The two projects are among only听13 selected from across Canada to receive up to听.

鈥淲e are proud that 91亚色 has been awarded an unprecedented two NSERC CREATE grants this year, and grateful for the continued support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council. The CREATE grants will enable us to strengthen our contribution to Canada鈥檚 economic and environmental sustainability by preparing students for in-demand careers in space robotics and applied biotechnology. We are pleased to have this opportunity to bring industry, government and researchers together to train future leaders in these growing sectors,鈥� said 91亚色 President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton.

Each of the 91亚色 projects will receive more than $1.6 million through the CREATE program鈥檚 Industrial Stream. The projects will offer students from the undergraduate to post-doctoral level, the opportunity to learn from industry, government, and researchers across many disciplines, in both academic and non-academic settings. 

鈥�91亚色 is delighted to see Lassonde Professors Satinder Kaur Brar and Zheng Hong (George) Zhu each awarded an NSERC CREATE grant, the total value of which is over $3 million,鈥� said Vice-President Research & Innovation听Amir Asif. 鈥淣SERC鈥檚 investment will address significant scientific challenges associated with Canada鈥檚 research priorities; facilitate the transition of new researchers from trainees to productive employees in the Canadian workforce; and support the creation of new knowledge and scientific scholarship in our country and beyond. We greatly appreciate NSERC鈥檚 continued support and recognition of the work of our researchers.鈥�

Smart Autonomous Robotic Technology for Space Exploration (SMART-ART)听will be led by听, 91亚色 Research Chair in Space Technology in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering. Canada鈥檚 contribution to the NASA Lunar Gateway project, Lunar Gateway Robotics, has created a surge in demand for highly qualified personnel with smart space robotics training. The SMART-ART program will offer experiential industry-oriented training to undergraduates, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, including industrial internships, research lab rotations, international exchanges and conferences. In doing so, it will help to address three challenges in the Canadian space sector: a shortage of professionals with multidisciplinary skill sets related to Artificial Intelligence, Computer Vision, and Autonomous Robotics for space exploration; an aging workforce with an average age of 54; and gender inequality in the field. Zhu will lead a team with members and partners from Canadian and international universities, the private sector, the Canadian Space Agency and National Research Council. Many colleagues from 91亚色 will take part, including four co-applicants from the Lassonde School of Engineering and Osgoode Hall Law School and 10 collaborators from the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Earth and Space Science and Engineering. The CREATE project will use equipment including robotics, 3D Lidar system and a space environment chamber funded through a Canada Foundation for Infrastructure听.

Training in Applied Biotechnology for Environmental Sustainability (TABES)听will be led by听Professor听, James and Joanne Love Chair in Environmental Engineering at the Lassonde School of Engineering. Most of the 2.7 kg of waste each Canadian generates daily is organic and, along with waste from the forest industry, can be transformed into high-value bioproducts such as enzymes, biopolymers and biofuels for application in agricultural, environmental, bioremediation, nanotechnology, bioenergy and biochemicals sectors. This waste management shift to products that are much more valuable than traditional products such as compost and biogas could reduce carbon footprint and achieve a circular bioeconomy for future generations. Technologies derived from residual waste biomass are expected to increase exponentially in the coming years, creating growing demand for highly qualified professionals. Students trained through the TABES program will be provided with a mix of theoretical and practical knowledge with exposure to real-world situations and will incorporate unique skills and competence related to interdisciplinary experience (science-engineering interface); psychrophilic microorganism isolation and related processes (very important in the changing climate context); big data analytics and machine learning interface; First Nation engagement and exchange; retrofit advantages and challenges (learned through pilot plant facilities); and living laboratory off-campus experience (enriched through North-South interconnections). Four 91亚色 co-applicants from the Lassonde School of Engineering and two from Faculty of Science will take part in the project, with partners from other universities and research institutes and the private sector.听

Courtesy of YFile.

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The students will be working on various research projects alongside Lassonde faculty members for the duration of the summer term. 鈥淔or many of us, summer encounters with research can be the spark that ignites a lifelong passion for inquiry in engineering and science,鈥� says Lassonde Professor听, associate dean, Research and Graduate Studies. 鈥淕etting to experience how world-class research is actually done provides our students with a sense of accomplishment and the confidence that they, too, can make a contribution to advance knowledge and solve global problems.鈥�

This year, the Lassonde School of Engineering awarded 17 NSERC USRA and 45 LURA, with each student receiving a minimum stipend of $10,000. Incoming students include representatives from programs across the Lassonde School of Engineering and 91亚色 as well as the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo and McGill University.

