UNews - imaging

U of L researchers get funding boost from Canada Foundation for Innovation

trevor.kenney — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 22:48:29 +0000

From below the earth’s surface to the farthest reaches of the universe, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers are embarking on a pair of significant study projects thanks to research infrastructure support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

On Wednesday, CFI announced a $63-million investment in support of cutting-edge research equipment, laboratories and tools through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund and the Infrastructure Operating Fund. A total of 250 facilities in 37 universities across Canada will receive funding.

For the U of L, it translates into nearly $350,000 in CFI infrastructure support. It will allow Drs. Christopher Hopkinson and Locke Spencer, and their colleagues, the opportunity to pursue imaging studies both on the ground and deep into space.

Dr. Chris Hopkinson is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Chair in Terrestrial Ecosystems Remote Sensing.

“The tremendous impact that Drs. Spencer and Hopkinson make in their respective fields will only be enhanced by this important investment,” says the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks. “The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has increased its research capacity through the attraction of world-leading talent such as these two faculty members and these CFI funds will help ensure the full potential of their research programs is realized.”

The funded projects are as follows:

An Integrated System for High Resolution Terradynamic 3D Imaging

Principal Investigator– Dr. Christopher Hopkinson

Co-applicants– Dr. Laura Chasmer and Dr. Hester Jiskoot

Hopkinson, the Campus Alberta Innovates Program (CAIP) Chair in Terrestrial Ecosystems Remote Sensing, is leading a study that will look at a range of geosciences research questions related to seasonal and long-term environmental changes.

The CFI support of $233,670 will assist in creating a suite of field-based sensors that will support 3D monitoring of environmental processes at plot to landscape scales.

“Our understanding of earth surface/vegetation processes and feedbacks are often limited by an inability to simultaneously observe causes and effects both above and below the ground surface,” says Hopkinson. “This unique integrated advanced-resolution terradynamic monitoring system (ARTeMiS) will be deployed to map and quantify 3D surface and sub-surface features and rates of change. From forest growth to mountain snowpacks to wetland regeneration, ARTeMiS will help characterize both natural and modified ecosystem dynamics.”

The work is significant in that it focuses on issues related to climate change impacts, natural resource management, human disturbance and land reclamation in boreal, alpine, montane and floodplain ecosystems.

Imaging the Universe in the Far-Infrared

Principal Investigator– Dr. Locke Spencer

Spencer (MSc ’05, PhD ’09), a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Experimental Astrophysics, in collaboration with an international team working on related research, is leading an instrumentation project that will improve experimental astrophysics observations in the Far-Infrared (FIR) spectral region, thereby helping us to better understand the formation and evolution of stars, galaxies and the universe as a whole.

“Within Canada, the need to increase support for laboratory-based experimental astrophysics has been identified as a top priority,” says Spencer, who just recently returned to the U of L through the Canada Research Chairs program. “Over half of the energy emitted by the universe appears in the relatively unexplored Far-Infrared spectral region. With the help of this funding, instrumentation will be developed to advance the technologies and techniques needed by future space instruments exploring the Far-Infrared. Many of the current open questions in astrophysics are waiting on better observations in this region.”

The CFI support of $115,200 will allow Spencer to develop a hybrid instrument combining a Fourier transform spectrometer with a spatial interferometer.

While the equipment will initially be developed in a lab, the overall goal of the program is to enhance observations from space-based telescopes. It will also support the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s continued emergence as a key contributor to astronomy research on both the national and international stage.

“This investment, in parallel to current Canadian efforts in the FIR, presents a ground floor opportunity for Canada to become a key partner in future-generation ground and space-based FIR astronomy observatories,” adds Spencer.

By funding projects such as those initiated by Drs. Hopkinson and Spencer, CFI is helping to ensure that Canada remains a world leader in terms of research and innovation.

“Canadian institutions benefit from investments in research infrastructure which provide the tools needed to be at the forefront of innovation,” says Dr. Gilles Patry, president and CEO of CFI. “The research conducted in these labs and facilities will also train a new generation of researchers which will help Canada maintain its position as a global economic leader.”

