$750,000 supports equipment purchase for research projects in Alberta

Edmonton, AB – Alberta’s Small Equipment Grants Program helps first-time researchers set up their labs by investing in key equipment that is essential to their research activities. A new round of grants totalling $750,000 has been allocated to projects including fuel cell technology, environmental health and computer imaging technology for surgical treatment of lung cancer.

The projects are as follows:

1) Dr Jonathan W Martin, University of Alberta, total project cost: $819,602. Ultra-Trace Clean Laboratory for Environmental and Human Health Sciences – Dr Martin will use the award to equip a specialized laboratory for his research of contaminants that accumulate in the tissues of living organisms. An ultra clean laboratory will enable more accurate and precise contaminant analyses needed in health and environment studies. The findings have the potential to contribute to public policy in the area of contaminant exposure and could help ensure that regulatory decisions are based on reliable science. Grant: $183,586

2) Dr Yaoping Hu, University of Calgary, total project cost $441,220, 3-D VR Planning System for Surgical Treatment of Lung Cancer – Dr Hu’s award will fund a three-dimensional virtual reality surgical planning system for treating lung cancer. The advanced visualization system that Dr. Hu will develop has the potential to be used as a platform for other surgical procedures and training, such as minimally invasive robotics-assisted surgery. Grant: $132,366

3) Dr Todd C Sutherland, University of Calgary, total project cost $431,827, Supramolecular Interfaces Research Facility – Dr Sutherland and his team will use their knowledge of synthetic organic and physical chemistry to build more efficient photoactive systems that can convert sunlight to electrical energy. The small equipment grant will be used to purchase research tools that will identify new organic materials capable of producing a voltage when exposed to radiant energy such as light. Grant: $129,548

4) Dr Venkataraman Thangadurai, University of Calgary, total project cost $662,612, Laboratory for Advanced Materials Science – Fuel Cells, Sensors, and Batteries (LAMS-FSB) – Dr Thangadurai will use the Small Equipment Grant to purchase specialized equipment which will allow for preparing, identifying and describing new materials used in solid oxide and proton exchange membrane fuel cells, gas sensors, and batteries. Grant: $198,784

5) Dr Oliver Lung, University of Lethbridge, total project cost $360,757, Cell Culture and Molecular Virology Infrastructure for Development and Enhancement of Baculovirus-based Technologies – Dr Lung’s research program will investigate Baculovirus, an insect virus, widely used for multiple applications including the synthesis of proteins and viral therapies. The award will support the purchase of specialized equipment that allows Dr Lung to work with Baculovirus and other viruses transferred via insects such as West Nile virus. Grant: $108,227