$4M joint program funds 13 BC-China projects

Vancouver, BC – Thirteen collaborative projects have been chosen to receive support under the Innovation and Commercialization Strategic Development (ICSD) program. The program is a $4 million joint program developed by the British Columbia Innovation Council (BCIC) and the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). It is one of the first initiatives between the two organizations to develop opportunities in research and technology for the shared economic benefit of British Columbia and China.

“The ICSD program provides the tangible support that is crucial for British Columbia to expand its technology commercialization opportunities in collaboration with our Chinese partners,” said Cindy Lum, the program’s chair.

The projects represent a cross section of technology areas, including life sciences, information and communications, clean technology and natural resources. Recipients and projects include:

1) BC Partner: Dr Dieter Bromme, The University of British Columbia
China Partner: Dr Jifeng Wang, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
Project: Cathepsins and lung fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis is an inflammatory lung disease of increasing prevalence in China and Canada. The researchers have identified cathepsins K and S as critical enzymes in maintaining an immune response and in the homeostasis of the extracellular matrix in lung. The project will focus on the analysis of protease expression in diseased lungs and on functional aspects of the protease expression using animal models.

2) BC Partner: Dr Lukas Chrostowski, The University of British Columbia
China Partner: Dr Zigang Duan, Shenzhen University
Project: High-speed transistor microring lasers. The researchers will integrate a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) structure into Mirco-ring lasers. This integration enables the transistor-laser device to operate with much higher modulation frequency (>40 GHz) than presently possible..

3) BC Partner: Dr David Goodenough, Canadian Forest Service
China Partner: Dr Wen Hong, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Project: Development and demonstration of advanced polarimetric SAR technology for forestry applications. The project will create analysis methods with polarimetric SAR data, develop software and procedures for environmental information products, such as forest structure, classification, historical fire scar identification, and transfer technology to the project partners in support of sustainable forest management.

4) BC Partner: Dr Edward Grant, the University of British Columbia
China Partner: Mr Xuegang Shao, Nankai University
Project: Raman scattering in a clinical instrument for the diagnosis of cancer by metabolomic imaging. The project will develop a micro-Raman spectroscopic probe for the diagnosis of cancer. The study will employ a systemic chemometrics approach to the classification of biochemical samples on the basis of metabolomic markers for disease, incorporating optimal methods of standard selection, signal preprocessing and multivariate analysis.

5) BC Partner: Dr Victor Leung The University of British Columbia
China Partner: Dr Yanheng Liu Jilin University
Project: Reliable and trusted networking for data-centric wireless access with applications to vehicular telematics.

6) BC Partner: Dr Jianbing Li, University of Northern British Columbia
China Partner: Dr Yuefei Huang, Tsinghua University
Project: Development of integrated remediation technologies for petroleum contaminated soils and sludge through bio-augmentation and bio-surfactant. Through close research collaborations between the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) in Canada and Tsinghua University in China, the project is to develop novel bioremediation approaches and technologies for disposing of petroleum contaminated soils and sludge wastes through bio-augmentation and bio-surfactant.

7) BC Partner: Mr Blair McHenry, Canadian Organic Greenhouse Association
China Partner: Mr An Li Hong, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Project: Innovation in organic greenhouse production in China. The overall objective is to develop a viable growing system for total sustainable organic greenhouse production in China. The project will develop the growing technology, greenhouse infrastructure and nutrient and water management to achieve sustainable, high yielding, organic greenhouse production in China.

8) BC Partner: Dr Robert Rohling, The University of British Columbia
China Partner: Dr Dai Enguang, Peking University
Project: Ultrasound 3D imaging combined with MEMS-based optical coherence tomography. The cooperation project will target the development of a prototype hybrid ultrasonic imaging and Fourierdomain optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for imaging the eye.

9) BC Partner: Dr Ken Shi, Dr Steven Holdcroft, National Research Council Canada &
Simon Fraser University
China Partner: Dr Yongming Zhang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Project: Development of low cost perfluorosulfonic (PFSA) ionomer membranes. The project’s objective is to develop a low cost proton exchange membrane for the manufacture of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. A sub-task of the project is the development of proton exchange membranes with improved durability and performance.

10) BC Partner: Dr Youmin Tang, University of Northern British Columbia
China Partner: Dr Guihua Wang, Second Institute of Oceanography
Project; Development of ocean assimilation techniques for Argo and other oceanic observations. The research aims at developing advanced ocean assimilation techniques for Argo and other oceanic observations to improve oceanic state estimate, thereby significantly improve our capability in modeling and predicting ocean and climate.

11) BC Partner: Dr Haijiang Wang, National Research Council Canada
China Partner: Dr Jianxin Ma, Shanghai Tongji University
Project: Contamination effects and durability studies of PEM fuel cells. The project is aiming, by combining the expertise and resources of NRC-IFCI, UBC and Shanghai Tongji University, to carry out research on the PEM fuel cell durability issue to provide BC fuel cell industries the essential knowledge to solve the durability problem and to make PEM fuel cell commercial products.

12) BC Partner: Dr Adam Wei, Dr Hamish Kimmins, The University of British Columbia
China Partner: Dr Jiang Hong, Zhejiang Forestry University
Project: Application of FORECAST software to assess sustainable productivity and carbon sequestration in major. The project uses BC technology, an ecosystem model, FORECAST developed at UBC over 20 years, to determine the best forest management strategies for several forests in China.

13) BC Partner: Dr Yongyuan Yin, Environment Canada
China Partner: Mr Jiafu Lei, State Forest Administration
Project: Development of the Chinese National Sustainable Forest Management Systems and the National Forest Certification Standard. This project led by UBC and the State Forestry Administration will develop effective, market-based mechanisms for achieving sustainable forest management..

More details about each project are available at www.bcinnovationcouncil.com/database/img_4834b96d1d006.pdf.