U of L researchers see Herschel mission shut down

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:51:25 +0000

Just a few days shy of its four-year anniversary, the Herschel Space Observatory has exhausted its supply of liquid helium coolant, and officially 'closed its eyes' on the universe, April 29.

Researchers around the world, and at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, now have a massive data collection, years of future research projects, and remarkable images that show unique star births sand star formations, galaxies and a host of other dramatic developments in the origins of the universe.

The pioneering space imaging mission logged more than 35,000 observations and generated more than 25,000 hours worth of science data from about 600 observing programmes. A further 2,000 hours of calibration observations will also contribute to the rich dataset.

Herschel (which operated more than 1.5 million km away from earth in deep space) included a scientific instrument co-developed by U of L researcher Dr. David Naylor (physics and astronomy) and his team, who led Canada's contribution to the Herschel project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency.

The instrument, called the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver ("SPIRE"), is one of three devices attached to the Herschel telescope system. SPIRE measures infrared light and picks up heat and chemical signals that are not visible by optical telescopes -- turning that data into images and information researchers will use to learn more about the life and death of stars and galaxies.

Image samples are available here.

Now that the school-bus sized telescope will cease its active duty, astronomers from 14 countries, including Canada, will devote their full attention to analyzing the prolific telescope's legacy of data.

The five-year, post-operation phase will see the data obtained during the mission used to develop improved calibration algorithms to allow the most information to be extracted. Eventually the data will be reprocessed and placed in an archive.

In addition to dramatically enhancing the level of information about the origins of the universe, the U of L contributions to the Herschel mission saw the creation of numerous and unique student experiences at all levels, and a high-tech spin-off company - Blue Sky Spectroscopy - founded by Naylor in 2003, and now privately owned and operated. Blue Sky is one of the three international Data Processing and Science Analysis Software centres for the SPIRE instrument. Data will continue to be downloaded from the spacecraft and stored on the Blue Sky servers. Its highly qualified staff, all with postgraduate degrees, specialize in custom hardware and software spectroscopic solutions. Customers include NASA, ESA, and CSA, and many leading research institutes such as Harvard, Berkeley, Chicago, Max Planck and Cardiff, NIST, Centre d'Etudes Atomique, Paris, Institute National d'Optique, Canada to name a few.

Additional information about future projects ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers are planning that arise from the Herschel mission can be found at this website.

As well, Naylor and colleague Roy Golsteyn (biological sciences) are collaborating on a way to use the highly-sensitive imaging systems developed for deep space to detect rogue cancer cells.

Herschel Mission Operating Phase Wrapping Up

trevor.kenney — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:54:37 +0000

A pioneering space imaging mission that sent a scientific instrument co-developed by a U of L researcher on a 1.5 million kilometre trip to deep space aboard the Herschel Space Observatory might be nearing its conclusion, but that doesn't mean the end of the project for the research team.

Dr. David Naylor (Physics and Astronomy) and his team of researchers lead Canada's contribution to the Herschel project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency.

The instrument, called the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver ("SPIRE"), is one of three devices attached to the Herschel telescope system.

http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/herschel/default.asp

The helium-filled 'gas tank' cooling Herschel's equipment is expected to run dry over the next few weeks – an expected process.

As the coolant diminishes, equipment will stop working, but data transmission will continue until the bus-sized telescope parks itself in a permanent orbit around the sun.

What follows is a five-year post operation phase, where the data obtained during the mission are used to develop improved calibration algorithms to allow the most information to be extracted from the images. Eventually the data will be reprocessed and placed in an archive that will have legacy value.

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Herschel_to_finish_observing_soon

The mission, launched on May 14, 2009 from the Ariane Spaceport in French Guyana, almost immediately began to shed new light on stars and galaxies by measuring a level of light called far-infrared.

Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, but travels well across the universe. Star forming regions emit light at these wavelengths and Herschel can detect it, capturing a wealth of detail such as heat signatures and chemical composition that help astronomers clearly see, for the first time, stars and whole galaxies that have previously remained hidden or only poorly understood.

