The Faculty of Science (FSc) at York University is inviting undergraduate students to apply for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's (NSERC) Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) for Summer 2025.
USRAs are meant to nurture your interest and fully develop your potential for a research career in the Natural Sciences and Engineering (NSE) disciplines. They are also meant to encourage you to undertake graduate studies in these fields by providing research work experience that complements your studies in an academic setting.
NSERC and FSc encourage qualified Indigenous and Black students to apply for these summer research awards.
$9,632
in total value
16
weeks of funding
44
FSc projects available in 2024 (Number of 2025 projects TBD)
24
NSERC USRAs available for FSc students
Information Sessions and Resources
The FSc USRA Summer 2025 Info Session and Q&A will be held on January 21, 2025.
The slides and recording from the 2024 session are available at the links below. The 2025 slides and recording will be posted here after the session occurs.
Watch 2024 Session Recording (Zoom sign-in required)
Award Information
Browse Last Year's (2024) Projects (2025 Projects TBD - will be posted here once available)
Supervisor: Steven Connor
Lab Website: https://biology.gradstudies.yorku.ca/steven-connor/
Contact Info: saconnor@yorku.ca
Project Title: Exploring the synaptic basis of brain disorders
Number of Positions: 2
Project Description:
We study how communication zones between neurons (known as synapses) change in response to experience, and how this process is altered in autistic neural circuits. Using a combination of electrophysiology, molecular biology and transgenics we study these processes in rodent models.
Student Responsibilities:
Perform electrophysiological recordings in mouse brain slices. May also include generating wester blots of synaptic proteins and behavioral assays for learning, memory and forgetting in mice.
Desired Background/Skills:
None required but some bench skills or rodent handling would be helpful.
Supervisor: Dasantila Golemi-Kotra
Lab Website: http://www.yorku.ca/dgkotra/
Contact Info: dgkotra@yorku.ca
Project Title: Evolution of an D-amino esterase to a beta-lactamase
Number of Positions: 1
Project Description:
FmtA is a novel D-amino esterase of Staphylococcus aureus. Its function is to remove the D-alanine from the teichoic acid cell wall component. The structure of FmtA resembles that of penicillin-binding proteins and beta-lactamases. The latter enzymes are proteins that evolved from penicillin-binding proteins. Our hypothesis is that FmtA given the right stress condition could evolve into a beta-lactamase. If proven correct, the research will provide evidence of the structural factors that are required for a D-amino esterase and a beta-lactamase.
Student Responsibilities:
The student will be plating bacterial species that carry a plasmid that expresses FmtA in the presence of low concentration of beta-lactam antibiotics such as penicillin. Bacterial colonies that are resistant to penicillin will be isolated, and used to extract the plasmid. The plasmid with be submitted for DNA sequences in order to identify the amino acids changes in the fmtA gene that contribute to penicillin resistance.
Desired Background/Skills:
Eager to work in a research lab.
Supervisor: Nik Kovinich
Lab Website: http://www.kovinichlab.com
Contact Info: kovinich@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 1
Project Title: Molecular Regulation of Cannabinoid Biosynthesis in Cannabis sativa
Project Description:
Cannabis sativa produces more than 120 cannabinoids, most of which are produced in minor amounts and have not been tested for pharmaceutical activities. By contrast some strains of Cannabis produce up to 35% of their flower dry weight as trans-Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Despite there potential economical value and medicinal importance, the genetic regulation of cannabinoid biosynthesis remains almost completely uncharacterized, including that of THC. This USDA-NIFA-funded project focuses to understand the gene networks that regulate cannabinoid biosynthesis in cannabis.
Student Responsibilities:
The student's responsibilities will be to clone the transcription factor and cis-acting DNA regions of biosynthesis genes and to conduct yeast one-hybrid and promoter-luciferase reporter assays to test for protein-DNA interactions.
Desired Background/Skills:
General molecular biology or genetics laboratory experience is preferred. Experience with yeast one-hybrid, promoter-luciferase reporter assays, and gene cloning would be an asset.
