The first deadline in the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) – Exploration competition is fast approaching.
The deadline for the Queen’s Research Community to share their Notice of Intent for the optional internal review is Monday, June 20 with the mandatory agency deadline 8 days later on June 28. Researchers are encouraged to submit their notice of intent before the deadline and to join previous awardees for a virtual panel discussion and Q&A session on August 24. View application timelines.
The interdisciplinary research grant strives to inspire high-risk and high-reward research that pushes boundaries into exciting new areas. Researchers are encouraged to think “outside of the box,” undertake projects that, if successful, would defy current paradigms, and bring disciplines together in unexpected ways and from bold, innovative perspectives. Learn more about NFRF - Exploration competition.
Past Success
Since the launch of the competition in 2018, Queen’s University has received 25 awards totalling over $6M, ranking Queen’s seventh nationally, and fourth in the province.
The 2021 Exploration stream saw five Queen’s research projects receiving $250,000 each:
- Cao Thang Dinh and Laurence Yang (Chemical Engineering) are working with a team of experts in electrochemical engineering, computational system biology, and microbiology to find solutions to improve the efficiency of bioprocesses – that is, processes that use living cells to convert carbon dioxide, renewable, non-food biomass and waste into chemicals with industrial applications – by powering them with renewable electricity such as wind and solar using an electrochemical process. Their research has potential impact in reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as enabling cost-effective, large-scale production of biodegradable bioplastics to reduce plastic waste.
- The genetic and epigenetic origins of cancer are the root of a program led by Anna Panchenko (Pathology and Molecular Medicine) and Maria Aristizabal (Biology). The team is investigating the role of mutations in histone genes in the genesis of cancer using an integrative in silico/ in vivo platform. Histones are proteins that help form the structure of chromosomes and might have the potential to be used as diagnostic biomarkers or targets for therapeutic intervention.
- Zongchao Jia (Biomedical and Molecular Sciences) and Yong Jun Lai (Mechanical and Materials Engineering) have partnered to develop a microsensor to help test novel drugs with potential to treat bacterial infections without causing antibiotic resistance. They are working with a family of compounds that, instead of killing the bacteria, reduce their virulence. The immediate application of the research would be to treat infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic bacterium known for causing severe disease, particularly in immunocompromised patients and those with cystic fibrosis.
- A team led by Beata Batorowicz (School of Rehabilitation Therapy) and Sidney Givigi (School of Computing), experts in the fields of rehabilitation science, child development, computer science, engineering, education, and ethics are developing new tools to improve communication for children with neuromotor disabilities. Their idea is to use robots to improve quantity and quality of social interactions, helping children overcome the challenges posed by impaired speech and mobility.
- Jason Gallivan (Biomedical and Molecular Sciences/ Psychology) and Anita Tusche (Economics/ Psychology) are looking into the potential of digital technology to protect people from the bodily effects of social isolation – experienced, for example, during the pandemic lockdowns. They aim to understand the multifaceted neurobiological changes that occur during isolation and test how virtual interactions – like video chats – can reduce them. The team expects results could be used to rethink digital technology applications (e.g. remote education, telemedicine) and social policy (e.g. concerning vulnerable populations with limited access to digital resources).
For more on NFRF funding success, see Funding to advance bold, innovative research programs .