The undergraduate summer research program focuses on providing undergraduate students with experience in a professional research environment and giving them a chance to take part in experiential education. In 2021, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, students have embarked on meaningful research experiences with the faculty members across all four departments. This year, students are conducting much of their work remotely, but some may be able to access campus facilities to conduct laboratory research, depending on regulations.

鈥淭hanks to LURA, I had the opportunity to participate in research as an undergraduate student. This opportunity helped me see how curiosity, collaboration and creative problem-solving can be integral parts of the research process,鈥� said听Arma Khan, a student in the 2020 LURA program, now an MASc student in mechanical engineering with Professor听. 鈥淚t led me to appreciate the role researchers have in the scientific community and inspired me to pursue my master's, where I can further delve into research.鈥�

This year, professors have worked tirelessly to provide students with flexible opportunities for engagement and create research environments for students to hone their skills, solve problems, analyze data, write reports and disseminate their findings.

The research projects span across a variety of areas, many of which support the  (UN SDGs), including UN SDG 3 鈥� Good Health and Well-Being; UN SDG 9 鈥� Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; and UN SDG 11 鈥� Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Research projects include:

• protecting heritage structures from climate and fire;
• robot-based disinfection of COVID-19;
• development of autonomous vehicles;
• technology to ensure safety of drinking water; and
• human-computer interaction in virtual environments

In August, each student will get the opportunity to present their findings at the 2021 Summer Undergraduate Conference taking place virtually on Aug. 17.

In , the Summer Undergraduate Conference included live oral and pre-recorded video presentations from over 60 students, and a keynote address from Caroline Floyd (BSc 鈥�01). Attendees included government officials, professors, industry experts and students.

Learn more about the program听.

Courtesy of YFile.

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, a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Lassonde School of Engineering at 91亚色, is working to tackle the spread of plastics in aquatic systems where the decomposition of plastics is having a major impact on aquatic health.

Karimpour has received a Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Alliance Option 2 Grant, totalling $493,400 over five years to help tackle this growing problem through the project, 鈥淗idden microplastics of the Niagara Basin: distribution, variability, and ecotoxicology in water and sediments.鈥� Karimpour is working with Professors  and  from 91亚色, as well as Professors Tirupati Bolisetti and Ram Balachandar from the University of Windsor.

The team is researching the physical processes that lead to the transport and ecotoxicology of microplastics across the Niagara Basin of Lake Ontario as well as two rivers in the Greater Toronto Area. In a unique approach, the researchers are combining numerical simulations, field sampling and laboratory experiments to tackle the problem from multiple angles. Ultimately, their goal is to develop an understanding of how currents, gravity and weathering influence the transport of microplastics in aquatic environments, and how this impacts aquatic life. The research team has partnered with the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (Environmental Monitoring & Reporting Branch), Environment and Climate Change Canada (Watershed Hydrology and Ecology Research Division) and Pollution Probe to conduct this research.

The transport of plastic debris by storm drains, wastewater and windage into rivers allows plastics to enter large bodies of water, such as the Great Lakes. Plastic decomposition can take centuries, and this is exacerbated in freshwater and marine systems. As a result, plastics remain in aquatic environments far beyond their urban and industrial lifespan. In freshwater and marine ecosystem, plastics are widespread and found in the deepest sea sediments and remote Arctic waters.

Microplastics are plastic pieces smaller than 5mm in size. Some microplastics are directly manufactured for use in clothing, cosmetics or household products, and others are the by-product of the breakdown of larger plastic debris. In the last decade, microplastics have been recognized as emerging pollutants due to their impact on both aquatic animals and human health.

鈥淲hat we see as visible, floating plastic debris on water surface is really only the tip of the iceberg. Existing research confirms that plastics, especially microplastics, are spread across all water bodies, including Lake Ontario. Pieces of a discarded plastic bottle in Toronto, can potentially end up in sediments a hundred meters deep in the Great Lakes or travel thousands of kilometers in the water to a distant area,鈥� said Karimpour.

In 2017,  that 10,000 tonnes of plastics enter the Great Lakes every year. The plastics in these aquatic environments not only impact the water quality but are also consumed by many forms of aquatic life and later work their way up the food chain. Estimates indicate that floating microplastics on water surfaces only account for a small portion of this pollution and the overwhelming majority of these emerging contaminants are hidden within aquatic systems in water columns and sediments. Identifying and improving the detection, distribution and environmental impact of microplastic pollution is of utmost importance.