Supervisor: Nik Kovinich
Lab Website: http://www.kovinichlab.com
Contact Info: kovinich@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 1
Project Title: Conserved regulation of divergent plant metabolic defenses
Project Description:
Plants biosynthesize defense metabolites (i.e. phytoalexins) in response to pathogen attack. These metabolites, are diverse in chemical structure and biosynthetic origin among plant species and include the phenylalanine-derived glyceollins from soybean, the phenylpropanoid-derived stilbenes from grapevine, and the tyrosine-derived camalexins from the model plant Arabidopsis. All of these phytoalexins have unconventional anticancer activities that render them desirable for pharmaceutical development. While plants remain the most economical source of many phytoalexins, plants only biosynthesize them transiently and in low amounts, which severely limits their accessibility for commercial use.
Student Responsibilities:
The student's responsibilities will be to identify gene targets of transcription factors by conducting high-throughput yeast one-hybrid and promoter-luciferase reporter assays. (S)he will also characterize the consensus sequences of cis-acting elements by mutagenesis.
Desired Background/Skills:
General molecular biology or genetics laboratory experience is preferred. Experience with yeast one-hybrid, promoter-luciferase reporter assays, and mutagenesis would be an asset.
Supervisor: Terrance Kubiseski
Lab Website: https://biology.gradstudies.yorku.ca/faculty/t-kubiseski/
Contact Info: tkubises@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 1
Project Title: Characterization of Transcription Factors Interactions in the Oxidative Stress Response
Project Description:
Intracellular oxygen radicals (or reactive oxygen species) are becoming recognized as signaling molecules, yet their levels much be tightly regulated as too much can damage DNA, proteins and lipids, and have been implicated in many age-related disease's such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and cancer. Protein signaling pathways in cells become activated to limit the damage from reactive oxygen species by generating anti-oxidant proteins that remove and limit the exposure of an organism to long-term damage. We propose to use biochemistry to look at the regulation of expression of anti-oxidant proteins. The student will carry out a biochemical analysis of the C. elegans transcription factors and mediators involved in the oxidative stress response.
Student Responsibilities:
The methodologies represent a cutting-edge approach in using the power of in vitro protein expression combined with modern genetic approaches. Specifically, the student will be involved in using molecular biology, protein chemistry, tissue culture, co-immunoprecipitation and all the ancillary techniques associated with these disciplines. The impact of the program should encourage the preparation of a high-quality publication, for which the student will be actively involved.
Desired Background/Skills:
Basic molecular biology experience such as those taught in BIOL2070 (Research Methods in Cell and Molecular Biology).
Supervisor: Raymond Kwong
Lab Website: https://kwong.lab.yorku.ca/
Contact Info: rwmkwong@yorku.ca
Project Title: Understanding the risk of exposure to bisphenol compounds in aquatic animals
Number of Positions: 1
Project Description:
As a “safer” alternative of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS) is now widely used in many consumer products, such as plastics and linings of beverage and food containers. BPS has become ubiquitous in the environment, including surface water, sediment, and sludge. Importantly, emerging evidence has suggested that BPS is an endocrine disrupting chemical, interfering with the reproductive and neuroendocrine systems in animals. In this study, we aim to determine the risk of exposure and the long-term effects of BPS on Daphnia magna. Specifically, we will investigate i) the life-history response to BPS exposure, and ii) the mechanisms underlying the toxicity of BPS.
Student Responsibilities:
The student will evaluate the neurophysiological performance of Daphnia magna during chronic exposure to BPS. The student will gain hands-on experience and learn various analytical methods. The student will perform data collection, statistical analysis, and present the work at our lab meetings. Finally, the student is expected to write a report after the research.
Desired Background/Skills:
Basic wet lab bench skills and completion of WHMIS II training.
