The University of Alberta has long performed research in areas (both traditional and emerging) which has an economic impact on Alberta and the world. Examples of pertinent current research include:

Agriculture

• New strains of canola, one of the most important crops in Western Canada, which are more disease resistant and adaptable to prairie climates
• Development of diagnostic systems for virus-free potato and forage crops
• Preservation of meats through the application of biotechnology
• Technological change in farming, the formation of capital, and overall profitability of prairie agriculture
• Alteration of the fat composition of milk to meet consumer demand for lower fat dairy products

Applied Science & Technology

• Application of high powered lasers to medicine
• Hazardous waste logistics
• Intersection traffic theory and design
• Efficient transmission techniques for digital wireless multiple access in telecommunications
• The fatigue life of riveted bridges
• Evaluating protective clothing for use in flash fires
• Design and operation investigation of the water filtration process
• the Intelligence Engineering Laboratory, the first and largest lab of its kind in the world
• Ship icing and stability

Forestry

• Intelligent on-line monitoring and control system for hardwood pulp process operation
• The chemistry of wood components and their conversion to useful chemicals
• Enhancing and protecting natural white spruce regeneration in mixed woods
• Analysis of compliance of forest tenure holders with regeneration requirements
• Role of buffer strips for maintenance of land and aquatic communities in aspen-dominated boreal mixed- wood forest
• Impact of aspen logging on birds in northern Alberta

Energy

• Several continuing projects focused on the improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of heavy oil recovery and refining processes involving the Athabasca Oil Sands
• Development of an 'intelligent' system and manufacturing environment for various chemical processes
• The Hybrid Electric Vehicle, an award-winning working vehicle that can run on both gasoline and electricity
• The chemistry of Alberta oil sand bitumens and its application to the development of new technologies
• Development of improved methods for the production of polyolefins using unique reactor facilities

Knowledge Transfer as a function of economic diversification:

• Hope as a therapeutic agent in health care
• Protocol design for local and metropolitan area computer networks
• Improving assessment in junior high school mathematics
• Annual Alberta Survey by the Population
  Research Laboratory (Sociology)

Environment

• Integrating elk and timber management in a boreal mixed-wood forest
• The response of vegetation to global warming in the Mackenzie River Basin
• The reuse, recycling and disposal of laboratory chemicals
• Uses of robots in hazardous environments
• Recycling of asphalt pavement
• Use of insects to control western gall rust biologically
• Conservation of alpine butterflies
• Impact of aspen logging on birds in northern Alberta
• Improving planting performance of white spruce bareroot seedlings

Health Sciences

• Active living among older Canadians: a review of critical analysis of health benefits and outcomes
• "Letter-bomb molecules" for destruction of cancer cells
• Pancreatic islet transplantation as a means of treating and controlling diabetes
• Development of synthetic vaccines for prevention of bacterial infection (burns, cystic fibrosis, pneumonia)
• Stimulation of damaged spinal cord nerve cells to help parapalegics walk unassisted
• Development of adjuncts for improved effectiveness of balloon angioplasty (removal of fatty plaque from blood vessels)
• Immunity to parasitic infection
• The infectious origins (helicobacters) of gastric ulcers
• AIDS and Hepatitis (B & C) research at the Glaxo Heritage Research Institute
• Development of a framework for evaluation and policy decisions for community-based health care in Canada, focusing on human resources management

Society

• Development of a diagnostic approach to measure quality of service in the retail/service sector
• Elementary school science in the context of the agricultural community: a dialogue on learning science
• Research and human genetic material: persons, property, patents and policy in Canada
• Contemporary Native American perspectives on dispute resolution
• Internationalization and the Japanese business system: international business implications
• Development of a framework for evaluation and policy decisions for community-based health care in Canada, focusing on human health resources management

BioTechnology

• Novel mechanisms by which diet fat alters cell structure and function
• Development of ultra-micro methods for analysis of DNA
• Artificial chromosomes in plant species
• Development of unique technologies and processes for substance analysis and drug development
• Breakdown of plastics by chemicals produced by bacteria
• Enrichment of animal meat products (chicken and pork) with Omega-3 fatty acids and their nutritional significance to health conscious consumers
• Ultrasensitive assays for the detection of enzyme activity in a single cell
• Anti-AIDS drugs
• Protein engineering technologies for therapeutics, vaccines, industrial products, identification of disease related targets and products

---

Research Works '95
has been produced in part
through a generous contribution from
Field & Field Perraton Barristers & Solicitors
Edmonton: 2000, 10235-101st
Calgary: 4000, 400-3 Ave SW

---

For more information, please contact:
Office of the Vice-President (Research and External Affairs)
3-12 University Hall
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Canada
T6G 2J9

Telephone:

(403) 492-5353
(403) 492-5320

Fax:

(403) 492-3189

© University of Alberta 1995

---