U of A computing scientist Omid Ardakanian is working on software to make buildings more comfortable while cutting emissions, lowering costs
For most of us, office cooling and heating systems are like wallpaper: you only really notice them if they catch fire. For Omid Ardakanian, office buildings offer potential energy savings on a skyscraper scale. “My obsession, if you want to call it that, comes from the sensors in these buildings,” said Ardakanian, a computing science professor…
U of A health law professor Ubaka Ogbogu advises that policy-makers focus on clear information and ensuring equitable access to vaccines
Canada should have a mandatory vaccination policy for childhood infectious diseases where vaccines are freely available, but not for influenza or COVID-19, according to a University of Alberta health law expert. “I still encourage vaccination,” said Ubaka Ogbogu, a professor in the faculties of law and pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. “There’s no one-size-fits-all vaccination policy, and policy-makers have to…
Artificial intelligence can do a lot to help businesses, but its dynamic, complex nature can also make it challenging to learn – which is where Stephanie Husby loves to step in. As a machine learning educator for the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii), the University of Alberta graduate teaches the AI for Strategy and Management course, helping non-technical managers…
U of A specialist identified gaps in care as patients age, developed app on his own time to ‘make a difference’
A University of Alberta family doctor has developed an app that he hopes will improve medical care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Kyle Sue, clinical assistant professor of developmental pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, built the app with the help of a friend to present family physicians with the best treatment…
U of A professor says COVID-19 crisis has provided much-needed public education in how vaccines can prevent deadly viruses
A pharmacy researcher predicts more of us will roll up our sleeves for the influenza vaccine this fall thanks to the crash course we’ve all had recently on viruses and how to prevent them. “Because of COVID-19, people are becoming a lot more aware of how susceptible they are to viruses and virus-caused infections, especially…
U of A computing scientists working with Edmonton company to find out if applying AI to water treatment is a financial, environmental win-win
A pilot project leveraging the University of Alberta’s artificial intelligence expertise to improve the process of making drinking water safe is up and running in Drayton Valley, Alta. The U of A’s Reinforcement Learning and Artificial Intelligence Lab, along with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, an Alberta not-for-profit institute with U of A affiliations, Edmonton infrastructure technology…
A sugar-based response in the lungs caused by invading influenza viruses can act as a signal for when a patient has a severe risk of dying, according to an international team led by University of Alberta glycomics researchers. The researchers are now envisioning a new set of targets that could help flatten flu mortality rates…
Powered by 3D printing and a desire to help during the COVID-19 pandemic, a University of Alberta lab technician has been busy creating mask straps and face shields – and helping community causes along the way. Viking Ear Savers, soft plastic mask straps created through a 3D printing service on Augustana Campus by technician David King,…
University of Alberta researchers are teaming up with a precision-health innovator to develop a low-cost wearable sensor to help people suffering from chronic neurologic conditions treat their illness remotely, while reducing the frequency and costs of hospital visits. Hossein Rouhani, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Engineering and primary investigator in the Neuromuscular Control and Biomechanics Laboratory,…
In 2017, Hyo-Jick Choi and his engineering research team released a study outlining a breathable surgical mask that just doesn’t catch pathogens from entering the respiratory system; it kills them. Choi, a professor in the Faculty of Engineering who runs the Sustainable Engineering and Drug Delivery Design (SEƎD) lab, developed the idea of an antiviral, antibacterial filter for a…
Created using synthetic DNA, viltolarsen is an excellent example of precision medicine
A University of Alberta researcher’s past work has led to a new drug being approved for use in the United States to treat patients suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The drug, viltolarsen, was approved for use in Japan earlier this year and passed a significant hurdle in August when the U.S. Food and Drug…
A new species of an ancient marine reptile evolved to strike terror into the hearts of the normally safe, fast-swimming fish has been identified by a team of University of Alberta researchers. The discovery sheds light on what it took to survive in highly competitive ecosystems. Gavialimimus almaghribensis, a new type of mosasaur, was catalogued and…
The diabetes drug increased ketone levels, which might be the key to improving cardiac metabolism
In 2015, researchers began noticing that a drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes, empagliflozin, came with the added benefit of decreasing hospitalization for heart failure and death from cardiovascular causes in those patients. “It was very unexpected, because this drug is targeted and marketed for Type 2 diabetes, not heart failure,” said Kim Ho,…
U of A education researcher offers advice on how post-secondary schools and students can foster a sense of belonging and improve learning
For any first-year student, university classes can seem scary. Add in a learning disability and it’s easy to be overwhelmed. Just ask Lauren Goegan. Now a post-doctoral researcher in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education, she vividly recalls one of the first lectures she attended as a new undergraduate with dyslexia. The class was delivered…
Athletes can find opportunities amid the challenge of cancelled sporting events, say U of A master's student and sport psychology researcher
From the Olympics to rec leagues, in 2020 sporting events all over the world were cancelled due to COVID-19. But as athletes move on from the cancellations, many are seeking out the opportunities in the unprecedented. Lack of competition changed the way ultramarathoner Sara Szabo approached her sport this year. She transitioned from competing against…
For most of us, office cooling and heating systems are like wallpaper: you only really notice them if they catch fire. For Omid Ardakanian, office buildings offer potential energy savings on a skyscraper scale. “My obsession, if you want to call it that, comes from the sensors in these buildings,” said Ardakanian, a computing science professor…
