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. Tarzemany studied the function of a protein that mediates cell communication in wound healing in skin and oral mucosa, and its relevance for scar formation. Findings from her project may be used to develop effective and predictable therapeutic modalities to prevent and treat scars. | Doctor of Philosophy in Craniofacial Science (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Deng developed a novel strategy to treat non-small-cell lung cancer (or NSCLC) using coxsackievirus type B3 (or CVB3). His studies demonstrated that CVB3 could specifically target and kill KRAS-mutant NSCLC, a non-curable subtype, with minimal damage to normal organs. This finding will aid in the development of oncolytic virotherapy for patients unable to have surgery. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Stranger-Johannessen investigated the African Storybook, a digital initiative that promotes multilingual literacy. Findings indicated that teachers' use of stories expanded the repertoire of teaching methods and topics. The teachers began to imagine themselves as writers and translators, change agents and multimodal, multiliterate, digital educators. | Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy Education (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Lohani developed new schemes to allocate radio resources in wireless communication networks. She addressed challenges with harvesting energy from the wireless signal and from renewable energy sources. Her findings will contribute towards extending the battery life of user devices and reducing the non-renewable power consumption of network devices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Wang studied the role of the cytoskeleton in B lymphocytes, which are the antibody-producing cells of the immune system. Using advanced imaging tools, her research showed that the dynamic organization of actin and microtubules controls B cell activation. Her findings illustrate how the cytoskeleton is essential for B cell function. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Zamar studied the optimal design and planning of forest and agricultural biomass supply chains. He developed a new mathematical procedure for the design of sustainable, and cost-effective biomass supply chains. His findings aid the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources by mitigating risk in bioenergy production. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Biological Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Goffin studied the corrosion of epoxy-coated rebar in concrete and its non-destructive detection. Findings revealed insights into the mechanisms of corrosion and that it could not be reliably detected by conventional techniques. She further developed novel techniques of detection that will make our infrastructure safer and more durable. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Diabetes is caused by a loss of the insulin-producing cells found in the pancreas. By studying how the pancreas forms during fetal development, Dr. Krentz uncovered new details about how insulin producing cells form. Her research may improve methods to make replacement insulin-producing cells for those with diabetes. | Doctor of Philosophy in Cell and Developmental Biology (PhD) |
| 2018 | How can we promote informed hope as new research transitions from the bench to the bedside? Dr. Benjaminy explored the ethical challenges in the development of novel biotechnologies for degenerative diseases of the brain. This research integrates the voices of patients, clinicians, and the media to further inform the development of stem cell research in a socially minded way. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Shartau examined various vertebrate species for the presence or absence of a novel pattern of acid-base regulation. He found that numerous adult fishes and the embryos of two reptile species use this novel pattern. This research may provide insight into major evolutionary transitions in vertebrates, including the evolution of air breathing. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Farrokhi studied the field of wound healing for the development of non-rejectable wound coverage. He devised a skin substitute using a novel method to remove cells from skin while keeping the structural components in the skin scaffold relatively intact. This work has significant application in the treatment of burn injuries and chronic wounds. | Doctor of Philosophy in Experimental Medicine (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Obradovich studied how the catch on bottom longline gear changes with the number and species of fish underwater. Underwater camera observations of fish behavior and habitat around the longline hooks showed that catches for some species were not proportional to abundance. Her work will improve the scientific advice used for fisheries management. | Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Tong worked closely with community partners to conduct a study on the physical activity and mobility of foreign-born older adults in South Vancouver. Her mixed-method project was done in five languages and advances our understanding of the health behaviours of marginalized older adults who have often been excluded from academic research. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Fazel explored how doctoral students at a Canadian university attempted to publish their research. He also interviewed journal editors to seek their perspectives on the challenges facing doctoral students in getting published. This research has important implications for doctoral education and supervision. | Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching English as a Second Language (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Ochola developed materials that initiate reactions powered by sunlight. The first set converted carbon dioxide to fuel, while the second set was used for organic synthesis. Her work improves our understanding of light-driven reactions, which can be used as alternatives to current methods of preparing fuels, materials and organic compounds. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Pan explored the role that nonverbal cues can play during object handovers between robots and humans. He studied how nonverbal behaviours of both robots and humans can be used to improve the fluency, legibility and efficiency of human-robot handovers. This research illuminates how subtle gestures and cues can enrich human-robot interactions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Zheng developed a method and process to minimize sludge production in municipal biological wastewater treatment. This method reduces operational costs and environmental impacts. | Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. McGregor has characterised a new family of enzymes unique to plants and has shown how an enzyme system produced by a gut bacterium breaks down complex plant carbohydrates. These studies contribute to our understanding of both the production and digestion of plant polysaccharides. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Macdonald characterized imaging artifacts in Fourier analysis of noble metal surface states, studied with scanning tunnelling microscopy. He co-developed a new technique for nano-scale location of magnetic atoms on surfaces. These works helped researchers unravel electronic correlations in quantum materials and probe single-atom magnetism. | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Li applied Material Flow Analysis to study the structure of the forest products industry. She developed the concept of 'Apparent Industrial Input' and assessed the conversion factors to measure the wood fibre flowing through the supply chain. This will improve the use of resources and increase the socio-economic benefits of the forest products industry. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Bsoul innovated a device that can reduce the time and cost to bring new drugs to the market by automating testing drug combinations. The device also has the potential to enable new lines of research in biology, chemistry, and printable electronics. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Marinelli completed the first proof of strong (p,p)-unboundedness for the maximal directional Hilbert transform operator in all dimensions and for the range 1 < p <2. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Wiedeman focused on the essential dietary nutrient choline. She examined the association between choline intake and plasma levels at different stages of the life cycle. Her findings contribute to our knowledge about human choline nutrition and suggest that current dietary recommendations may be overestimated for infants. | Doctor of Philosophy in Human Nutrition (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Zhao investiged the role of betacellulin, a unique growth factor, in ovarian cancer proliferation and migration. This research provides new hope in treating this lethal malignancy. | Doctor of Philosophy in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences (PhD) |
| 2018 | Dr. Kharazmi studied the role of cutaneous vascular structures in skin lesions. She developed a technology to analyze cutaneous vessels and identify skin abnormalities at an early stage. Her work increases the effectiveness of screening for skin disorders, which will ultimately save lives and reduce healthcare costs. | Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering (PhD) |