This NSERC Alliance Option 2 grant builds on a previous  awarded to Karimpour in 2020, for the project titled 鈥淭he Fate and Transport of Microplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems: Synthesis and Directions for Future Research.鈥� This funding is also in partnership with Kaur Brar, as well as the National Research Council of Canada. As part of this work, Karimpour presented at the SSHRC Imagining Canada鈥檚 Future Forum in April 2021.

The NSERC Alliance Option 2 grant awarded to Karimpour is a first for 91亚色.  fund collaborations of university researchers and partner organizations in multiple sectors. The Alliance Option 2 grants are funded up to 100 per cent by NSERC and are awarded specifically for research aiming to address a societal challenges.

Courtesy of YFile.

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The  initiative was created to strengthen interdisciplinary research in areas of strategic importance to the University. The program will provide funding to selected research clusters to support globally leading research excellence that will offer world-class training opportunities for high-calibre personnel. It is also intended to serve as a catalyst to secure future large-scale follow-on funding, through federal, provincial or other external research funding programs, including the Canada Excellence Research Chairs, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund and the New Frontiers in Research Fund Transformation stream. In doing so, this new initiative will scale the development of research teams and clusters to position the University as a key node in national and international networks in strategic areas of interest. It will also enable impactful contributions towards the University鈥檚 Strategic Research Plan, the University Academic Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Eligibility

For the purpose of this initiative, an interdisciplinary project is defined as one that crosses the mandate of at least two of the three federal research funding councils (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) and includes members from at least two Faculties, while a cluster must include a team of at least five researchers, one of whom must be an early career researcher.

Early career researchers are defined as individuals who, as of 2021, have five years or less experience since their first academic appointment, with the exception of career interruptions (e.g. maternity or parental leave, extended sick leave, clinical training and family care) that occurred after their appointment. For all leaves, except professional leaves (such as training-related, sabbatical and administrative-related leaves), the five-year window is extended by twice the time interruption taken.

Research themes

The program will provide funding for a limited number of projects across select thematic areas, including: artificial intelligence and society; digital cultures and fintech; disaster and health emergency; global health; and many more.

To learn more about the specific themes and details to submit a proposal, including the adjudication and reporting process, view the PDF of the call for submissions at .

Key dates and contact information

• The deadline to submit a notice of intent is June 7 by 4:30 p.m.
• Full proposals (by invitation only) are due July 30 by 4:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Mark Roseman, director, Strategic & Institutional Research Initiatives (SIRI), Office of Research Services, at roseman@yorku.ca.

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鈥�91亚色 is delighted to see Lassonde Professor Gunho Sohn and Science Professor Derek Wilson awarded NSERC CRD Grants,鈥� said Rui Wang, interim vice-president research & innovation. 鈥淭hese grants will expand the scope of research undertaken at 91亚色, foster dynamic interaction between discovery-based and innovative research, and allow the research results to be translated into new knowledge, products or processes.鈥�

Sohn鈥檚 project uses artificial intelligence to update Canada鈥檚 infrastructure

Gunho Sohn

Sohn was awarded a grant worth $1,024,000, from NSERC, for his project. Additional cash and in-kind contributions made from industrial partners were also significant: the total cash contribution is approximately about $1.5 million ($1,536,000 total; $512,000 from Teledyne Optech) and $1 million in-kind contribution ($1,048,146). Total funding is $2.5 million over four years.

This project seeks to update Canada鈥檚 critical infrastructure 鈥� the independent network of utilities, transportation and facilities. Although Canada is the second-largest country in the world (in terms of area), with the world鈥檚 10th largest economy, one-third of its infrastructure is in need of a significant update. In collaboration with Teledyne Optech, Sohn鈥檚 project will develop an advanced data processing system using a specific type of artificial intelligence (AI), called deep neural network, which has recently achieved remarkable success in computer and robotic vision and machine learning.

鈥淭his work will allow for the autonomous recognition of infrastructure assets using high-quality 3D models of critical networks, thus contributing to the field of infrastructure management and improving urban sustainability as a whole,鈥� Sohn explains.

Importantly, this project will also train highly qualified personnel and, in this way, will contribute to Canadian industries and the fields of AI technologies, infrastructure management, urban planning, and 3D mobile mapping systems.

