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Faculty of Health Sciences Project Summaries

Supervisors

Supervisor name: Bernadette Murphy

Project title: Effect of neck vibration on upper limb sensorimotor integration

Summary of research project: When people learn new skills, it changes the way the brain processes information. Neck pain and fatigue alter this response and also worsen motor performance. A challenge with experimental neck fatigue is that the fatigue recovers within a few minutes. Vibration of neck muscles affords a way to excite specific muscle receptors called muscle spindles, and when frequencies above 60 Hz are used for periods of 10 minutes, post vibration effects can last up to 22 hours, providing a longer time window to explore the impact of altered neck sensory inputs. The aim of this project is to investigate how altering neck sensory input with vibration affects brain excitability, and motor performance.

Student responsibilities/tasks:

Students will assist in recruiting and testing participants, and performing data analysis. They will acquire skills in:

Collecting and analyzing somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to study sensory processing by the brain.
Collecting and analyzing upper limb force matching data.
Running statistical analyses and data presentation.
Communicating with research participants.

Student qualifications required:

Students need to have completed Intro to Movement Neuroscience and Motor Control and Learning with strong grades.

Expected training/skills to be received by the Student:

Collecting and analyzing somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to study sensory processing by the brain.
Collecting and analyzing upper limb motor learning data.
Learning to run statistical analyses and present data.
Communicating with research participants and obtaining informed consent.
Learning to obtain informed consent.

Length of award: 16 Weeks

Location of award: Hybrid

Available Award: NSERC USRA or Ontario Tech STAR

Supervisor name: Caroline Barakat

Project title: Tracing participants for longitudinal environmental health research using Social Networking Sites

Summary of research project: This research is based on an earlier study that examined early childhood exposures and long-term health for a subset of the Hamilton Children Cohort (HCC, n=395). A recent pilot project evaluated the effectiveness of using social networking sites (SNS) to trace original participants (n=3,202) and build capacity for research on the long-term health impacts of early childhood exposures. This project led to valuable lessons on the optimal use of SNS for participant tracing and recruitment. With this knowledge, our objective is to recruit and engage original participants using SNS, to obtain a robust sample size that will allow for future prospective research.

Student responsibilities/tasks:

Using SNS (Facebook and LinkedIn) to trace and recruit participants by messaging them and directing them to the study website and survey. Following-up with back-and-forth messaging between potential participants and the research team.
Keep track of participant recruitment, data collection, data cleaning, pre-liminary analysis, prepare written material, and present research material using Microsoft programs (PowerPoint, Word, Excel).

Student qualifications required:

Background in health sciences, research methods (quantitative data analysis) conducting literature reviews preferred.
Preference will be given to candidates who have completed HLSC3910 or an equivalent course.
Interest in environmental and public health research fields.
Proficiency with Microsoft programs, technology, and Adobe programs.

Expected training/skills to be received by the Student:

Students will obtain research skills related to synthesizing literature effectively, data collection and participant recruitment, cleaning and coding data, summarizing, and presenting research findings, digital content creation.
This experience will provide the student with valuable experience in writing, knowledge translation, and collaborative community-based projects.

Length of award: 16 Weeks

Location of award: Remote

Available Award: SSHRC USRA (exclusively for Black students) or Ontario Tech STAR Award

Supervisor name: Meghann Lloyd

Project title: Motor Skill intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A 5-year follow up

Summary of research project: The objective of this research is to learn about the long-term trajectory of motor skill development in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and how motor skills enable participation in childhood contexts that support the development of social, communication and behavioural skills. Specifically, the objectives are: 1) To examine the longitudinal trajectory of motor, social, communication, and behavioural skill development of children with ASD, as well as participation in childhood activities, and 2) To explore the lived experiences and preferences for physical activity of 8-10 year-old children with ASD.

Student responsibilities/tasks:

Prepare for data collection - contacting parents, organizing folders, scheduling, setting up
Participate in Data collection - be present for when families come to lab
Data entry, scoring protocols, writing reports
Prepare and submit REB application for phase 2 - interviewing children with ASD

Student qualifications required:

Kinesiology student
Police vulnerable sector check
Entering 4th year of study
GPA of 4.0 or above
Experience working with children with disabilities is a key asset

Expected training/skills to be received by the Student:

Experience working with children with autism spectrum disorder
Experience working with developmental assessments
Experience with research ethics applications
Experience working with Grandview Kids
Experience with data entry, data organization and study management

Length of award: 16 Weeks

Location of award: Hybrid

Available Award: SSHRC USRA (exclusively for Black students) or Ontario Tech STAR Award

Supervisor name: Mika Nonoyama

Project title: Innovations in Pediatric Respiratory Therapy and Mechanical Ventilation at the Hospital for Sick Children

Summary of research project: The Lung Health Pathway at SickKids comprises of: artificial airway management; initiation & weaning from mechanical ventilation (MV); extubation; and post-extubation respiratory management. A better understanding of current respiratory support clinical practices & patient outcomes is needed to optimize a child’s treatment path. There are currently several potential projects for the URA. This includes: background research (literature review), and data collection retrospectively or prospectively on various respiratory therapy and/or mechanical ventilation interventions in the Critical Care Unit (CCU), the Emergency Department (ED), and/or in-patient hospital units.

