The Chemistry and Materials Science PhD candidate, Vira Grynko will present her research, "The Medical Applications of Hyperpolarized Xe and Non-proton Magnetic Resonance Imaging".

The field of medical diagnostics continually demands advancements in imaging modalities to ensure precise diagnostics. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has an indispensable role in diagnosing numerous diseases owing to its exceptional soft-tissue contrast and superior spatial resolution. Nevertheless, there are limitations to MRI, particularly in the fields of functional imaging and pulmonary imaging. This is where hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI becomes crucial, offering the ability to furnish vital insights into the lungs and brain functions and physiology, as well as enabling molecular imaging.

Despite its potential, hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI lacks certain essential elements for further progress. In my research, I addressed three pivotal questions related to hyperpolarized MRI. Firstly, I investigated the impact of glucose on hyperpolarized Xe dissolved in the blood. Secondly, I explored the feasibility of conducting multi-slice brain imaging to achieve precise spatial signal localization. Lastly, I successfully enhanced the efficiency of molecular imaging using hyperpolarized Xe.

Committee Members: Dr. Mitchell Albert (supervisor), Dr. Michael Campbell, Dr. Robert Mawhinney, Dr. Alla Reznik and Dr. Boguslaw Tomanek (external)

Everyone is welcome.

For more information contact Brenda Magajna at phd.ses@lakeheadu.ca.

Please join us for Direct Action for Animals: Perspectives from an Activist with Amy Soranno.

Friday, Jan. 26, 2024
12 to 1:30 pm
via Zoom (link to join will be shared ahead of the event with all who have registered)

Brought to you by the Environmental & Natural Resources Committee and the Student Animal Justice Association.

Amy Soranno, a passionate Canadian animal activist, has dedicated her life to shedding light on the hidden cruelties suffered by farmed animals. She spearheads impactful activism campaigns, conducts investigations to document animal cruelty, and organizes large-scale protest events. As a co-founder of Ban Fur Farms BC, a grassroots organization, Amy and her colleagues played pivotal roles in the successful permanent ban on mink fur farms in British Columbia in 2021. In 2019, Amy was one of The Excelsior 4 activists who faced charges for exposing animal cruelty at Excelsior Hog Farm in Abbotsford. Despite enduring criminal charges, convictions, and imprisonment, Amy remains resolute in her commitment to animal rights. Her unwavering dedication has taken her across the globe, including Israel and Europe, where she continues to shed light on the plight of farmed animals and inspire the international animal rights movement through empowering activist workshops and compelling speaking engagements.

Email dwdylan@lakeheadu.ca for more information.

Lakehead University's Innovation, Partnerships and Economic Development office (IPED) invites staff, faculty, students, entrepreneurs and community members in the Thunder Bay region and Simcoe County to learn about the benefits of protecting your Intellectual Property. No IP knowledge level required.

How to Develop and Fund Your IP
Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024
12 to 1 pm

• Developing an IP strategy early
• Coordinating IP with publications
• New government funding to pay for start-up company IP filings

Lakehead R&I Week Special Feature - IP Issues in Life Sciences and High Tech
Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024
1 to 1:45 pm (life sciences and chemistry)
2 to 2:45 pm (high tech – software, data, AI, electronics)

• The key role of IP in life sciences and high tech
• Myths and best practices
• AI and other emerging technologies

Speakers

Noel Courage is a partner at Bereskin & Parr LLP in intellectual property law. He is a US and Canadian patent agent and a Canadian lawyer. Noel focuses his practice on IP agreements and protecting new inventions with patents. 

Tony Orsi is a partner at Bereskin & Parr LLLP in intellectual property law and a US and Canadian patent agent. His practice focuses on protecting high tech inventions, and he will address high tech issues in the February webinar. 

(Moderator/Host): Ellen MacKay, RTTP, is the Director of Innovation Development at Lakehead, managing all technology transfer activities and the Office of Innovation, Partnerships and Economic Development. 

Webinar instructions will be provided prior to the date of the event. 

Come visit a furry friend for some much needed relaxation in the SAS Multi Use Access Lounge. Every Thursday from 2 to 3 pm in the tunnels, SC 0004. All are welcome!

"Let's Talk About MAiD" a professional development workshop and panel discussion for current and future health and social care providers.

Join our special guest, Lauren Clark and discover how to effectively support patients/clients who are exploring MAiD. This discussion will cover:

• difficult conversations
• emotional support
• navigating the complexities
• empowering your clients/patients

Panel discussion will feature some of our local MAiD providers and assessors and give listeners an opportunity to gain broader understanding of what is happening in our region.

This free event will also include a light breakfast and networking luncheon.

Please join the Computer Science Department for the upcoming thesis defense:

Presenter: Md Anaytul Islam

Thesis title: Supporting the Executability of R Markdown Files

Abstract: R Markdown files are examples of literate programming documents that combine R code with results and explanations. Such dynamic documents are designed to execute easily and reproduce study results. However, little is known about the executability of R Markdown files which can cause frustration among its users who intend to reuse the document. This thesis aims to understand the executability of R Markdown files and improve the current state of supporting the executability of those files.

Towards this direction, a large-scale study has been conducted on the executability of R Markdown files collected from GitHub repositories. Results from the study show that a significant number of R Markdown files (64.95%) are not executable, even after best efforts. To better understand the challenges, the exceptions encountered while executing the files are categorized into different categories and a classifier is developed to determine which Markdown files are likely to be executable. Such a classifier can be utilized by search engines in their ranking which helps developers to find literate programming documents as learning resources. To support the executability of R Markdown files a command-line tool is developed. Such a tool can find issues in R Markdown files that prevent the executability of those files. Using an R Markdown file as an input, the tool generates an intuitive list of outputs that assist developers in identifying areas that require attention to ensure the executability of the file. The tool not only utilizes static analysis of source code but also uses a carefully crafted knowledge base of package dependencies to generate version constraints of involved packages and an SMT solver (i.e., Z3) to identify compatible versions of those packages. Findings from this research can help developers reuse R Markdown files easily, thus improving the productivity of developers.

Committee Members:
Dr. Muhammad Asaduzzaman (supervisor, committee chair), Dr. Garima Bajwa, Dr. Zubair Fadlullah (Western University)

Please contact grad.compsci@lakeheadu.ca for the Zoom link. Everyone is welcome.

During this 60 minute session, we will introduce you to a variety of research strategies and library tools, to help you succeed with graduate level research at Lakehead University. By the end of this session, you will be familiar with:

• selecting databases
• OMNI and Interlibrary loan options
• Zotero Citation Manager
• free research tools (Connected Papers and others)
• Google Scholar - pros and cons
• Lakehead Knowledge Commons and finding theses and dissertations

This session will be held online via Zoom. A confirmation with a link to the session will be emailed to you after registration.