Supervisor: Patricia Lakin-Thomas
Lab Website: https://lakinthomas.lab.yorku.ca
Contact Info: plakin@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 2
Project Title: Role of the TOR pathway in circadian rhythmicity
Project Description: The goal of our research is to describe the molecular mechanisms that produce circadian (24-hour) rhythmicity in eukaryotes. Circadian clocks are found in almost all eukaryotic cells, and play important roles in human health, but the mechanisms are not yet completely described. We use the fungus N. crassa as a model organism, using the superb genetic and biochemical tools that are available to identify new clock-associated genes and their functions. We have found that rhythmicity depends on proteins that are components of the TOR (Target of Rapamycin) pathway, which is a nutrition-sensing pathway that activates growth in all eukaryotes. We have developed an assay for TOR activity using immunoblotting (Westerns) to quantitate the phosphorylation of a downstream target of TOR, S6 ribosomal protein. Using this method, we have discovered that TOR activity is rhythmic. This raises the exciting possibility that rhythmic TOR may play a role in the circadian system. We will investigate the effects of clock-gene mutations and nutritional conditions on TOR activity (assayed by Westerns) and rhythmicity (assayed by fungal spore formation).
Student Responsibilities: Experiments will be designed in consultation with the PI. The NSERC student will carry out all aspects of the experiments from culturing the fungus to immunoblotting for S6, as well as fungal growth assays for clock function. The student will work independently on their individual experiments once they have mastered the techniques under close supervision but will work in parallel with other students carrying out the same techniques but answering different questions.
Desired Background/Skills: Biology major (Bio, Biomed, Biotech, Biochem, BioPhys). Some lab experience in courses (ideally some of 2070, 3140, 3150, 4290) or in a research lab.
Supervisor: Jean-Paul Paluzzi
Lab Website: https://paluzzi.lab.yorku.ca/
Contact Info: paluzzi@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 2
Project Title: Investigation of novel endocrine regulators of the excretory system in a human disease-vector mosquito
Project Description:
Neuropeptides and their receptors play a central role in the regulation of most physiological processes in animals. Research in my laboratory studies the function of neuropeptides and their receptors in insects. To understand the role and importance of distinct neuropeptide systems, we initially deorphanize and functionally validate the activity of neuropeptidergic ligands on their prospective receptors, which we accomplish by combining in vitro, in vivo and heterologous high-throughput techniques. Recent evidence of successful implementation of these methods includes our studies on CAPA peptides, which we found activate their cognate receptor forming an essential anti-diuretic regulatory system (Sajadi et al., 2018 J. Exp. Biol; Sajadi et al., 2020 Sci. Reports). This NSERC USRA project will include molecular, genetic and physiological investigations of additional regulators of the excretory system in insects. The student for this USRA project will be trained by the lead investigator and senior graduate students in the Paluzzi research group with many of the techniques routinely utilized in the lab, including state-of-the-art genetic, molecular and physiology-based methodologies.
Student Responsibilities:
Student will help characterize and molecularly screen mutagenized mosquitoes created using CRISPR-Cas9 and also examine expression profiles in the mosquito (A. aegypti) to reveal target organs of this endocrine signaling system, including the peptidergic ligand and cognate receptor. This will include RT-qPCR as well as fluorescence-based in situ hybridization, providing insight into organ, tissue and cell-specific expression of these transcripts. After cell-specific expression is established, student may use electrophysiology or other bioassay to examine activity of this endocrine system on solute transport across the gut epithelium.
Desired Background/Skills:
No specific bench skills required. The ideal candidate should have an advanced understanding of molecular and physiology related-research. Solid course performances in these areas along with previous lab experience (eg. Research at York or research practicum) provides strong evidence in support of these requirements.
Supervisor: Sandra Rehan
Lab Website: http://www.rehanlab.com
Contact Info: sanrehan@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 2
Project Title: Wild bee urban ecology
Project Description:
The Rehan lab is establishing critical data to inform sustainable pollinator protection. This work is part of a long-term collaboration with the City of Toronto, David Suzuki Foundation and World Wildlife Federation aimed to conserve wild bees in cities. This project seeks to answer questions on the role of urbanization on wild bee survival and the habitat conditions and plant resources necessary for bee health.
Student Responsibilities:
Students will learn field collection of wild bees, science communication with government and non-government partners, and data management skills when working with museum specimens. They will learn skills in statistics and data visualization to determine the relative roles of urban land use and floral resource availability on bee survival and fitness in wild populations.
