Today, the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology (CBB) announced the recipients of their seed funding competition. A total of ten Waterloo professors were listed, including four researchers from the Faculty of Science. This is the second round of funding awarded under the program, which debuted last year.
The funding will support the collaboration of multi-disciplinary research teams across Waterloo faculties and departments, with the goal of propelling scientific innovation and growth, and mentoring the next generation of researchers.
The six Waterloo seed funding recipients were: engineers Arash Arami, Ning Jiang,Parsin Haji Reza, Peter Levine and Evelyn Yim as well as Robin Duncan (Kinesiology).
The four recipients from the Faculty of Science were: Vivian Choh, Todd Holyoak, David Spafford and Scott Taylor. Learn more about their projects.
New imaging technique for glaucoma
Vivian Choh (Optometry and Vision Science) and Parsin Haji Reza (Engineering)
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide that often develops over time without significant symptoms until blindness occurs in the later stages of the disease. Glaucoma alters the retinal tissue structure, physiology, metabolism, and blood perfusion. However, current imaging measurements are not as strong, and therefore, better non-invasive methods to measure retinal/ choroidal blood higher oxygen saturation and oxygen metabolism are essential for several ocular diseases.
This will be the first time a non-contact photoacoustic imaging technique will be used for imaging the eye. Their research could be critical for early detection and provide a more comprehensive picture of how glaucoma develops over time, and may lead to the development of better treatment methods of glaucoma and other ocular diseases.
Novel antibacterial pharmaceutical agents to treat infections
Todd Holyoak (Biology) and Scott Taylor (Chemistry)
The bacteria Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Streptococcus pneumoniae are listed on the World Health Organization's priority list for research and development of new antibiotics. The enzymes, imunoglobulin A1 proteases, play a role in the virulence of some of these human pathogens but relatively little is known about their structure and mechanisms.
Using x-ray crystallography, enzymekinetics and medicinal chemistry, Holyoak and Taylor will try to understand the structure-function relationship of imunoglobulin A1 proteases. Their work will lay the foundation for the development of selective inhibitors that can ultimately be used as antibiotics.
Understanding the genetics of cell and tissue development to study the progression of Rett Syndrome
David Spafford (Biology) and Evelyn Yim (Engineering)
Rett Syndrome is a rare, severe autism spectrum disorder that affects approximately 1 in 10,000 live female births. This disorder is characterized by normal postnatal development followed by a growth deceleration that impairs different organs. In 85 per cent of cases, the cause is a mutation in the gene coding for methyl CpG-binding protein. Currently, there are no treatments available for RTT patients. However, in some models the central nervous system circuits involved remain in an immature state. Inducing maturation in these areas could reverse Rett Syndrome phenotypes.
This research will examine how biophysical factors influence neuronal differentiation and maturation in healthy and Rett Syndrome cells. The researchers aim to identify the maturation response of those neurons, which may lead to a therapeutic strategy in reversing the Rett Syndrome phenotype.