"SPIRE picks up heat and chemical signals that are not visible by optical telescopes, and turns that data into the amazing images and information we and other scientists are using to learn more about the life and death of stars and galaxies," Naylor said.

In addition to literally 'clearing up' the images people have been using for two centuries to look into space, Naylor said the Herschel mission is confirming the existence of molecules on earth that originated in space.

"With SPIRE we can look at the big picture, or the very tiny picture, and gain a whole new insight into how stars live and die. The reason the imagery is so clear is that the space observatory sits more than 1.5 million km from earth, far from our atmosphere which absorbs virtually all radiation at which far-infrared wavelengths. Since the universe emits most of its energy at these wavelengths, Herschel provides us with our first comprehensive view of the universe."

The data and crisp images come from a device about as big as a large microwave oven that took more than 15 years and $100 million to develop – and has to function at a chilly -270C.

Also gratifying are the unique research collaborations that Naylor sees happening in the future. "Approximately one-third of the time available to researchers is guaranteed to those involved in key projects, and our time is included in that. We see the data here in Lethbridge before anyone else does. Scientists will be seeking our help in analyzing their data and the U of L group will be an important Canadian and international resource."

With an estimated output of up to 7,000 hours per year of data, there should be enough information to keep researchers busy for years – and some of that data flows through Blue Sky Spectroscopy, a Lethbridge-based, high tech spinoff company founded by Naylor in 2003, and now privately owned and operated.

Blue Sky is one of the three international Data Processing and Science Analysis Software centres for the SPIRE instrument. Data are downloaded daily from the spacecraft and stored on the Blue Sky servers.

Its highly qualified staff, all with postgraduate degrees, specialize in custom hardware and software spectroscopic solutions. Customers include NASA, ESA, and CSA, and many leading research institutes such as Harvard, Berkeley, Chicago, Max Planck and Cardiff, NIST, Centre d'Etudes Atomique, Paris, Institute National d'Optique, Canada to name a few.

What's next?

According to Naylor, more research that refines his current SPIRE device to make it suitable for yet another space mission currently under review by the Japanese, European and Canadian Space Agencies.

The project – SPICA, which stands for Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics – is a next-generation version of the SPIRE device, and would perform a similar function on a space telescope planned to launch in 2022.

Learn more about the SPICA project, here: http://research.uleth.ca/spica/index.php

Naylor said Herschel has been an overwhelming success, but its sensitivity is limited by its 'warm' telescope. "At a temperature of -80K (-193C) this may sound cold, but it limits the achievable sensitivity. By cooling a telescope to -6K (-267C) would increase the sensitivity by an astonishing factor of 100, allowing it to explore a volume of space 1000x greater than Herschel".

Building on the success of Herschel, the Japanese Space Agency JAXA is developing such a cooled telescope. ESA has joined forces with JAXA; in return for ESA providing the telescope and a ground station, European scientists will build one of the flight instruments.

Based on the Herschel experience, an imaging FTS similar to the ones Naylor's group has been building for over two decades has been selected and Naylor has been invited to join the international team that will build the instrument known as SAFARI.

The instrument is similar to one that the U of L team has recently commissioned on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, the world's largest submillimetre telescope located atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/JCMT/

The space-based project, SPICA – which stands for Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics – is a next-generation version of the SPIRE device, and would perform a similar function on a space telescope planned to launch in 2022.

In Alberta, a recent and significant collaboration has also been launched with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, where the U of L and the U of C and Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ have formed the Institute for Space Imaging Science (ISIS) to work together on projects that take space research further than Herschel technology, whether on the ground or in the atmosphere.

"By nature, physics researchers don't get too excited, but to see these images and know that we're looking at them in a whole new way, and further that we'll be able to share this information with the public so they can learn about the origins of the universe, is truly exciting," Naylor said.

He estimates that more than 200 papers have already been produced using data from the Herschel mission, and approximately half of those have Canadian co-authors.

The geographical distribution of SPIRE science within Canada is broad with authors affiliated with the following universities/institutions: UBC, Calgary, CFHT, HIA/UVic, Laval, Lethbridge, McMaster, Toronto, Waterloo. As well, a large group of researchers, including more than 30 post docs, undergrad and grad students have conducted research using SPIRE data.

