A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
| Year | Citation | Program |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Dr. Ding studied immune signalling pathways in plants. Part of her work represents a major breakthrough in the understanding of the perception and molecular signaling of salicylic acid, one of the most important plant immune-related phytohormones. Findings from this and other work will contribute to our better understanding of plant immune systems. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Philpott studied root decomposition and fungal communities under alternative forestry practices. He found that leaving some trees after harvest preserves fungi often found in uncut forests, and that tree coverage slows root decomposition. His work identified forestry practices that protect fungi and potentially increase soil carbon storage. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Roach explored specialized metabolite biosynthesis in two non-model plant systems. In the flower, Crocosmia, he explored the biosynthetic genes of a new potential diabetes therapeutic. In the tree, Sitka spruce, he explored the inherent plasticity and evolution of a family of terpene synthases associated with defense against pests. | Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Prouse examined the relationship between infrastructure upgrades and military police occupation in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. She found that, together, they were used to secure territory for market formalization and often resulted in racial violence. Yet favela residents were central in re-shaping these projects for their own protection and needs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Steif developed state of the art approaches to detect changes in the genomes of individual cancer cells. She then used these methods to decipher how distinct populations of cancer cells evolve over time. These approaches will enable future studies that examine how tumours respond to treatment and what leads to cancer relapses in patients. | Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. VanInsberghe developed microfluidic methods to measure the expression of microRNAs, an important class of regulatory molecule, in single cells. He subsequently applied this technology to measure microRNA expression in the blood development system, helping to refine the model for how these cells create the different blood cell types. | Doctor of Philosophy in Genome Science and Technology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Bil examined engagements between European and Maori plant sciences in nineteenth century Aotearoa New Zealand. He found that racist interpretations of Maori knowledge originated in work undertaken by scholars who lacked acquaintance with indigenous cultures and languages. This work contextualizes and helps to challenge present-day views. | Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Terpstra designed nanomaterials that mimic the unique three-dimensional organization of biological polymers. She used cellulose nanocrystals to create thin film materials with nanometer-sized helical structures. These materials have iridescent colours and were used to study the effects of nanoscale structures on sensing and catalysis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2018 | In today's ever-increasing demand for fast, energy-effecient, and accessible computer accelerators, Dr. ElTantawy proposed techniques to simplify the programming models of such complex accelerators. His findings are vital for increasing the accessibility to energy efficient accelertators in a wider application domains. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Hendry examined models of sport expertise and the related behavioral and psychological outcomes. His research findings showed expert male and female soccer players followed an early majority engagement pathway. This pathway facilitates skill acquisition and the emergence of self-determined motivation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Cheng developed a new clinically relevant experimental model of traumatic brain injury, which is now being used in different research laboratories. This new model has facilitated the study of the pathological development after concussions. This research illuminates the relationship between traumatic brain injuries and subsequent brain diseases. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Lawson studied small RNAs within the blood as an early screening system for lung cancer. His work has provided evidence that a panel of select small RNAs in the blood could be used as an indicator for the presence of lung cancer. Dr. Lawson's findings could be utilized to detect lung cancer earlier and more accurately than current methods. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Choosing from the many alternative solutions for building design and construction can be a complex undertaking. To address this, Dr. AboMoslim developed a framework for screening and evaluating skyscraper design and construction technologies. This framework contributes toward better decision-making when building skyscrapers in specific geographic areas. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Choi proposed a new hypothesis suggesting that altered cancer metabolism and secretion of lactic acid dampens the anticancer immune response. His work helps us better understand the role of lactic acid in multiple cancer-promoting processes and could lead to an effective treatment strategy for advanced prostate cancer and other malignancies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Naman studied how stream-dwelling salmon and the invertebrates they eat are influenced by physical habitat structure. He found that a combination of contrasting habitat types is required for fish to have sufficient space to live but also enough food. This work will inform efforts to conserve and restore habitat for these iconic stream fishes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Balani examined the response in tissue culture of normal and malignant human breast cells to irradiation and developed a method to analyze these cells in mice. Her findings reveal that some normal breast cells are more resistant to irradiation than others, but all generally become increasingly resistant when transformed. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Oncology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Patsa studied the overlap between geothermal and mineral resources using public information. She developed a decision-making framework that can be used to assess whether geothermal merits consideration as an energy source for a mining project. Her research demonstrates that such an assessment is possible even in the absence of specialist data. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Berard studied the experience of encountering art with the concepts of desire and assemblage from philosopher Gilles Deleuze. Arising from this research is the understanding that encountering art is a milieu of immanent ethics. It invites us into experiences of living; we never know how we will be affected and what possibilities are actualized. | Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Roth examined the role of ecological and climate factors in driving patterns of West Nile Virus incidence in western Canada using data from BC and Saskatchewan. The results of this work were used to develop a practical decision support tool to aid resource allocation and disease prevention in the BC context. | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Marchetto has devised an improved technique for designing the magnets used to separate exotic nuclei for nuclear and astrophysics experiments. This allows mass selection even for masses whose separation is as small as one part in 20,000. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2018 | Circulating tumour cells are important targets for cancer research. Dr. Park developed a technology to enrich circulating tumor cells and then isolate them for genome sequencing. She then applied this technology to sequence single circulating tumor cells from patients with prostate cancer. This work will aid with early diagnosis. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Leishmania is a disease that affects 6 million people worldwide. Dr. Colineau studied the interaction of the leishmania parasite with its white blood cell host and identified two proteins that promote parasite intracellular survival. This research could one day lead to the development of new drugs to treat leishmania infection. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Cataldi characterized a new model of Parkinson's disease. He focused on early stages and causes of the disease, with the final goal to develop new, more efficient, therapies. | Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD) |
| 2018 | An ongoing challenge in the automotive industry is controlling microporosity related defects. Dr. Fan's doctoral studies focused on porosity prediction in wheel casting and developed a method to predict hydrogen macrosegregation during solidification of the casting. This work can help increase overall quality and lower production costs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Chara studied the impacts of agriculture on freshwater ecosystems. Her experiments demonstrated that insecticide toxicity may be amplified or mitigated by other agricultural disturbances, such as fertilizer and sediment inputs. Her research will inform the development of effective strategies to protect aquatic life in agricultural landscapes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |