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 | NID |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Dr. Lim developed Selective Catalytic Reduction Controllers for diesel engines using gain-scheduling and preview control techniques to minimize nitrogen oxides and ammonia. He conducted simulation tests using experimentally obtained data, and demonstrated improved control performance under model parameter uncertainty and sensor noise. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Zhang studied how cancer cells resist treatment in ovarian cancer, one of the deadliest cancers. He showed that although the immune system helps keep this cancer at bay, some cancer cells evade immune cells and cause patient relapse. His research highlights current challenges for immune-based therapies for this cancer and how to overcome them. | Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Yang studied a special four-stranded nucleic acid structure, called the G-quadruplex, through developing new tools and methods. His collection of works provide evidence for the biological relevance and existence of these structures in living human cells. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Maclean studied the mixing times of organic molecules and water within atmospheric aerosols, and the phase state of these aerosols. This research highlighted that aerosols in Earth's lowest layer of atmosphere, the troposphere, may be solid with long mixing times of organic molecules and water, contrary to typical assumptions in global models. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Mills studied farmer decision-making and the role of their advisors to improve the welfare of dairy cows. The goal of this work is to help farmers better manage their businesses and improve the lives of the animals under their care. | Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Aljalai developed novel signaling schemes to improve the performance of 5G cellular networks and beyond. He invented the Dual Pilot Scheme and its extended version to enhance the estimation of communication channels. His research improves Quality-of-Service by advancing telecommunication systems through practical and economic engineering solutions. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Tran developed a simple, rapid, and inexpensive method for visualizing cancer cells that were labeled with various ultrabright fluorescent particles on a 3-D printed, smartphone-based imaging platform. His research demonstrates potential for applications in point-of-care diagnostic testing and personalized medicine. | Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry (PhD) |
| 2021 | Harmful soot emissions from combustion engines are sensitive to conditions inside the cylinder. Dr. Kheirkhah developed a fast-response method for characterizing the cycle-resolved variation of soot concentration and correlated this with combustion energy, demonstrating the possibility of mitigating emissions by controlling combustion variability. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Wong studied the molecular interactions involved in the function of CIC, a gene important for suppressing cancer development and progression. He discovered a mechanism that cancers utilize to destabilize CIC, findings of which have implications for drug development and improving treatment options for patients. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Kumar analyzed the non-metal fraction from the waste of printed circuit boards and the electronic waste recycling industry and showed the economic and environmental benefits of reprocessing. He proposed potentially cost-effective physical processing solutions to recycle non-metal fractions that would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Livingston studied the cell biology of cannabis glandular trichomes, which are tiny structures that produce cannabinoids such as THC and CBD. His work revealed how the trichomes develop, and how the plant cells can produce and store cannabinoids. His work provides a molecular roadmap for cannabis production in a growing Canadian industry. | Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Lecorps investigated the effects of some common stressful and painful procedures on dairy cattle welfare. He found that some procedures likely induce negative mood and that some personality traits (e.g. pessimism) may render calves more vulnerable to stressors. His work shows that more research is needed to improve the welfare of dairy cattle. | Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Ye studied the genetic architecture of strabismus, more commonly known as crossed eyes. She identified the likely causal gene in a large family with a history of strabismus, multiple biological pathways, and the involvement of the central nervous system. This research advanced the understanding of strabismus pathology and may improve patient care. | Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD) |
| 2021 | Automated activity monitors used on dairy farms help detect periods of sexual receptivity, called estrus, in lactating cows. Dr. Madureira's research demonstrated that estrous expression detected by such monitors was associated with better fertility and reduced pregnancy loss, and can help the efficiency of reproductive management in dairy herds. | Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Lefkowich designed and piloted methods for community-based digital storytelling. Using personal reflections, she illustrated how filmmakers and academics normalize, conceal, and defend racism and colonialism as best practices. To disrupt this pattern, she offered story strategies that encourage greater accountability, creativity, and bravery. | Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Ouyang showed how the number of participants needed in a clinical trial can be reduced by making use of information from outside the trial, by changing how people are assigned to the treatment groups, and by improving the way the data are analyzed. | Doctor of Philosophy in Population and Public Health (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Twa characterized the pathobiology and sequelae, or consequences, of chromosomal rearrangements in lymphoid neoplasia, which arise from cancerous lymphoid cells. | Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy (MDPhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Gomez studied the structure and dynamics of localized patterns in cellular biology using several new mathematical models, some patterns of which have applications to bulk-membrane processes. The analysis of such patterns provides insights on the phenomena being modeled and contributes to our general understanding of pattern formation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (PhD) |
| 2021 | The human intestine contains trillions of microbes. Dr. Huus studied how these intestinal bacteria respond to malnutrition, a serious global health issue. She found that malnourished gut bacteria change their metabolism and interact differently with the immune system. Understanding these differences may help to improve treatments for malnutrition. | Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. McMahen studied methods for reclaiming forest ecosystems after mining. She showed that application of fresh forest soil, proximity to undisturbed forest, and planting of specific native plant species can promote recovery of beneficial soil microbes and improve plant establishment. Her research contributes to improving reclamation best practices. | Doctor of Philosophy in Forestry (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Dormond studied the understanding and response of counsellors, police and educators to "honour"-related violence and oppression, and found that discourses of othering depict racialized communities as the cause of these acts. He provides insight for collaborative and educational frameworks to challenge the marginalization of racialized peoples. | Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Kozik examined the relationship between exercise and cognition. His research found that performance on laboratory measures of cognition was predicted by the degree to which individuals were cognitively engaged during exercise. These results suggest that actively using one's mind during exercise may offer greater benefits than exercise alone. | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Salehi developed a statistical framework that characterises and predicts how cancerous tumours evolve over time, with or without treatment at a single-cell level. His research provides insight into therapeutic strategies promoting early intervention, drug combinations and evolution-aware approaches to clinical management of human cancers. | Doctor of Philosophy in Bioinformatics (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Firmino discovered that during the immune response to cancers, a low oxygen environment develops among B cells that helps fine-tune the B cell immune response. She associated characteristics of the B cell response with overall survival in breast cancer patients. This work may help develop new biomarkers of immune responses in cancer patients. | Doctor of Philosophy in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PhD) |
| 2021 | Dr. Retallick developed methods for understanding the dynamics of charges in large arrangements of field-coupled quantum dots. These methods were used to assess the feasibility of a nanoscale computational architecture which uses silicon dangling bonds. His work will aid future development of nanostructures for compact, low-power computation. | Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD) |