Student responsibilities/tasks:

Literature review, data collection/extraction and cleaning
Aiding with data analysis (qualitative, quantitative)
Contributing to writing reports; collaborate with grad student(s), and clinical staff
Developing educational resources.
There may be opportunity for students to do a buddy shift in the Critical Care Unit, ED, and/or hospital units at SickKids (together with staff), depending on circumstances like workload & patient acuity levels.

Student qualifications required:

REQUIRED:

A- in HLSC3910
Able to go SickKids
Work independently
Foundational knowledge of mechanical ventilation (during orientation).

ASSETS - experience with:

Hospital electronic information systems and data organization
Academic/research writing
MS Office, especially Excel
Knowledge of respiratory physiology and pathophysiology.

Expected training/skills to be received by the Student:

Obtain foundations of respiratory physiology, pathophysiology and mechanical ventilation (especially in pediatric populations)
Obtaining a respiratory therapy pediatric perspective of acute health care, particularly in the intensive care units, in-patient floors and out-patient clinics
Observe direct clinical evidence based respiratory therapy practices ("buddy shifts"), and how they interact and collaborate with the whole health care teams.
Identify gaps from the health clinician point at the bedside (especially the respiratory therapist) to inform investigations
Take part in investigation(s) (projects at various stages) addressing knowledge gaps identified by pediatric respiratory therapists.

Length of award: 16 Weeks

Location of award: Hybrid

Available Award: CIHR USRA (exclusively for Black students) or Ontario Tech STAR Award

Supervisor name: Nicholas La Delfa

Project title: Improving upon current ergonomics methods for manual material handling task analysis

Summary of research project: Manual materials handling (MMH) involves the lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying of objects in the workplace and are a common cause of low back and shoulder pain. The objective of this research project is to improve upon current ergonomics methods for determining acceptable weights of lifts and lowers. A laboratory study will be conducted measuring the dynamic hand forces and kinematics of lifting and lowering tasks between different height ranges, with varied loads. This research aims to inform novel approaches for estimating acceptable MMH loads in scenarios that better represent modern work tasks (e.g. one-handed lifts/lowers of different packages in a distribution warehouse).

Student responsibilities/tasks:

The candidate will primarily work with graduate students in Dr. La Delfa's Occupational Neuromechanics and Ergonomics lab to conduct a laboratory-based research study.
Students will be responsible for scheduling participants, conducting all aspects of the data collection and conducting preliminary data analysis.
The candidate will have every opportunity to be involved in presentation and publication of this work.

Student qualifications required:

'A-' or higher in Biomechanics (KINE 2040) AND Occupational Ergonomics (KINE 4475).
Additionally, preference will be given to students who have taken Advanced Ergonomics & Human Factors (KINE 4478) and/or Applied Techniques in Neuromechanics (KINE 4477).

Expected training/skills to be received by the Student:

How to operate biomechanics laboratory equipment, including motion capture and force measurement.
Basic data reduction, processing and analysis.
Knowledge translation in academic and industry-focused forums.

Length of award: 16 Weeks

Location of award: In-Person

Available Award: NSERC USRA or Ontario Tech STAR

Supervisor name: Paul Yielder

Project title: The effect of neck vibration on the vestibulo-ocular reflex

Summary of research project: Because of the particular role the part of the brain called the cerebellum has in modulating eye movements, it has provided us with a unique way to directly measure cerebellum function, using measures such as the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). The VOR keeps the eyes on target despite head and/or body movements that include the head, whether these movements are self-produced or externally imposed. This research uses a state of the art eye tracking system to measures changes in the way the output of cerebellum is affected by neck vibration. This work will compare the VOR and hand-eye coordination in vibration vs no vibration conditions.

Student responsibilities/tasks:

The student will assist in:

Recruiting participants and obtaining informed consent, statistical analysis and data presentation of collected data.
Collecting and analyzing the vestibulo-ocular reflex using the Eye-Link II eye-tracking system.
Using 3D motion analysis to measure spatial and temporal error in maintaining target fixation throughout head movement.

Student qualifications required:

Students who have strong grades in Neuroscience courses (e.g. Intro to Movement Neuroscience, Motor Control completed or in progress) are eligible to apply.

Expected training/skills to be received by the Student:

Student will receive training in data acquisition and analysis using an advanced high speed eye-tracking system.
Student will learn to use 3D motion analysis to measure spatial and temporal error in maintaining target fixation throughout head movement.
Student will receive training in statistical analysis and data presentation.
Student will improve their interpersonal and research communication skills

Length of award: 16 Weeks

Location of award: Hybrid

Available Award: NSERC USRA or Ontario Tech STAR

Supervisor name: Shilpa Dogra

Project title: Cardiovascular responses to prolonged and interrupted sitting

Summary of research project: Research clearly indicates that prolonged sitting is associated with negative physiological responses such as changes in the peripheral vasculature as measured by shear rate or vasodilation. However, there are significant gaps in our understanding of how sitting leads to changes in vascular responses. Our proposed work will compare the responses of vascular markers (angiogenin, VEGF, EGF) in the saliva to prolonged sitting (4 hours) and interrupted sitting sessions (prolonged sitting interrupted with exercise) between healthy males and females. Cardiorespiratory fitness will also be used to determine differences in responsiveness.