Wilson鈥檚 project will accelerate the development of new therapeutics

Derek Wilson

Wilson was awarded a grant worth $1,040,000 from NSERC, for his project: The Technology-Enhanced Biopharmaceuticals Development and Manufacturing (TEnBioDev) initiative. With additional cash and 听in-kind contributions from industry, the total funding comes to $2.2 million over four years.

This project is aimed at the implementation of new Canadian bioanalytical technologies to accelerate pre-clinical development and enable precision manufacturing of protein therapeutics. The initiative links platforms developed by Canadian instrument manufacturer SCIEX, through unique technologies, methods and expertise held primarily at 91亚色 to the drug development pipelines of Canada鈥檚 research-active biopharmaceuticals companies Sanofi Pasteur, Treventis and Immunobiochem.

鈥淧rotein therapeutics have numerous advantages over conventional drugs, most stemming from the fact that they can be precisely directed at their intended molecular targets, even in the exceedingly complex environment of the cell. This makes protein therapeutics both highly potent and generally less prone to side-effects,鈥� Wilson explains.

This work has huge implications for vaccines 鈥� the majority of which are protein therapeutics. The听total market for protein therapeutics extends well into the hundreds of billions annually, says Wilson.

鈥淏eing home to a number of international leaders in protein therapeutics development and innovative biotech startups, Canada is well positioned to achieve and maintain a global leadership position in this industry,鈥� he says.

CRD Grants are intended to:

• Create collaborations among Canadian universities and private and/or public sector partners that lead to advancements that, in turn, result in economic, social or environmental benefits for Canada;
• Provide an enhanced experiential learning environment for graduate students and postdoc fellows; and
• Allow partners to access the unique knowledge, expertise, infrastructure and potential highly educated and skilled future employees graduating from Canadian universities.

Both grants were announced in October 2019. To learn more about Wilson, visit the , or his . To learn more about Sohn, visit his or his .

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Mosquitoes (specifically,听Aedes aegypti)听carry a variety of pathogens causing diseases including Zika, Yellow Fever, Chikungunya and Dengue Fever 鈥� the latter being the most widespread disease in humans infecting more than 500 million people every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

91亚色 graduate student David Rocco, supervised by Faculty of Science biology Professor Jean-Paul Paluzzi, led a team of researchers that included academics from Brazil鈥檚 S茫o Paulo State University, in some groundbreaking research in this area.

Aedes aegypti, a vector of several tropical diseases including Yellow Fever

Traditional research has focused on female mosquitoes (they bite), but this group of researchers took an unconventional approach by studying males (they don鈥檛 bite). What the team discovered led them to conclude that influencing male fertility (by decreasing sperm yield) could possibly, one day, lead to the development of novel approaches and the improvement of existing pest control strategies aimed at lessening the burden of these medically important vectors of disease.

The compelling results of this research, which funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, were published in听Frontiers in Physiology听(2019).

Rocco sits down with听Brainstorm听to discuss his work.

Q:听Tell us about your work in the Paluzzi lab.

A:听My research in the Paluzzi lab looks at vectors of disease 鈥� ticks, mites, mosquitoes predominantly. The driving notion behind it is: If we could better understand mosquito biology, then it could possibly help design targets for pest control research.

In biology, there are two main systems that function to regulate the body: the nervous system and the endocrine system, which are hormones. In this way, humans and mosquitoes are quite similar.

We鈥檙e essentially asking: By targeting different aspects of biology, including hormones, can we design novel pest control strategies or identify novel targets? Can we design something that will target this [some specific] hormone in this [some specific] species of mosquito and thereby reduce transmission?

Q:听What were your objectives?

A:听My research focused on a specific glycoprotein hormone in the mosquito: GPA2/GPB5. Hormones are often named after what they do in the body, but we don鈥檛 yet know what this one does. My objective was to determine what this hormone does in mosquitoes to better understand its function.

I was looking for where the receptor is for this hormone. Receptors are activated by specific hormones, released through the bloodstream, similar to a lock and key. So, I looked at the location of the receptor to learn more about the hormone.

Q:听Is this original research?

A:听The male mosquito reproductive system is very understudied. That said, most research in this area is about releasing sterilized males (whose sperm is not functioning) into the wild. If you breed thousands of sterilized males and you release them into the wild, then they will compete with other males to mate with a female. If a female mates with a sterilized male, then she won鈥檛 reproduce since her eggs won鈥檛 be fertilized. So effectively, you鈥檒l reduce the population.

My work adds to this body of research.

Q:听What were your key findings?

