News

As Canada’s largest nanotechnology institute, committed to United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) actively celebrates emerging leaders in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology. These individuals from across the globe whose research aligns with one or more of our thematic areas and the UN SDGs are eligible for the WIN Rising Star Award in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.

Innovation, research and discovery are key factors in maintaining and growing Canada’s socio-economic well-being, to benefit all Canadians. The Canada Research Chair Program is investing $140 million toward 182 new and renewed Chairs at 34 institutions. The University of Waterloo had three chairs renewed, including Chemistry's Derek Schipper.

What if you could spray away COVID-19? That’s the idea behind an anti-viral surface coating being developed in a collaborative project between by researchers at The Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) within the University of Waterloo and SiO2 Innovation Labs. The coating will kill the COVID-19 virus immediately upon contact with any surface.

New research is underway to develop a coating that will kill the COVID-19 virus immediately upon contact with any surface. The antiviral coating could be applied to all personal protective equipment and high-touch surfaces, greatly reducing the risk of community transmission of the virus.

The Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) within the University of Waterloo, is working in collaboration with SiO2 Innovation Labs on the research.

As the Government of Canada focuses on responding to the challenges of COVID-19, it also recognizes the invaluable contributions of Canadian researchers in the natural sciences and engineering. That is why the Government continues to support the discovery research being done at Canadian universities to help build the foundation for innovation and economic growth. 

A WIN member has won $265,000 in federal backing to develop a palm-sized device capable of detecting COVID-19 infection within 30 minutes.

Carolyn Ren, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering and WIN Member, will lead the one-year project by a team that includes professors Emmanuel Ho (also a WIN member) of the School of Pharmacy at Waterloo and fellow WIN member and Keith Fowke of the University of Manitoba.

Last week, this year's Vanier Scholarship award winners were announced. Among the prestigious group was 2019 and 2020 Nanofellowship winner Christian Ieritano, one of three winners from UWaterloo.

A biotechnology company co-founded by a Waterloo Engineering alumnus has been awarded almost $300,000 in government funding to develop a portable diagnostic test for COVID-19.

Nicoya, a Kitchener-based provider of advanced analytical instruments for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, grew out of a Capstone Design project by nanotechnology engineering student Ryan Denomme (BASc ’10, MASc ’12).

The funding is part of a challenge issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the National Research Council of Canada.

Serapis Labs develops prototype for a testing kit that is simple enough for anyone to use

By Alana Rigby and Brian Caldwell University of Waterloo

Monica Hoang had no idea earlier this year that she’d be spending the last few months of her PhD working on the design of a COVID-19 testing kit.

The School of Pharmacy student moved back to her hometown when the University of Waterloo decided to go online for the spring term and planned to do her PhD defence digitally.