Desired Background/Skills:
Undergrad courses in ecology, evolution or related topics in biodiversity conservation. A driver's licence and ability to conduct field research in Toronto. Attention to detail and an interest in wild bee biodiversity and conservation.
Supervisor: Sandra Rehan
Lab Website: http://www.rehanlab.com
Contact Info: sanrehan@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 2
Project Title: Behavioural Ecology of Wild Bees
Project Description:
Prolonged maternal care results in developmental changes in offspring such that offspring without care are more aggressive and avoidant than offspring that experience care. Genetic data reveal that the absence of maternal care results in differential gene expression and epigenetic patterns centred on neurodevelopment and metabolic pathways responsible for fear and anxiety responses. This project is pioneering the use of novel genomic methods to understand maternal care during early childhood development using in nest observations of small carpenter bees.
Student Responsibilities:
Students will learn field collection of wild bees, video observation of nest behaviour, and lab molecular bench work to dissect brain tissue and extract RNA for sequencing. They will develop skills in bioinformatics to determine the relative roles of social environment and development on bee behaviour and gene expression. This project seeks to answer questions on the role of maternal care for brood survival and the gene regulatory networks underpinning bee health. The long-term goal of this research is to determine the interplay between behaviour and genetics, and to use this information to find avenues for improved health outcomes.
Desired Background/Skills:
Courses in ecology and evolution or animal behaviour and psychology. An interest in behavioural ecology and maternal care. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. No former lab experience is required but any former experience is an asset. Skills in team work, organization, dependability and reliable work ethic are required.
Supervisor: Ryan Schott
Lab Website: http://yorku.ca/science/schott
Contact Info: schott@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 1
Project Title: Molecular Evolution of Visual Genes in Frogs and Salamanders
Project Description:
Vertebrate visual systems adapt to different light environments through many different mechanisms including optical changes to the eye and neurological changes that can affect how light signals are processed and interpreted. At the molecular level, spectral sensitivity can evolve through changes to the light-sensitive molecules of the eye (visual pigments) through gene loss and duplication, differential and co-expression, and sequence evolution. Amphibians provide an excellent system for studies of visual evolution and adaptation due to the convergent evolution of similar activity patterns, lifestyles, and behaviours that are likely to influence the evolution of visual function, but are understudied relative to other vertebrates. Our group has recently assembled large datasets of visual genes from frogs that are revealing interesting patterns of visual evolution in relation to ecology, but similar resources in salamanders do not yet exist. We will sequence and assemble the first eye transcriptomes in salamanders focusing on an initial set of 4-6 species that inhabit distinct light environments. We will use these to extract visual genes to produce datasets for future studies. We will also conduct preliminary analyses of the visual pigment genes (opsins) including comparison of gene complements among species, inferences of gene duplications and losses, and an analysis of variation at sites known to affect spectral sensitivity. Additionally, analyses of existing gene dataset from frogs, and comparisons between frog and salamanders will be made. These datasets will form the foundation for future studies of visual evolution across amphibians that will provide a broad evolutionary context within which to test for convergent and novel visual adaptations in response to parallel selective pressures imposed by similar ecologies and behaviours that have evolved repeatedly across amphibians.
Student Responsibilities:
There are several possible projects that can be tailored to student interests. Responsibilities include: extracting RNA from salamander eyes, constructing Illumina sequencing libraries and preparing them for sequencing, checking RNA and library quality, bioinformatics analyses of transcriptome and genome data, phylogenetic and molecular evolutionary analyses of visual genes from frogs and salamanders. The students will also have the opportunity to contribute to ongoing projects on frog visual evolution to gain experience with other methods and manuscript writing.
Desired Background/Skills:
Students should have a strong academic record and taken several relevant Biology courses. No prior lab experience is required.
Supervisor: Yi Sheng
Contact Info: yisheng@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 1
Project Title: The role of Ubiquitin in epigenetic regulation
Project Description:
My laboratory studies the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in the regulation of DNA damage repair signaling. HUWE1 (HECT, UBA, WWE domain containing 1) is a HECT-domain E3 ligase that is involved in ubiquitin mediated degradation and signaling in a variety of cellular processes including apoptosis, DNA replication, and recently shown to be involved in DNA damage repair. PARP1 (poly-ADP ribose polymerase 1), is a key protein involved in sensing and initiating DNA damage signaling through catalyzing the attachment of poly-ADP ribose polymers (PAR chains) to its substrate proteins. Recently, we found that HUWE1 regulated the protein stability of PARP1. However, the role of HUWE1 and its interaction with PARP1 in the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway has not been well understood.