I was able to determine that the hormone GPA2/GPB5 was making sperm; its function was spermatogenesis. More specifically, it helps to make the flagella, the whip-like tail at the end of the sperm. To date, we had no idea how mosquito spermatogenesis was regulated 鈥� how sperm is made, controlled by things like the nervous system.

So, when I found out that this receptor plays a role in regulating the development of sperm, that was a really exciting find. The next question is: Could this hormone be used in the future? Could it be a target to sterilize males?

Q:听How could this new knowledge inform policy or pest control strategies in the future?

A:听We don鈥檛 make policy or draft strategy. In the lab, we provide the research, the evidence. Others, perhaps with Level 3 Containment facilities, can build on what we鈥檝e done. [This refers to the biosafety level of labs required to isolate dangerous biological agents in an enclosed facility. The highest level is 4.] These facilities could go online, read our research paper and be able to follow up with any implications, applications and strategies for pest control.

Q:听What is the current best practice to control mosquitoes?

A:听Bed nets, sleeping with a large net over your bed. The approach is limited. You still get bit, you still get disease transmission.

Q: Could this research have a global impact in that it could inform future efforts to eradicate听Dengue Fever听or other deadly viruses? 听

A:听Yes, this species transmits at least four viruses. Zika鈥檚 not even the most prevalent or deadly. The prevalent diseases, especially in South America, are Yellow Fever, Chikungunya and Dengue Fever. The number of reported cases of Dengue in 2018 alone, was over half a million according to WHO.

To date, this particular mosquito that transmits these diseases has not established itself in Canada, but could it? With global climate change creating warmer and more humid environments, these populations could migrate.

My research could also be applied to other species of mosquitoes, such as the ones in Ontario that are transmitting West Nile, or to ticks, spreading Lyme Disease and more 鈥� any other vectors of disease.

Q:听How has 91亚色 supported your work?

A:听91亚色 has funded almost all of my research. If it weren鈥檛 for 91亚色, I would not have been able to undertake this work.

To read the article, titled 鈥�,鈥� visit the听. To visit Paluzzi鈥檚 lab, go听. To see his Faculty profile page, visit the听.听

To learn more about Research & Innovation at 91亚色, follow us at听; watch our new听, which profiles current research strengths and areas of opportunity, such as Artificial Intelligence and Indigenous futurities; and see the听, a glimpse of the year鈥檚 successes.

By Megan Mueller, senior manager, Research Communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, 91亚色,听muellerm@yorku.ca

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Caputo recently received a $450,000 Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) Grant with Toronto startup Inkbox to study molecules to improve semi-permanent tattoo technology.

Christopher Caputo. Photograph by B.D. Colen, Faculty of Science communicator in residence

NSERC contributed $300,000, while Inkbox is pitching in an additional $150,000 over three years.

The partnership is expected to result not only in more colour choices, but also potentially new molecules that the team will develop from scratch using natural chemicals from fruits and vegetables. Currently, only one colour, a blue/black, is available for semi-permanent tattoos.

鈥淭his is fun, exciting, fundamental science,鈥� said Caputo, who will work with Postdoctoral Fellow Sanjay Manhas and MSc students Fiona Jeeva and Lucas Torres. 鈥淥nce we have a better understanding of how the current molecules interact with the skin 鈥� specifically how they bind to and dye the skin 鈥� we can use this knowledge to build new molecules with different colour properties but the same bonding capability.鈥�
鈥淭he tattoos actually change the colour of your skin,鈥� said Caputo, who worked at Inkbox before coming to 91亚色, and tested a bunch of first-application tattoos on his own skin.

Inkbox is looking forward to the results. 鈥淭he collaboration with 91亚色 enabled by the CRD allows Inkbox to leverage the talents of top researchers to pursue new products, new intellectual property and to access valuable scientific expertise,鈥� said Ian Mallov, a research chemist at Inkbox. 鈥淎s one of Canada鈥檚 25 fastest growing companies, having top personnel and access to great research facilities will allow Inkbox鈥檚 research and development to keep driving our growth.鈥�

Semi-permanent tattoos last anywhere from one to three weeks depending on the person鈥檚 skin. 鈥淭hat means there are no regrets,鈥� said Caputo. 鈥淣o one is stuck with a tattoo design they no longer like or want forever.鈥�

Many people get semi-permanent tattoos as a trial run for a permanent one. This way, they can experiment until they decide on the design, size and location they prefer. And, unlike the peel, wet and stick variety of tattoos kids may be familiar with, Inkbox works with a specific molecule in a common South American fruit that is not only edible but binds to the skin to create a real semi-permanent tattoo.

