News

Researchers from the faculties of engineering and mathematics at the University of Waterloo are working on a joint project that could lead to a new cancer treatment involving the use of engineered bacteria to essentially eat tumours from the inside out.

Dr. Marc Aucoin, a professor of chemical engineering, and Dr. Brian Ingalls, a professor of applied mathematics, outlined their research and the history behind their promising approach in an article recently published by the website The Conversation Canada.

A lightweight material created by researchers at Waterloo Engineering could spare health-care workers from chronic pain by replacing the heavy lead now used in X-ray aprons to provide protection from radiation.

Made from a soft, silicone-based plastic mixed with nanoparticles of tungsten, the lead alternative reduces the weight of X-ray aprons by almost 90 per cent while still offering a similar level of protection.

A research team led by Waterloo Engineering students, including several undergraduates, has created a tissue-like hydrogel material for potential use for artificial muscles in robotics.

Hydrogels are soft, biocompatible materials with great promise for developing microrobots to perform non-invasive biomedical tasks within the human body, including the gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts.

Researchers at Waterloo Engineering used nanotechnology to develop a new formulation that is both greener and more effective than existing methods for applying pesticides to plants.

Their water-based solution reduces costly waste and environmental contamination by making pesticides stick to plant leaves better – even in wind and rain – minimizing splash and runoff.

Bacteria engineered to eat cancerous tumours from the inside out have been developed by Waterloo Engineering researchers in a promising new approach to treatment.

The interdisciplinary research team found two key solutions to use a bacterium called Clostridium sporogenes, which is commonly found in soil and can only grow in environments with absolutely no oxygen, to effectively consume cancer.

Researchers at Waterloo Engineering have created a green alternative to absorbent materials now used in personal hygiene products such as diapers, menstrual pads and tampons.

The new, natural hydrogel breaks down harmlessly in soil within three months, unlike existing synthetic materials that are expected to take centuries to degrade and greatly contribute to the waste in landfill sites.

A Waterloo Engineering research team is investigating how to turn carbon dioxide (CO2) into green fuel that can power aircraft with net-zero carbon emissions. Making air travel eco-friendly remains a pressing global challenge due to the sector’s dependence on fossil fuels. 

Led by Dr. Eric Croiset, a professor of chemical engineering, the team studied an innovative approach to capturing CO2 directly from the air and converting it into sustainable fuel. The study aims to shift the perception of CO2 from a harmful greenhouse gas to a valuable feedstock for producing green fuels. 

Ken O'Driscoll, a long-time chemical engineering professor and department chair, died earlier this month.

Born on Staten Island in New York, he received his bachelor’s in chemical engineering from Pratt Institute and his master’s and doctorate degrees from Princeton University.

He joined the University of Waterloo’s chemical engineering department as its chair in 1970.

The Ontario Advanced Manufacturing Consortium (AMC), a joint partnership between McMaster University, University of Waterloo, and Western University, is helping to accelerate industry adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, which will create jobs and strengthen the province’s reputation as a leading manufacturing region.

Since AMC was launched in April 2017, nearly 100 companies have benefited from the advanced manufacturing experts and state-of-the-art facilities at Waterloo. 

Frank Gu, a Waterloo chemical engineering professor, is part of the 2017 cohort of the Royal Society of Canada's (RSC) prestigious College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.