Student responsibilities/tasks:

Maximal Exercise Testing
Participant Monitoring and Data Collection
Sample Collection and Analysis

Student qualifications required:

4th year Kinesiology student with experience conducing exercise testing
Some laboratory based experience

Expected training/skills to be received by the Student:

Maximal exercise testing: VO2max
Saliva sample collection and analysis
Data collection and data management

Length of award: 16 Weeks

Location of award: In-Person

Available Award: NSERC USRA or Ontario Tech STAR

Supervisor name: Syed Qadri

Project title: Comparative physiology of human and bovine red blood cells

Summary of research project: Mammalian red blood cells (RBC) exhibit several differences in their morphology, circulating longevity, metabolism, and protein diversity. This Project aims to identify the key differences in cellular ion balance, plasma membrane changes, and signaling networks in bovine and human RBCs. Understanding these differences will provide new insights into veterinary diagnostics of bovine RBC diseases.

Student responsibilities/tasks:

For this Project, the Student will assist in the preparation of different buffers required for RBC sampling and subsequently subjecting them to different treatments.
The Student will examine cell function using ektacytometry and cytofluorometry.
In parallel, the Student will also perform thorough literature reviews on the research topic.

Student qualifications required:

The students should have completed ANY of the following courses (Minimum B grade):

BIOL 2030; BIOL 2020; BIOL 2080; MLSC1110/HLSC2110; or HLSC2460/2461
Familiarity with basic laboratory skills is preferred.

Expected training/skills to be received by the Student:

Understanding of laboratory methods in hematology.
Examination of red cell markers.
Understanding mechanisms of bovine and human anemias.

Length of award: 16 Weeks

Location of award: In-Person

Available Award: NSERC USRA or Ontario Tech STAR

Supervisor name: Syed Qadri

Project title: Red blood cell physiology in athletes

Summary of research project: Exercise and lifestyle are known to influence red blood cell (RBC) functions in circulation. This Project aims to identify cellular and biochemical peculiarities in RBCs from athletes vs. non-athletes. Understanding these differences will provide new knowledge into the interplay of functional RBC adaptations and tissue oxygenation in influencing overall athlete health.

Student responsibilities/tasks:

For this Project, the Student will assist in the preparation of different buffers required for RBC sampling and subsequently subjecting them to different treatments.
The Student will examine cellular alterations using cytofluorometry.
In parallel, the Student will also perform thorough literature reviews on the research topic.

Student qualifications required:

The students should have completed ANY of the following courses (Minimum B grade):

BIOL 2030; BIOL 2020; BIOL 2080; MLSC1110/HLSC2110; or HLSC2460/2461
Familiarity with basic laboratory skills is preferred.

Expected training/skills to be received by the Student:

Understanding of laboratory methods in hematology.
Examination of red cell markers.
Understanding the potential links between exercise and red cell physiology.

Length of award: 16 Weeks

Location of award: In-Person

Available Award: CIHR USRA (exclusively for Black students) or Ontario Tech STAR Award

Supervisor name: Winnie Sun

Project title: Examining the physical, social and educational benefits of CLEAN exergame for persons with dementia to promote hand hygiene and influenza vaccine uptake: A feasibility study.

Summary of research project: The purpose of this project is to develop an educational exergame for PWD to practice effective handwashing through the use of motion capture technologies, while delivering educational content related to infection control, and evidence-based resources to educate them about the importance of vaccination. This project aims at examining the meaning and value of utilizing educational and social exergaming for PWD in the community and institutional settings. Using mixed methods approaches, this feasibility study will be implemented with the goal of developing and pilot-testing the CLEAN exergame for persons with dementia in the community, and institutional settings.

Student responsibilities/tasks:

Recruitment of study participants.
Data collection of pilot-testing exergame with people with dementia.
Data analysis of quantitative measures and qualitative interviews
Knowledge mobilization activities.

Student qualifications required:

Minimum B+ average overall.
Background in exergaming and virtual reality is preferred.
Experience working with people with dementia and older adults is preferred.
Good organizational and communication skills with ability to collaborate with team members.
Background in statistics and qualitative interviewing is an asset.

Expected training/skills to be received by the Student:

Student will be provided with training in the development, co-designing, usability testing of exergaming intervention using virtual reality for people with dementia and their caregivers.
Student will be provided with training in the research skills including sampling, recruitment, data collection, data analysis and knowledge mobilization activities.

Length of award: 16 Weeks

Location of award: Hybrid

Available Award: SSHRC USRA (exclusively for Black students) or Ontario Tech STAR Award