News

Researchers at the University of Waterloo are developing a DNA-based vaccine that can be delivered through a nasal spray.

The vaccine will work by using bacteriophage, a process that will allow the vaccine to replicate within bacteria already in the body and is being designed to target tissues in the nasal cavity and lower respiratory tract.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has been putting a strain on healthcare workers around the world. We often forget all the challenges that frontline healthcare professionals have to face, including the use of personal protective equipment. This paper from 2016 describes the evaluation during the ebola crisis, which has excellent recommendations for healthcare workers and managers around the world when dealing with COVID-19.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have partnered with an artificial intelligence (AI) startup on a project that aims to use AI to improve COVID-19 screening.

The Waterloo research team publicly released AI software that can better detect infections from chest x-rays and is looking to enlist expertise from around the world to aid in the project.

Advancing healthcare through innovative technology

Medical devices can be used to diagnose or prevent disease, they can improve a patient’s quality of life and they often save lives. Devices such as pacemakers have been around since the late 1950s, but advancements in med-tech have come a long way since then. As research expands and technology advances, a multitude of medical devices are being developed and prepared for market.

We have an intimate relationship with technology. It is infused in our daily life, from our home and car to our finances and health care. As we welcome new technologies into our most personal spaces, there is a growing recognition that design-based thinking needs to consider ethics and the users it serves.