, fluorescence microscopy and tissue cultures.

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[Science News] April 25, 2014 "Waterloo discovers a key regulator in the pacemakers of our brain and heart"

Research Interests:

• Enhanced drug delivery systems, gene therapy

• Associative polymers for environmentally friendly coatings

• Sustainable nanomaterials (cellulose nanocrystals)

• Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) and stimuli responsive polymeric systems

• Polymer-surfactant interactions

• Magnetic nanoparticles for novel separation processes

University Research Chair

Google Scholar

Research Interests:

• Nanomaterials, nanodevices, biosensors for applications in food processing, bioreactors and biotechnology, natural gas purification, fuel cell, and water purification

• Nano-Bio Hybrids for Tissue Engineering and Medicine for drug delivery, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine

• Bio-molecule assisted nanomaterial self-assembly

• Health and environmental effects of engineered nanomaterials

Research Interests:

• Medicinal chemistry/enzymology (treatment of prostate and breast cancer, diabetes)

• Nanomedicine; development of novel antibiotics

• Bionanomaterials; synthetic polymers and methodologies

• Peptide, charbohydrate, nucleoside and nucleotide chemistry

[Daily Bulletin] June 1, 2018, 11 CBB Members Named Outstanding Performance Award Winners

[Science News] February 4, 2015 "Chemists develop new method to improve the discovery of antibiotics"

Research Interests:

• Gene therapy and drug delivery systems (prostate and ovarian cancer treatment)

• Polymeric nanomaterials, biopolymers

• Novel surface active compounds (gemini surfactants)

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[Daily Bulletin] June 1, 2018, 11 CBB Members Named Outstanding Performance Award Winners

[CBB researcher story] July 21, 2015 "Vectors for gene therapy and improving drug solubility"

Research Interests:

• Stem cells, nanofabrication and advancement of biomaterials in healthcare technologies to repair, replace or regenerate damaged tissue and organ structures

• Fabrication and application of nano-structure for biomedical applications in neural, vascular, and cornea tissue engineering

• ​Biomaterial approach to study ex-vivo pluripotent stem cell expansion

• Modulation of cell behavior with nanotopography

• Topography-regulation of stem cells lineage commitment and differentiation

• Differentiation of adult and pluripotent stem cells with nanotopography

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Research Interests:

• Ultrasound imaging innovations: Complex flow imaging, High-performance beamforming platforms, Flow phantom design

• Therapeutic ultrasound discoveries: Sonoporation, Micro/nanobubble cavitation, Wave-matter interactions, Cellular dynamics studies

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