The Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation is pleased to announce the second round of funding for the Critical Research Equipment and Tools (CRET) program.
This internal funding program helps improve the range and quality of our research infrastructure, enables researchers to keep pace with technology, and provides increased opportunities for student research training.
Stream 1 Awards (<$10,000):
Portable Eye-tracking System
Applicant: Maya Libben
The portable eye-tracker will allow researchers in the Psychopathology Lifespan and Neuropsychology (PLAN) Laboratory to conduct research in the community. This equipment will support the development and improvement of interventions and treatments for psychopathology and stroke.
Invitrogen iBright CL750 Imaging System
Applicant: Jonathan Little | Co-applicant: Christopher West
This device is used to capture images and analyze data from western blots and gels efficiently and easily. It will enable researchers in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences and the Southern Medical Program to develop new collaborative projects with other researchers at UBC Okanagan, and create new training opportunities for students with diverse applications across the life sciences.
Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography
Applicant: Kristen Wolthers | Co-applicant: Isaac Li and Thuy Dang
This tool allows researchers to separate proteins so that they are amendable to structural and functional analysis. This equipment is a vital component in the protein production pipeline and will support researchers and trainees in the Department of Chemistry.
Stream 2 Awards ($10,000 – $100,000):
Accelerated Weathering Tester
Applicant: Abbas Milani | Co-applicants: Mohammad Arjmand, Lukas Bichler, Cigdem Eskicioglu, Sepideh Pakpour
This test chamber tracks the property changes of materials and products caused by sunlight, temperature and moisture in a short period of time. The device can also simulate solar radiation and maintain the temperature in the range of 15-100 °C. This instrument will support research programs for faculty members of the Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI), the Eminence-funded Cluster of Research Excellence in BioComposites and the Comfort-Optimized Materials for Operational Resilience, Thermal-transport and Survivability (COMFORTS) micro-network.
Light Scattering Spectrometer
Applicant: Robert Godin | Co-applicants: Isaac Li, Jian Liu, Susan Murch, Kristen Wolthers
Nanoparticles and macromolecules play a critical role in regulating cellular functions but characterization of these particles in their native environment is challenging. A state-of-the-art light scattering spectrometer will enable best-in-class particle sizing capabilities and allow advanced particle characterization. This equipment will generate crucial data on the properties of nanoparticles to researchers in the Faculty of Science and the School of Engineering and accelerate research in biochemistry, plant science, medical diagnostics, and clean energy technology at UBCO.
Portable Equipment to Evaluate Muscle Function and Balance
Applicant: Brian Dalton | Co-applicant: Chris McNeil and Jennifer Jakobi
This portable equipment will afford researchers in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences a comprehensive system for community-based testing. This device evaluates the neural control of human movement and balance and is used to conduct fieldwork studies that aim to make real-world measures of muscle activity. This equipment will be used to investigate the influence of assistive technologies (e.g., handrails, walkers, exoskeletons) and acute adaptations (e.g., hypoxia, fatigue) on neuromuscular function across the lifespan.
Blood Gas Analysis System
Applicant: Phil Ainslie | Co-applicants: Jonathan Little, Glen Foster, Rob Shave and Chris West
The Radiometer ABL90 FLEX PLUS allows researchers in the Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health to answer fundamental research questions in mammalian physiology that are germane to the understanding of blood flow control and vascular health, across the lifespan, during physiological stress (e.g., high altitude, diving, exercise), and with patient populations (e.g., sleep apnea, spinal cord injury, respiratory disease, heart failure, diabetes).