Health Futures

University of Waterloo researchers have developed a new blood testing method that can detect potent opioids much faster than traditional approaches and potentially save lives.

The method, the latest effort by Waterloo researchers and entrepreneurs to lead health innovation in Canada, can simultaneously analyze 96 blood samples that could contain opioids such as fentanyl in under three minutes – twice as quickly as other techniques.

As the planet faces the pressing challenge of reducing plastic waste in the environment, new strategies for managing plastic waste are urgently needed. One of the biggest roadblocks to addressing the plastic waste crisis is the use of thermosets and rubbers — a class of non-recyclable plastics widely used in infrastructure, automobiles, planes, adhesives, 3D printing and chemical industries.

Society learned about the value of mRNA during the COVID-19 pandemic when we saw scientists and medical professionals harness its power to deliver a vaccine for the virus within a year.

Now, University of Waterloo pharmacy associate professor Emmanuel Ho has developed a novel nanomedicine loaded with genetic material called small interfering RNAs (siRNA) to fight human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using gene therapy. These siRNAs regulate which genes or proteins are turned on or off in our cells and showed a 73 per cent reduction in HIV replication.

Parents of young children with an excitable or exuberant temperament could adapt their parenting style to help moderate their child’s potential development of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), according to a new study co-authored by a University of Waterloo researcher.

In February, as some people's thoughts turn towards romance, what does it take to keep a relationship strong? Dr. Joanne Wood, distinguished professor emerita in Psychology, explains how one's self-esteem plays a role.

How does low self-esteem impact relationships?

You can mend a broken heart this Valentine’s Day now that researchers invented a new hydrogel that can be used to heal damaged heart tissue and improve cancer treatments.  

University of Waterloo chemical engineering researcher Dr. Elisabeth Prince teamed up with researchers from the University of Toronto and Duke University to design the synthetic material made using cellulose nanocrystals, which are derived from wood pulp. The material is engineered to replicate the fibrous nanostructures and properties of human tissues, thereby recreating its unique biomechanical properties.

Waterloo-based deep tech startup AdHawk Microsystems recently launched MindLink Air™, everyday glasses that can read its wearer’s eye health and cognitive state using research-grade, camera-free eye-tracking technology. Its real-time insights help the wearer adjust their daily routine to improve productivity and avoid mental fatigue.  

Driven by its founders’ desire to help people, AdHawk is a local success story that exemplifies Waterloo’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

“The world continues to face compounding major crises, and education and research are essential to ensuring society is equipped to tackle these challenges head-on,” said Vivek Goel, University of Waterloo’s president and vice-chancellor, in his opening address at the Global Futures 2024 launch event on January 31. 

Waterloo researchers and entrepreneurs are committed to finding and addressing the world’s most pressing challenges with a multi-disciplinary approach. Goel added that in order to achieve this vision, we must start by thinking globally and acting locally. 

An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Waterloo has developed a more trustworthy method to diagnose diseases such as COVID-19, pneumonia, and melanoma using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Waterloo engineering professor Alexander Wong teamed up with other researchers from the university, McGill University, and the National Research Council of Canada to develop a new method to support doctors by enhancing computer-aided diagnosis through deep learning.

Recent studies have suggested that firefighters are three times more likely to die of cancer than the general population. This is partly attributed to their gear, which contains polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), a large group of chemicals that are used in many applications, and often elevates the risk to cancer.