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In 2023, Professors William Anderson and Marc Aucoin supervised preliminary research on concussion biomarkers found in bodily fluids, particularly saliva.

Exploring concussion biomarker research

Initially, Shazia Tanvir, a research associate of Anderson’s, began exploring research on concussion biomarkers. She was later introduced to Andrew Cordssen-David, who was a Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology student at the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business at the time.

Cordssen-David was also a former student-athlete who played for the varsity men’s hockey team at the University of Waterloo and had experienced his share of concussions. Recognizing the potential impact of a saliva-based concussion test, Cordssen-David and Tanvir got to work, committing themselves to developing a new concept for a saliva-based concussion screening tool.

A new study by researchers at the University of Waterloo has uncovered a crucial mechanism in the evolution of regulatory systems in E. coli that could have far-reaching applications in cancer therapy and biomanufacturing for products such as insulin or mRNA vaccines.

The critical insight arose when the research team examined a regulatory mechanism near the tail end of a protein called PykF

“A helpful analogy to understand this mechanism is the speedometer in a car. When you're driving through a town, where there are dangers to avoid, you need to know how fast you're going, so the speedometer is important. But, if you're on an open stretch of road with no risks, you can throw the speedometer out the window and put the pedal to the metal,” said Dr. Christian Euler from the Department of Chemical Engineering. “The research opens up the potential to one day put a new stoplight on the road to limit growth rate.”

Professor Christian Euler leads a Canadian research team that aims to valorize waste materials such as plastics, CO2 emissions, methane and other gases, and agricultural residues, converting them into valuable commodities and chemicals. The goal is to devise technologies that provide economic incentives for waste recycling, making sustainability a driver of profit rather than a cost burden for industry.

The research group received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) as part of the National Science Foundation Global Centers initiative. University of Waterloo Researchers are part of the Center for Innovative Recycling and Circular Economy (CIRCLE).  

As the planet faces the ongoing effects of climate change and the accumulation of pollution in every ecosystem it’s clear that the pace of human development is unsustainable. CIRCLE seeks to address these challenges through a multidisciplinary global collaboration.

Professors Michael Tam and Yuning Li have designed a solar-powered desalination device capable of utilizing over 93% of solar energy to produce fresh water from the sea via a thermal evaporation process.

This rate is five times higher than that of current technologies, making it a highly efficient solar-driven desalination system. With a production capacity of approximately 20 litres of fresh water per square meter per day, this device offers a sustainable solution to global freshwater scarcity.

Desalination of water is critical for many coastal nations to produce water for consumption and agricultural activities. Rapid population growth and increasing global water consumption by industry contribute to water scarcity.

Ever heard of the phrase coined by Friedrich Nietzsche, “the devil is in the details”? Professors William Anderson and Boxin Zhao have advanced the battle against microplastic pollution by uncovering the intricate details of how microplastics degrade in the environment. Observation and understanding the fine details of microplastics are key to eradicating them from our environment.

The research group has been able to observe the degradation of micro and nanoplastics with unprecedented detail. In collaboration with the National Research Council (NRC) researchers leveraged 3D imaging technology, which allows for a much deeper understanding of the microplastic degradation process than traditional 2D microscopy.

This detailed observation is the first of its kind, demonstrating the potential of 3D imaging as a powerful tool in microplastic research.

Professor Tizazu Mekonnen’s research group has developed polymer foam that absorbs and locks in oil, preventing groundwater contamination.

The team designed a novel material that can not only absorb hydrocarbon oil from oil spills but can also lock the oil in, preventing it from leeching into groundwater. The porous material designed from special tri-block co-polymers can absorb eight times its weight or 800% of oil upon direct contact.

Electric transformers and other industries have huge oil storage facilities containing thousands of litres of oil which can leak into groundwater due to unexpected accidents and natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes or earthquakes. Groundwater contamination is extremely difficult to clean up. These accidents can lead to serious environmental damage, posing health hazards to wildlife, and people.

Imagine a coat that harnesses solar energy to keep you warm on a brisk winter walk, or a shirt that seamlessly monitors your heart rate and temperature. Picture athletes wearing smart clothing that tracks their performance, all without the burden of bulky battery packs.

Professor Yuning Li's research group has developed a smart fabric with these remarkable capabilities. The fabric can potentially harvest energy, monitor health, and track movement.

The new fabric, designed by the research team, can convert body heat and solar energy into electricity, potentially enabling continuous operation without the need for an external power source. Additionally, different sensors that monitor temperature, stress, and more can be integrated into the material.

Researchers from the Universitat Duisburg-Essen in Germany and the University of Cambridge arrived at the University of Waterloo in June to participate in ongoing graduate student training aimed at leveraging 2D materials for various manufacturing applications. This international collaboration is supported by an NSERC CREATE grant, with Professor Michael Pope from the Department of Chemical Engineering serving as lead Principal Investigator. Researchers from the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Science and the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology are involved in the collaboration.

The Department of Chemical Engineering is proud to announce the appointment of two of its faculty members as Canada Research Chairs (CRC). The designation of Canada Research Chair is an honour bestowed upon exceptional emerging researchers. Professors Valerie Ward and Tizazu Mekonnen are both trailblazers in their respective fields.

Ward now holds a CRC in Microalgae Biomanufacturing. Her research group uses microalgae to make a variety of products.

Professor Raj Pal has been identified as a highly-ranked scholar in the field of Rheology by Scholar GPS, a California-based company owned by Meta, that analyses scholarly activity. Highly ranked scholars are among the top 0.05% or better worldwide.

Pal is ranked number six in the world (second in Canada) in the field of Rheology, the science of the deformation and flow of complex substances such as polymers, surfactants, gels, suspensions, emulsions, foams and more. Pal’s research focuses on the rheology and flow of complex fluids through both experimental work and modelling.