One of the advantages of collaborating on the research with Inkbox is it allows graduate students and postdocs to get real-world experience and to witness their research in action.

鈥淚t鈥檚 great that startups can leverage university expertise,鈥� said Caputo. 鈥淚t gives students a unique opportunity. Chemistry can be quite abstract, so this is a way to bring it to life to solve practical problems. It takes fundamental chemistry and creates a product in a retail environment where thousands of people can access it.鈥�

Courtesy of YFile.

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The project being funded, 鈥淩ebooting Infant Pain Assessment,鈥� could give voice to preterm infants鈥� subjective experiences of pain, despite their inability to speak. The study will use machine learning to exponentially improve neonatal intensive care unit practice.

Pillai Riddell is the principal investigator (PI), with Professors Steven Wang (co-PI, Faculty of Science) and Aijun An (co-investigator, Lassonde School of Engineering) and Ian Stedman (Osgoode Hall Law School). Pillai Riddell is leading a team of 16 individuals across two countries and six sites. This is a highly collaborative international venture and it exemplifies cross-Faculty collaboration at 91亚色.

Left to right: Principal investigator Rebecca Pillai Riddell (Health), Co-principal investigator Steven Wang (Science), Co-investigator Aijun An (Lassonde School of Engineering) and researcher Ian Stedman (Osgoode Hall Law School)

鈥淭he AI (artificial intelligence) component in this project is important because it is enabling us to use continuous brain activity in a proposed clinical pain assessment application 鈥� to our knowledge, that鈥檚 a first anywhere in the world,鈥� says Pillai Riddell. 鈥�91亚色鈥檚 partnership with UCL (University College London) and McMaster University in this venture is a fantastic synergy of our combined expertise of behavioural and biological infant distress responses. I am thrilled to then be able to take our health content knowledge and take it to the next level with cutting-edge 91亚色 U artificial intelligence scientists in two sector-leading neonatal intensive care units 鈥� one in Canada (Mount Sinai) and one in the U.K. (University College London Hospital).

鈥淢oreover, this special Tri-Council opportunity inspired us to invite new social scientists at Osgoode Hall Law School (Ian Stedman) and University of Calgary to explore the ethical and social implications of computer-assisted clinical decision-making,鈥� she adds.

Desperate need for a better way forward for infant pain assessment

The need is great. Unmanaged pain in hospitalized infants has serious long-term complications. However, to manage pain, one must have accurate infant pain assessment. Infants cannot self-report their pain and current infant pain assessment tools used by health professionals have major problems because of the lack of specificity of current tools and bias in the caregivers who use these scales.

The researchers believe they have found a path towards a solution. 鈥淥ur international team of knowledge users and health/natural science/engineering/social science researchers have come together to build a machine learning algorithm that will learn how to discriminate invasive and non-invasive distress,鈥� Pillai Riddell explains.

Importantly, this will be the first time brain activity in infants is being considered in a potential clinical pain assessment tool

Three hundred babies and their mothers will be studied

A sample of 300 preterm infants and their mothers will be involved during a routine painful procedure. Pain indicators, such as facial grimacing, heart rate, brain electrical activity and oxygen levels will be used to train the algorithm to discriminate between the different types of distress.

鈥淭he complexity of pain requires a machine learning solution that is capable of modelling individual patterns of brain, behaviour and physiology during pain,鈥� Pillai Riddell explains.

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The Internet of Things (IoT) could, very soon, become even more of a land of opportunity for hackers 鈥� this statement was explained and supported in new research undertaken by Lassonde School of Engineering Professor Natalija Vlajic and her undergraduate student Daiwai Zhou, and published in IEEE Computer magazine鈥檚 special 2018 issue on cybertrust.

The researchers discovered how botnets composed exclusively of IoT devices could make cyberattacks on distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) much easier for cybercriminals. Webcams with little to no firewall protection are vulnerable, the researchers emphasize.

The stakes are high. DDoS attacks are considered one of the most serious threats to the operation of individual organizations and businesses, as well as to the stability of the entire internet. Vlajic presses for action against the tsunami of IoT-based DDoS attacks anticipated to arrive in the coming years.

Vlajic sits down with Brainstorm to discuss this research, which was funded by the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the implications and possible impact of these findings. She brings to the table a vast knowledge in IoT, computer security, user privacy, machine learning, data mining, sensor networks and mobile communications.

Q: What were the objectives of this research? What motivated you to investigate this, and why now?