An example of the type of imaging and discoveries made possible by the Herschel Space Observatory can be found here:

Comet 'Demolition Derby' Creates New Information About Solar System Origin

Compelling new images from the Herschel Space Telescope – parked more than 1.5 million kilometres from earth and facing into deep space -- are showing researchers what the formation of our solar system must have looked like at its early stages: a violent, comet-laden disk of debris where thousands of 1 km wide chunks of ice collide and spin around a young star.

http://oshi.esa.int/#list=/images.html?q=pillars;detail=image.html?id=89

The images are made possible in part by technology created by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers, and designed and built by an international consortium of space agencies, universities and research institutes.

http://www.uleth.ca/notice/display.html?b=300&s=17611

On the forefront of an emerging science

trevor.kenney — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:05:42 +0000

Humans have long wished to see beyond what our limited vision permits. For proof, consider the invention of microscopes, telescopes and satellites. Today at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, researchers are using state-of-the-art digital imaging technologies to view even more areas – within the body and across the planet – that would otherwise be inaccessible to mortal eyes. Along the way, vast amounts of data are being collected.

"Solutions to the world's biggest problems can be resolved with high-quality, reliable data," says Dr. Daniel Weeks, the U of L's vice-president (research). "Our researchers are gathering, analyzing and making data more useful so important decisions can be made faster and more easily."

The emerging science of digital imaging is being pushed by researchers across disciplines at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

For example, using sensors to acquire information about the Earth's surface (a process called remote sensing) can help farmers evaluate the health of their crops. In medicine, similarly, magnetic resonance imaging, which produces 3-D images of soft tissue, can enable doctors to assess a patient's brain after a stroke.

For these reasons, and many more, imaging was named one of the top 20 greatest engineering achievements of the 20th century by the National Academy of Engineering in the United States. Indeed, imaging is effecting enormous change in multiple fields. In recent years, the U of L has attracted numerous international imaging-science researchers in such diverse disciplines as physics, astronomy, kinesiology, geography, neuroscience and new media. As a result, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ identified imaging as a key area for growth.

There are many on-campus facilities dedicated to supporting imaging research at the U of L. They include two remote-sensing laboratories, a brain-imaging centre and a soon-to-be completed and unique-in-Canada facility for calibrating remote-sensing instruments. Also, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is home to a satellite-receiving station that is operated in conjunction with Iunctus Geomatics Corp., founded by U of L alumnus Ryan Johnson (BSc '98, MSc '00).

Two researchers benefiting from those facilities are Dr. Craig Coburn of the Department of Geography and Dr. Albert Cross of the Departments of Neuroscience, and Physics and Astronomy.

Coburn is finding new ways to solve problems with, and extract information from, remotely sensed data. He has built remote-sensing instruments for such clients as the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. And while the official use of the instruments is classified, Coburn speculates their job may be to spot disturbances in soil. This data could indicate the presence of landmines, for example.

"Imaging is about more than pictures," says Coburn, reflecting broadly on the field. "These are scientific-grade research instruments floating in space and they can provide a lot of valuable information if we know how to render the image."

The same is true of neuroimaging instruments, says Cross. "Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we can track activity in the brain and unravel how the brain is organized."

An MRI physicist, Cross is developing new, minimally invasive techniques for neuroimaging. Using lab rats, Cross is studying the efficacy of manganese as a way to produce contrast changes in regions of the brain that correspond to prior experiences during MRI scans.

Imaging science can effect tremendous change in many fields, Weeks believes. On that note, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ plans to broaden the impact of its imaging science research. "We're reaching out to potential partners in China, India and Germany, for instance. By finding new collaborators and exploring new avenues of discovery together, we can further increase the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's global footprint in this exciting area of investigation."

Extraterrestrial

Long before Star Trek popularized the phrase, "To boldly go where no man has gone before," humanity has been interested in the cosmos. But sending people deep into space is dangerous and expensive. Fortunately, extraterrestrial imaging enables us to find faraway stars, galaxies and planets, and puts the universe in closer reach.

