COVID-19 response: Meet our people

Meet our people

Our world-class researchers are working around the clock to support Canada's response to COVID-19. From research to resource tools, they are proud to be able to make a difference.

Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre

Research flexibility key to battling pandemic: Edmond Lam

"Silicon magnetic nanoparticles are a crucial material for COVID-19 testing. As the epidemic grew, these magnetic beads were in low supply domestically. My team was able to leverage their expertise in chemical synthesis and nanotechnology to produce magnetic beads suitable for COVID-19 testing. We're happy to be able to help out and respond to this urgent need. It's important that our research expertise can be adapted to the challenges of the moment."

Edmond Lam, Team Lead, Advanced Biomaterials and Chemical Synthesis, Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre
 

Automotive and Surface Transportation

Construction

Design and Fabrication Services

Digital Technologies

Finding a COVID-19 cure faster through data-driven approaches: Miroslava Cuperlovic-Culf

"The AI for Design of Biological Systems project in the AI for Design Challenge program is analyzing and simulating interactions between biological molecules for the optimization of cell and gene therapies. These methodologies can be applied to the investigation of interactions between viral particles and human cells to try and better understand the infection and to guide the treatment approaches. Unlike traditional hypothesis-driven methods, our approaches are data-driven. Machine learning methods combined with computer simulations can use large and diverse medical and biological data to develop novel and unexpected hypotheses providing novel avenues for the development of better cures."

Miroslava Cuperlovic-Culf, Senior Research Officer, Lead, AI for Biological Systems, Digital Technologies Research Centre
 

Human Health Therapeutics

Industrial Research Assistance Program

Decontamination of medical personal protective equipment: John Martinovic

"The Clēan Flow Healthcare Minii is a device that decontaminates medical personal protective equipment, and has been proven to kill 99.99% of a surrogate for COVID 19. Our cross-functional team responsible for advancing the Clēan Flow Healthcare Mini project worked diligently to accelerate the regulatory process and move to production. Within a few days, our team helped the firm obtain class 2 medical device certification for its device, and then focussed on a strategy to increase the company's manufacturing capacity from building 3-4 units a week to approximately 25 units a week.

Our work is far from over as we look to evolve the use of the device to further support hospitals and health facilities during this pandemic."

John Martinovic, Industrial Technology Advisor and Subject Expert Team (SET) lead, sanitization technologies
 

Medical Devices

Metrology