Research

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 the quest to reach zero emissions by 2050, Waterloo engineering researcher Dr. Xianguo Li and Dr. Samaneh Shahgaldi from Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) are working with industry partners to develop more efficient, durable, cost-effective fuel cells.  

Dr. Sushanta Mitra is the executive director of the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN), Canada’s largest nanotechnology institute and a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering.

His research interests focus on how fluids move around in micro and nano-sized spaces with applications in energy, water and biological systems. Outside of teaching, research and administration, he is an entrepreneur leading several startups.

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.

In 2020, the negative impact of the global pandemic was particularly challenging for co-op students in their first work term. In response, Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) developed the award-winning Waterloo Experience (WE) Accelerate program to help some of the most vulnerable co-op students gain industry-driven skills and real-world experience.

When Dr. Tisha King was asked to collaborate on a research project for Black History Month, she had no idea how difficult it would be. 

King, a professor at Waterloo’s School of Accounting and Finance, joined together with Dr. Steve Salterio, a professor of accounting at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business, and Dr. Marcia Annisette, a professor and former associate dean academic at York University’s Schulich School of Business, to find and pay homage to Canada’s first Black accounting professionals. 

Ten teams of students and researchers commercializing their novel technologies have received a boost of $15,000 each from Waterloo Ventures, administered by Waterloo Commercialization Office (WatCo) and Velocity’s Up Start program.  

The teams will access funding and business advisory support to facilitate commercialization of their products, which range from advancements in cancer screening and time saving software for emergency room nurses to increased efficiencies in construction and for electric vehicles.