Jennifer Willet, director of the Incubator Art Lab and Canada Research Chair in Art, Science and Ecology, is one of 50 researchers from across Canada selected to travel to Ottawa in May to share their knowledge on science engagement with members of Parliament.

Science Meets Parliament, organized by the Canadian Science Policy Centre and sponsored by the Perimeter Institute and Stem Cell Network in partnership with Canada’s chief science advisor Mona Nemer, works towards advancing diverse science and innovation policies.

Dr. Willet is an artist, researcher, and curator working in the international field of bioart, a genre of contemporary art that includes living biological media, and often the tools and technologies of the biological sciences, in the production of art.

“As usual I have talked my way into a space that is not usually inhabited by artists,” says Willet. “I am curious and delighted to participate and share my knowledge about science engagement and represent UWindsor.”

The field of bioart has developed creative research methods that can help mitigate the challenges of public scientific discourse. Through radical interdisciplinarity, diversity and inclusion, community engagement, contemporary art, education, and whimsy, methodologies from the arts can contribute to reimagining science’s role in our society.

Willet has been building on post-pandemic interest in bioart to address challenges in science engagement made visible during the COVID-19 crisis, working collaboratively and across disciplines towards sustainable biotech futures.

“The Science Meets Parliament program is an opportunity to share with members of parliament what unique and effective tools and knowledges already exist at the intersection of art and science that could radically improve science literacy, communication, and engagement in the Canadian population,” says Willet, “an example of applied interdisciplinarity at its very best.”

Members of Parliament will learn about the process and results of research, the opportunities and challenges facing Canadian scientists, and advocacy for policy development directly from scientists. On the other hand, scientists from across Canada will explore what goals and concerns for science and technology development are present in Ottawa, and constraints facing members of Parliament.

Overall, this program is an important exercise in building better communication between academia and government, Willet says. She is excited to participate and hopes to encourage parliamentarians to extend this program to other fields in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

One year after breaking ground on a residence on Sunset Avenue, the University is making major progress toward meeting the need for student housing, says Gillian Heisz, vice-president of finance and operations.

“Every time you go by that site, you can see we’re getting closer to completion,” she says. “The building will help transform the housing landscape in Windsor.”

The six-storey student residence will feature 452 beds, six community lounges, a house lounge, shared laundry facility, and a 275-seat food hall.

Located on Sunset Avenue between Wyandotte and Union streets, the project is the result of a public-private partnership with Tilbury Capital, a real estate investment and development firm.

Michael Kaye, a partner with the company, says the construction is progressing as planned with structural work underway.

“We have poured about 2,100 cubic metres of concrete for the foundations and another 500 cubic metres for the slab on grade,” he says. “Now even casual observers will be able to see a difference week-to-week as the above-grade work starts to rise.”

The building will have an immediate impact when it begins to welcome residents in Fall 2025, says Heisz.

“Adding this state-of-the-art residence to our existing campus accommodations will make a huge difference for our students, but also across the entire local rental market,” she says. “We are proud to help do our part by presenting this wonderful, welcoming option to new Lancers.”

To learn more and view renderings of the new residence, visit uwindsor.ca/campustransformation.

From conducting chemistry lab experiments to launching a start-up, two chemistry and biochemistry doctoral candidates are taking their research knowledge and turning it into a viable medical technology business venture.

Michelle Dao (BSc 2017, MSc 2020) and Joy-Lynn Kobti (BSc 2020) found rapid success as the winners of the RBC Founders Program hosted by the Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation Centre (EPICentre); the program aims to support businesses in the early stages of development.

Dao and Kobti took top honours and $2,000 in the April 9 pitch competition, the culmination of the six-month program. Their start-up, Complex Therapeutix, will design and develop new drug-release materials.

“The Founder’s Program at the EPICentre offered a wide range of different resources that were instrumental in starting a business,” Dao said. “The EPICentre team has been exceptional in providing feedback and support throughout the past few months, and we cannot thank them enough for their guidance.”

The technology behind the start-up is an innovative drug release technology made up of three components, a metal, an organic molecule and a pharmaceutical, that together create coordination polymers.

“We can control the release rate of the drug by how fast that polymer degrades, making it customizable for different drugs and applications,” says Dao.

Dao and Kobti are completing their doctoral research in the lab of their supervisor, assistant professor Nick Vukotic.

“Complex Therapeutix is gaining traction as a new approach to enhancing drug release and advancing medical treatments,” says Dr. Vukotic.

“Both played integral roles in patenting the technology and this week, our findings were published in RSC flagship Chemical Science Journal.”

The technology research contributions behind the spin-off company also generated an April 2024 publication in the journal Chemical Science, “Therapeutic Coordination Polymers: Tailoring Drug Release through Metal-Ligand Interactions.”

“Over several months, these two crafted a strong business plan and delivered a compelling pitch for a spin-out company, centered on their innovative drug release technology developed during their PhD research,” Vukotic says. “Their determination and dedication to translating academic research into real-world impact are truly inspiring.”

In addition to securing a patent for the product, this research also resulted in a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Idea to Innovation grant. With the grant, they received feedback from international industrial companies through a market research assessment.

“Twenty stakeholders said they were interested in further follow-up discussions regarding the technology,” says Kobti. “Hearing the feedback that it has tremendous potential is fulfilling as someone working directly on the technology in the lab.”

Dao and Kobti see a future for the start-up where they will partner with companies and apply the technology to other drugs, eventually bringing a new product to the market and improving current medical treatments.

Read more on the EPICentre website.

WE-Spark Health Institute hosts monthly networking events for members of the Windsor-Essex health research community to get to know one another through fun and casual conversations. There is no formal agenda and all are welcome.

This is an opportunity for anyone interested in health research to make connections in an informal and enjoyable atmosphere. The next event will be held Thursday, May 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Bourbon Tap & Grill, 1199 Ottawa St. No RSVP is required.

WE-Spark Health Institute is supported by an innovative partnership among the University of Windsor and Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, and Windsor Regional Hospital that brings together health research strengths, expertise, and infrastructure from across the Windsor-Essex region.