A: Any research on any malware and device vulnerability is always current because there鈥檚 always new malware coming, and new vulnerabilities being discovered and exploited by hackers. It鈥檚 like a cat-and-mouse game. The more defences we have, the more the hackers press to build even stronger malware. Cybersecurity research will always be current.

What motivated us was the kind of attack called denial of service (DDoS), where there鈥檚 a bunch of compromised devices (鈥渂ots鈥�) under the control of the hacker and being instructed to send a great deal of traffic, an avalanche, to jam the bandwidth.

The biggest DDoS attack occurred in 2016. Here, the rate of traffic surpassed one terabyte per second, which is huge. And this time, unlike in the past, the compromised devices were not the traditional desktops, laptops and mobile devices, which have antiviruses installed, firewalls and infrastructure to protect them. Instead, the 2016 attack was conducted by means of IoT devices 鈥� meaning, any device that鈥檚 not your typical device, such as a laptop, intended for direct human use. IoT devices run in the background and indirectly collect information. A webcam or a digital video recorder (DVR) are good examples. Importantly, these devices don鈥檛 have enough defence mechanisms like a laptop would, for example, because they鈥檙e too young. They鈥檙e really a sweet target for hackers.

Q: How did you undertake this research?

A: This research was conducted from our own computers 鈥� mine and a few students鈥�. We stress-tested IoT devices in two phases. In phase one, we looked at IP (Internet Protocol) cameras and IoT devices of interest. In phase two, we repeated the phase one devices but expanded to IP or webcams and DVRs. We focused on webcams and DVRs because these constituted 80 to 90 per cent of the devices that were compromised and deployed in the 2016 Mirai attack. We were looking at their general deployment characteristics and whether they can be used as an indirect aid to hackers in an attack.

Each phase was eight weeks of continuous traffic probation of these devices. One phase was in the fall of 2017; the other was in winter and spring 2018.

Q: What were the key findings?

A: We found that there are IoT search engines, similar to Google, which provide IP addresses and how to access them. These search engines are free, in most cases, and available to anyone. This means that any hacker who knows a vulnerability in any type of camera will no longer have to snoop around or do reconnaissance. This search engine, in a matter of milliseconds, gives the IP addresses of these vulnerable devices. Hackers now bypass a few key, time-consuming steps.

For example, if I have a webcam monitoring my house on a public IP address from Rogers, then it could be easily accessed by hackers. In our study, we found this to be the case 60 per cent of the time. These devices are evidently operating without any protection, no firewall.

Q: What kind of impact could this have on businesses, individuals, globally?

A: 听This could be dangerous for all of us. Any hackers 鈥� politically or economically motivated 鈥� could reach these devices and use them to attack hospitals, water systems, a university or individual. We should all be really concerned.

Finding these vulnerable devices, which could be used by anyone for any purpose, should be paramount for all of us. Cybersecurity affects everyone.

Q: What would you recommend to fix this problem? What parties should play an active role in prevention?

A: Manufacturers of these IoT devices need to make sure that they have defences built into the devices, to make them safe. The government should introduce policies to make sure that these devices are tested for all known vulnerabilities before being put into the market, and the devices have mechanisms for easy patching. Also, end users should employ due diligence to make sure that their device is not abused against them or someone else.

To read the original article, 鈥淚oT as a Land of Opportunity for DDoS Hackers,鈥� in IEEE听Computer (2018), visit the website. To learn more about Vlajic鈥檚 research, visit her .

To learn more about Research & Innovation at 91亚色, follow us at , watch the and see the .

By Megan Mueller, senior manager, research communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, 91亚色, muellerm@yorku.ca

The post Things just got a whole lot easier for cybercriminals, new research reveals appeared first on Research & Innovation.

Existing research suggests that higher levels of mercury in fish consumed by people may harm an unborn baby or young child鈥檚 developing nervous system, and concentrated forms of mercury are toxic. Under the supervision of biology Professor Sapna Sharma, 91亚色 Research Chair in Global Change Biology, MSc student Miranda Chen worked with BSc student Lianna Lopez and the sportfish contaminant group at the Ontario Ministry of the Environment & Climate Change听(MOECC) to add to this knowledge. They undertook some pressing research on increasing mercury levels in southern Ontario鈥檚 top predator fishes.

鈥淲e wanted to evaluate fish mercury trends under multiple stressors and to improve our understanding of how intricate climatic processes can impact fish mercury levels,鈥� Chen explained.