Student Responsibilities:
The USRA student will help to characterize the molecular mechanism of the HUWE1 and PARP1 interaction using co-immunoprepicipation and western blot. As HUWE1 contains a WWE1 domain, which is a putative Poly- (ADP-ribose) recognition domain, we hypothesize that that HUWE1 regulates PARP1 through the association of the WWE domain and Poly- (ADP-ribose). To achieve this goal, Greta will further characterize the molecular mechanism of the WWE1 domain dependent interaction of HUWE1 and PARP1. The outcome of this study will provide a new mechanistic insight into the signaling network of cellular DNA damage response through HUWE1 and PARP1.
Desired Background/Skills:
Complete molecular biology courses; demonstrate good critical thinking and data analysis skills. Previous lab work experience is an asset.
| Project Title | Photonic Structures for Dark Matter Searches |
| Supervisor | Nikita Blinov |
| Supervisor's email | nblinov@yorku.ca |
| Supervisor's lab Web Site | https://nblinov.github.io/ |
| Department | Physics & Astronomy |
| Number of positions | 1 |
Project Description
Dark matter (DM) is a key component in our understanding of the universe. Unfortunately, there is no particle within the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics that can serve as DM. As a result, theorists often postulate the existence of additional, yet undiscovered particles that can do the job. Some of these hypotheses involve non-gravitational interactions of DM with SM particles. We will investigate a particular class of models where the DM has very weak interactions with electromagnetism, and as a result can excite electromagnetic fields in the laboratory. The challenge is to maximize the magnitude of these potentially detectable fields. We will investigate DM interactions with photonic devices (micrometer-scale waveguides and resonators that can guide and manipulate light) which have recently been shown to be a promising platform for such searches. Our goal will be to optimize the interaction rate of DM with a photonic detector by varying detector properties (materials, geometry, etc).
Student responsibilities
1) Qualitatively understand the role of dark matter in our understanding of cosmology and structure formation in the universe
2) Develop a working knowledge of simple photonic devices and numerical methods used to study them (as implemented in publicly-available software).
3) Implement and document simulations of photonic structures using publicly-available software (usually written in python) and optimize certain quantities related to the DM-detector interaction rate.
4) Prepare a final report describing findings.
Desired background/skills
- Good working knowledge of electrodynamics at the level of PHYS 3020/4020 (aka Griffiths E&M); experience with quantum mechanics is also helpful
- Experience in Python programming
Supervisor: Charles-Édouard Boukaré
Contact Info: boukare@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 1
Project Title: Visualization of Geodynamic Simulations using ParaView
Project Description:
Computational power now allows running unprecedented fluid dynamics simulations of planetary interiors. Such calculations are performed on High Performance Computing (HPC) facilities on distant clusters. Fluid dynamic simulations produce a large amount of data. Efficient data visualization tools become inevitable to get the most of the simulations.
The project aims to develop a flexible visualizer for the multiphase fluid dynamics code developed in Prof. Boukaré's group. The student will code python scripts based on the Paraview software infrastructure (https://www.paraview.org). It will be an ideal opportunity to gain more experience in data visualization and data analysis.
Student Responsibilities:
- Getting familiar with the format of the raw data produced by the fluid dynamics simulations.
- Getting familiar with the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of Paraview.
- Learning how to use Paraview in command line using Python.
- Writing python scripts to generate various plots and images.
- Propose generic Python scripts that could be applied to various projects in our research group with minor tweaks.
Desired Background/Skills:
Strong interest for programming and data visualization. Interest for geophysics and planetary sciences.