Neuroimaging

We already have proof that the brain is a powerful tool. You do, after all, remember the location of your keys (most days). But in what areas of the brain does thinking actually happen? And how does the whole system work? By providing images of the brain as it goes about its business, neuroimaging offers important insights about the process of cognition.

Motion capture

Movement is something many of us take for granted. But researchers know there's more to human motion than heaving yourself out of bed, running around with a to-do list and then crashing on the couch. What are the subtle mechanics of motion? Knowing this information will advance our understanding of how bodies move, and will benefit everything from the fine arts to the field of kinesiology.

Atmospheric

The air that surrounds our planet may appear clear some days and a smoggy soup on others. But no matter the atmosphere's appearance, there's always a mix of gases up there. Some have little impact on our weather. Others, like carbon dioxide, are dramatically changing our climate. Atmospheric imaging researchers study the composition of the Earth's atmosphere and detect the trace gases that can be climatic game-changers.

Satellite

We've come a long way from the days of setting out on long expeditions to record the contours and features of the land. Today, we look above to satellites for a big-picture view of the planet. But small details are significant, too. For instance, what's happening on the Earth's surface in each region of the world? Satellite imaging enables us to see such phenomena as deforestation and the development of deserts.

U of L gets chance to CREATE

trevor.kenney — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:36:09 +0000

Thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, young researchers will have an opportunity to creatively expand their professional and personal skills to prepare for the workplace.

"Our government is committed to developing, attracting and retaining the world's best researchers here in Canada," says Rick Casson, Member of Parliament for Lethbridge, who made the investment announcement on behalf of the Hon. Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology).
"Through the investment of the Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program, the students involved will be making a successful transition into the knowledge workforce and strengthen Canada's economy."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will receive the only Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) CREATE program award in Alberta this year – more than $1.6 million in funding over 6 years – which will provide funding for approximately 50 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral candidates.

The U of L program focuses on students who participate in satellite and other imaging programs, and is called the Advanced Methods, Education and Training in Hyperspectral Science and Technology (AMETHYST) program.

More than 80 per cent of the funding each year will go directly to students in the form of training allowances.

The program also includes a significant work placement component, with local, national and international organizations, including local companies such as Iunctus Geomatics and the Alberta Terrestrial Imaging Corporation, the Lethbridge Research Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Natural Resources Canada, NASA and several European research institutes committed to providing meaningful experiences for the students.

Principal Investigator Dr. Phil Teillet (physics and astronomy) says he and his more than 15 U of L collaborators are very appreciative for the CREATE funding.

"NSERC has got it right with the CREATE program because it's about students and their research training," says Teillet.
"The U of L has added a strong dose of professional skills development and workforce preparation to the mix. I'm also very appreciative of the hard work put in by the U of L investigators and collaborators on the grant submission, as well as the enthusiastic support we received from all areas of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ faculty and administration."

Telliet added that for most of the past decade, the U of L has invested strategically in imaging research and teaching, putting a number of important building blocks in place.

"The high-tech field of imaging is used daily throughout society and in many major job sectors in Canada concerned with areas such as natural resource management, biomedical imaging, national security, climate monitoring, water and the environment. Our program also validates the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's leading-edge expertise in research education."

Dr. Dan Weeks, the U of L's vice-president (research) says the outcomes from the program will be significant, and will benefit students and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community for years to come.

"The exciting aspect for me is the employment rate for graduates – it isn't unreasonable to expect 100 per cent employment, because we are looking at this as a model that will provide for sustainable training for research workforce preparation," says Weeks. "As well, the more big-picture aspects include a new undergraduate curriculum on imaging science and technology, a proposed master of science program in imaging science and new lab laboratory tools for studying atmospheric greenhouse gases, among many other benefits."

Looking out to see in

trevor.kenney — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:40:59 +0000

As the lead Canadian researcher for the Canadian Space Agency's contribution to the Herschel Space Observatory, U of L scholar Dr. David Naylor (Physics and Astronomy) has played a key role in the development of the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE). SPIRE is one of three instruments on the Herschel spacecraft that is orbiting 1.5 million km from the earth. Functioning at a chilly -270C, SPIRE observes the universe at very long wavelengths, those well beyond the limit of human vision. Radiation emitted at these wavelengths is able to travel relatively unimpeded through even the densest regions of space, which allows astronomers to view back in time to the formation of the first galaxies. This technology is similar to, but far more sophisticated than, the full body scanners now being installed at airports.