The researchers discovered that a combination of weather, climate and mercury emissions were responsible for rising mercury levels in predatory fishes.

鈥淚dentifying the role of climate on increasing fish mercury levels is crucial, particularly in light of decreasing mercury emissions,鈥� Sharma emphasizes. 鈥淚t provides a way for us to assess how changing multiple environmental stressors may impact health of wildlife and humans consuming fish.鈥�

This research was funded by the Natural Science & Engineering Research Council. The findings were published in听Environmental Research听(2018).

Why is mercury on the rise after decades of decline?

The idea that there is mercury in the fishes that Ontarians consume is not new. By the 1970s, we knew that this heavy metal was in fishes, and that this was likely caused by elevated industrial emissions such as coal-fired power plants.

Between the 1970s and 2011, as a result of stricter government regulations, mercury emissions declined in North America. But since 2011, they have once again begun to rise. Why is this happening? Sharma and her team believed that this suggests that other factors might be at play. After all, mercury levels in fish can vacillate based on the size or acidity of the lake, the temperature of the water etc. They sought to untangle the potential causes to find the primary cause. More specifically, the study had two primary objectives:

• to examine how mercury levels in Ontario鈥檚 top predator fish have changed between historical and recent time periods; and
• to investigate how local weather, large-scale climate drivers, and local/global mercury emissions are potentially driving fish mercury trends over time.

鈥淭his is one of few studies exploring the changes in fish mercury levels across a large landscape and interacting multiple environmental stressors, including climate change and atmospheric pollution,鈥� Chen said.

To do this, the team examined the relationship between mercury trends and three things:

• local weather;
• large-scale climate drivers; and
• mercury emissions in cool water (for walleye and northern pike) and in warm water (for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass) in both historical (1970-92) and recent (1993-2014) time periods.

The team hypothesized that increases in fish mercury levels over time may more recently be attributed to changes in climate, specifically increases in precipitation events and temperature.

Researchers gather data from variety of sources and records

Total fish mercury measurements were obtained from the MOECC鈥檚 Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program, which has collected data from the 1970s. Fish samples were collected in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry (MNRF) during late summer or early fall using a variety of methods, including gill netting, trap netting, electrofishing and angling. Climate and emissions variables were obtained from multiple open-access data sources.

Next, the researchers analyzed the trends in the two time frames 鈥� historical (1970-92) and recent (1993-2014). Altogether, the team went through extensive research processes: 鈥淥ver 1,400 correlation analyses were conducted between predictor variables and fish mercury levels for each species per time period and lag,鈥� Chen explained.

Results corroborate existing research but push beyond

The findings corroborated previous reports that mercury levels in Ontario鈥檚 predatory fishes decreased from 1970 to 1992 鈥� again, likely due to regulations 鈥� and then increased in the past two decades.

Digging deeper, however, the team unearthed three new findings:

1. Mercury emission from industry were not the only contributor of higher fish mercury:听The recent increase in mercury levels has been attributed to increases in global mercury emissions, but the researchers found this was not the case. 鈥淪urprisingly, our results suggest that mercury emissions did not provide any significant explanatory power within the fish mercury,鈥� Chen explained.
2. Weather and climate were responsible for mercury increase: The researchers鈥� findings suggest that climate factors have become more influential on fish mercury levels in recent years. In addition to temperature, wetter months translated to increased mercury levels, due to greater runoff and soil erosion. 鈥淲ith a greater amount of mercury entering ecosystems due to increases in precipitation, mercury concentrations in the food web and, ultimately, in fish are also expected to increase,鈥� Chen said.
3. Climate drivers are key:听In this study, mercury levels were positively related with an El Ni帽o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event. ENSO is one of the greatest drivers of variation in Canadian climate. ENSO is known to influence the winter temperatures and total precipitation in Ontario, particularly the Great Lakes regions. 鈥淐hanges in climate may be an important driver in Ontario freshwater ecosystems,鈥� Sharma concludes.

Looking to the future, these researchers hope that acquiring improved data on mercury distribution and concentrations will assist modelling capabilities and the ability to predict and manage future changes.

To read the article, visit the听. To learn more about Sharma鈥檚 work, visit her lab鈥檚听.

To learn more about Research & Innovation at 91亚色, follow us at听, watch the听听and see the听.

By Megan Mueller, senior manager, research communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, 91亚色,听muellerm@yorku.ca

The post Research finds climate change contributes to rising mercury levels in fish appeared first on Research & Innovation.