Science Canada | Research News ✦ June 22-26
Canada's nuclear strategy, building responsible quantum, and more ↴
RESEARCH HEADLINES · JUNE 22-26
Early drug shortage warnings can save lives, AI can detect early cell abnormalities, and more.
While people take to the streets in Vancouver to protest AI data centers and the internet debates AI slop, algorithms are being put to real work — from detecting early changes in diseased cells to tracking wetlands.
Let’s dig in ↴
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Modernizing wetland mapping with AI
Researchers at the University of Alberta highlight how AI can help experts map wetlands faster and more accurately. While their results are promising, scaling remains a challenge due to the cost of acquiring high-resolution satellite data.
“Deep learning achieved the highest overall accuracies, while machine learning captured finer details and more effectively detected rare wetland types.”
UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO
Responsible quantum: preparing for the future to minimize risks
Waterloo researchers have examined Canada's National Quantum Strategy, underscoring the quantum sector’s likely impact on cybersecurity and wider society, as well as how risks can be mitigated.
“With this level of impact, we need to think carefully about how these technologies will be deployed and governed. Since we’re still in the early stages of the quantum era, we have the opportunity to anticipate and minimize risks now rather than reacting to them after the fact.” — Katya Driscoll
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
Canada releases its Nuclear Energy Strategy
The country’s approach has been newly laid out, centred around four principles (security, responsible development, non-proliferation, benefits for Canadians) and four pillars (enabling new builds, global supply, uranium production, and innovation).
“Canada is not starting from scratch. It holds structural advantages across the full nuclear value chain — from uranium mining through reactor technology to export track record — that virtually no other country can match.”
MCGILL UNIVERSITY
Making soil less vulnerable to drought or flooding
Researchers at McGill are exploring how crop diversification and perennial grains can help improve soil health. Where conventional systems use single crops, this can weaken soil microbes, making that soil more vulnerable to flooding and drought.
“Diversified and perennial agriculture was used previously to provide insurance against crop failure and also to regenerate the soil’s fertility.” — Deniz Dutto
UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Heat kills: Protecting people with schizophrenia during extreme heat
Despite making up only 1% of the population, people with schizophrenia accounted for nearly 16% of heat-related deaths during BC’s 2021 heat dome that claimed hundreds of lives. In a federally funded study, researchers are exploring why they’re more vulnerable to heat-related deaths.
“It is urgent: extreme heat is happening right now in Europe and could happen again in Canada, even in the coming months.” — Dr. Randall White
UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Could the stomach’s microbiome be key to asthma and allergy treatment?
Research is showing that gut fungal species can contribute to immune dysregulation and childhood allergic diseases.
“A better understanding of what gives rise to these conditions and how we can prevent them would have an enormous benefit for children around the globe.” — Dr. Stuart Turvey
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
An early warning system for drug shortages
A startup by researchers at U of T has developed a warning tool for drug shortages that would provide early visibility into supply risks.
“Health system preparedness depends on information as much as it depends on inventory. Earlier, shared visibility transforms crises into a manageable challenge, giving leaders the time to act before patients feel the impact.” — Shanzeh Chaudhry
UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO
Quantifying food safety: “If it isn’t safe, it isn’t food.”
Pathogens transmitted by contaminated food continue to be a significant cause of global illness and death, particularly in Africa. Researchers found that eight food pathogens caused 24 million illnesses and over 100,000 deaths, largely across Africa and Southeast Asia.
“By quantifying illness, death and long-term health impacts, these estimates give governments the data they need to invest in food safety systems, strengthen hygiene and infection prevention measures, improve surveillance and data collection and target interventions where they are needed most.” — Dr. Shannon Majowicz
UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO
Harnessing AI to detect early cell abnormalities
A new algorithm has been developed to identify disease-linked cell changes. The team hopes the findings can improve diagnostics and expand machine learning capabilities for biological research.
“Expanding the PTM list may help researchers find new cellular modifications and new markers for cancer and other diseases. It’s a very powerful tool that will help biologists to broaden their horizons.” — Zeping Mao