Naylor's group designs and builds exquisitely sensitive systems to convert the energy in long wavelength photons into meaningful information on the composition and physical conditions of the astronomical objects under study.

As Naylor explains, "That's what physicists do – they think of the question and then build the equipment to answer that question."

Naylor is also a co-founder of the Institute for Space Imaging Science (ISIS) and director of its Space Astronomy Division. ISIS is a collaboration between the Universities of Athabasca, Calgary and Lethbridge. Scientists from the three institutions, and their research partners worldwide, share technology and other resources to tackle leading edge questions in space imaging.

Most recently, Naylor is collaborating with Dr. Jeff Dunn, a Canada Research Chair of radiology and biophysics in the U of C's Faculty of Medicine, to explore the utility of his detection system to the medical field, initially in cancer detection. In a recent paper, a team of Taiwanese scientists have shown that THz imaging is capable of detecting breast cancer without the lengthy time requirement for histological staining of samples and visual inspection by a technician.

Naylor quickly realized that even his run of the mill detectors are 100,000 times more sensitive, which means they have the potential to identify not only the cancerous cells, but also their boundaries, substantially faster. Dunn and Naylor are working to explore if this gain can be realized.

Some people question why anyone would study astronomy. Can research into the world around us help advance us as a species? Naylor emphatically says yes.

The universe is the astronomer's laboratory, and the instrumentation Naylor has developed to look outward may just provide us a better way to see in.

"One only has to look at the impact of the laser and MRI on society, whose roots lie in basic physics research, to answer the relevance question."

U of L moves up research ranking list

trevor.kenney — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:33:24 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has moved up three places in a national ranking of Canada's Top 50 research universities.

With a 22 per cent increase in funding, well ahead of the national average of six per cent, the U of L's gain demonstrates the institution's strength in key research areas, according to Vice-President, Research, Dr. Dan Weeks.

The results were recently released by Research Infosource Inc. and based on Statistics Canada data and the Research Infosource Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ R&D database.

"During the reporting period (2007 to 2008), our research funding increased from $13 million to more than $16 million, and moved us up from 38th to 35th place, in the middle range of the top 50 group," Weeks said.

"Our researchers should be extremely proud of this accomplishment – it is proof that the U of L is successfully moving forward in many directions. As part of a strategic plan to increase our research presence and become a comprehensive research university, we were able to recruit people with innovative projects and resources to add to an already-successful group of faculty members."

Ron Freedman, CEO of Research Infosource, said that against the backdrop of a weakening economy, a six per cent national rise in overall research income growth came as a relief.

"With government sources accounting for about 70 per cent of all university research income, stable support from the public sector – the federal government in particular – is vital. Contrary to some recent statements, the public sector has obviously made a decision not to cut research support in an effort to protect and stabilize the post-secondary system."

Weeks added that, across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, faculty are initiating many new projects which will enhance the U of L's ability to retain, and increase, its research presence nationally and internationally.

"Even in a tough economy, we are seeing great success in our research programs. I am pleased that we were among the top 15 universities to record significant percentages of overall research growth," Weeks said, adding that there are many more opportunities to broaden the
U of L's research portfolio.

"Recently, we received more than $7 million in federal and provincial funds to support our multi-disciplinary epigenetics research program. I am particularly excited about the opportunity for greater national leadership in social sciences research with Dr. Susan McDaniel now heading up the Prentice Institute for Global Population and the Economy. As well, Dr. David Naylor in our Physics and Astronomy department has a number of high profile projects planned, plus there are a host of other opportunities in biomedical science, neuroscience and imaging."

UNews - imaging

U of L researchers get funding boost from Canada Foundation for Innovation

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U of L researchers see Herschel mission shut down

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U of L gets chance to CREATE

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U of L moves up research ranking list

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