Research

Being able to understand the medications you take should be a given. However, many people struggle to understand what to expect from the medications they’re taking and how to take them effectively.  

Waterloo’s clinical associate professor, Dr. Tejal Patel, has teamed up with QRxDigital to include QR codes on medication bottles that link to an instructional video that patients can view at home. This seemingly small addition makes a big impact in improving patient knowledge about their medications and ultimately increases medication adherence. 

A cross-disciplinary University of Waterloo team has developed a new contact lens material that could act as a bandage for corneal wounds while releasing drugs in a controlled manner to help the eye heal faster.

Typically, corneal abrasion patients spend seven to 10 days wearing a clear, oxygen-permeable bandage contact lens, often instilled with eyedrops containing antibiotics. However, the one-time antibiotic application makes it difficult to ensure enough drugs stay on the eye for sustained treatment.

The Ontario government recently announced funding for five University of Waterloo faculty members to advance their research projects. The announcement was made as part of an investment into Ontario-based researchers whose projects will help to create jobs, technologies and accelerate economic growth. 

The five Waterloo researchers will receive funding through the Early Researcher Awards program — a program that gives research funds to new researchers working at publicly funded Ontario research institutions to build a research team.  

Though matters of climate change, biodiversity loss and Indigenous Peoples’ health and well-being are often considered separately, the three are linked in innumerable ways. 

While people worldwide are experiencing the impacts of climate change and biodiversity losses, Indigenous Peoples are most disproportionately and acutely affected. 

Recently reported ecosystem changes and impacts on biodiversity are described as extensive, severe and dramatically declining, including aquatic, atmospheric, terrestrial and most notably, cryospheric changes. 

In 2023, the University of Waterloo Co-op Students of the Year made significant impacts including designing a new Ontario food security program, analyzing a waste collection calendar and creating a quality-of-life tool for at-risk patients.  

"Our students continue to make a tangible difference during their work terms," said Norah McRae, associate provost of Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE). "Their dedication to utilizing their work-integrated learning opportunities is inspiring. I eagerly anticipate the impact they'll continue to bring to the workforce." 

Three Awards of Excellence in Graduate Supervision were recently announced recognizing faculty members from the Faculty of Engineering, Science and Mathematics.  

“As an institution, we are committed to creating environments in which graduate students are empowered and supported as they pursue their academic, professional and personal successes,” says Jeff Casello, associate vice-president, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. 

The National Killam Program administered by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) announces Dr. Adam Wei Tsen as the recipient of the 2024 Dorothy Killam Fellowship. This prestigious honour provides $80,000 for up to two years in support for dedicated research time to scholars “whose superior, ground-breaking, best-in-class research stands to have significant impact on a national or global scale.” 

A new research centre at the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science aims to use advanced eye imaging to make breakthroughs in better understanding, diagnosing and treating eye conditions and diseases. It also aims to use the eye's unique properties to find biomarkers that could aid interdisciplinary teams in the early identification of systemic disease.

Today the Government of Canada announced that the University of Waterloo Canadian Free Electron Laser project will be getting $10 million in funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to put towards the $50+ million facility to be built on the Waterloo Campus. 

In a bid to support the improvement of health care in Canada, WatSPEED, the University of Waterloo’s professional and executive education division is launching a cutting-edge program — Leveraging AI to Improve Health Care in Canada.

Starting in May 2024, this program will equip senior leaders and executives with the knowledge and tools necessary to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) for enhancing patient outcomes and organizational success.