Supervisor: Deborah Harris
Lab Website: https://www.yorku.ca/science/profiles/faculty/deborah-harris/
Contact Info: deborahh@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 1
Project Description:
The MINERvA experiment has recorded over million-event samples of neutrino and antineutrino interactions in a fine-grained well-understood detector composed primarily of plastic scintillator augmented by thin passive targets of iron, lead, carbon, and water. The collaboration is preparing a public release of its data and a simulation of the data, and the Undergraduate Research project will be to exercise the prototype version of this "Data Preservation" product to contribute to an antineutrino cross section measurement. These cross section measurements are important inputs to long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments, which need accurate models of both neutrino and antineutrino interactions to correctly interpret their data and measure oscillation probabilities as a function of neutrino energy.
Student Responsibilities:
The student will exercise a new Data Preservation Package that the MINERvA collaboration is assembling for broad use within the field of particle physics. The student will work to extract an antineutrino cross section on hydrocarbon scintillator using this package, and may also contribute to data and simulation processing associated with producing this package.
Desired Background/Skills:
Python, C++, PHYS 4040 or its equivalent.
Supervisor: Eric Hessels
Lab Website: http://edmcubed.com
Contact Info: hessels@gmail.com
Number of Positions: 2
Project Description:
The student will participate in a major initiative at York University (EDMcubed, which stands for Electron Dipole Measurement using Molecules in a Matrix) in which the electric dipole moment of the electron will be measured to unprecedented precision. The measurement takes advantage of the large electric field that an electron experiences inside of a polar molecule (BaF in this case), and takes advantage of the large number of these molecules that can be embedded into a cryogenic sample of solid argon. The electron's electric dipole moment is key to understanding the asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the universe.
Student Responsibilities:
The student’s research will focus around designing, planning and building and optimizing one of the systems needed to make the measurement. Several systems are required, including a cryogenic system, a vacuum system, a molecular ion beam system, a magnetic field system, a radio-frequency system, and an optical detection system. The student will focus on one of these systems, but the choice of which one will be made based on the progress EDMcubed in the intervening months, and in consultation with the student. The student will take away valuable experience in design, building and testing a complex scientific apparatus, as well as being part of a very exciting and high-profile research effort.
Desired Background/Skills:
Successful progress towards an undergraduate degree in physics.
Supervisor: Ananthraman Kumarakrishnan
Lab Website: http://datamac.phys.yorku.ca
Contact Info: akumar@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 2
Project Title: Precision Metrology with Homebuilt Laser Systems
Project Description:
My group has developed a new class of low cost, homebuilt, vacuum-sealed, auto- locking laser systems that can be frequency stabilized with respect to atomic, molecular, and temperature tunable solid state frequency markers without human intervention.
Summer research projects will focus on the applications of these laser systems in several exciting experiments that include:
- Ultra cold atom sensors that measure gravitational acceleration with high precision
- Optical lattices that can realize the most accurate measurement of a diffusion coefficient-a parameter that is required to model the performance of the most sensitive magnetometers
- Coherent transient experiments that are capable of realizing the most precise measurements of atomic lifetimes
- Free space optical tweezers that trap dielectric particles, and rapidly determine their masses by investigating kinematics on fast time scales
Student Responsibilities:
Development of individual research projects, assistance to graduate students
Desired Background/Skills:
Aptitude for experimental physics, willingness to take on challenging problems, hands on skills, computer interfacing.
Supervisor: Randy Lewis
Lab Website: https://www.yorku.ca/lewisr/
Contact Info: randy.lewis@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 2
Project Title: Theoretical particle physics on quantum computers
Project Description:
The standard model of elementary particle physics is a quantum field theory. Strongly interacting quantum field theories can only be solved by computer simulation. There is a hope that quantum computers will bring new opportunities in this research area. Various possibilities are being explored.
Student Responsibilities:
Practical studies will be performed by writing computer codes and running them on IBM quantum computers. Because today's quantum hardware is noisy, emphasis will be placed on methods of error mitigation.
Desired Background/Skills:
Previous experience with quantum physics and quantum computing. The ability to write programs in Python.
Supervisor: Ozzy Mermut
Lab Website: https://omermut.lab.yorku.ca/
Contact Info: omermut@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 1
Project Title: Molecular photo-acoustic biomodulation of single cell organisms
Project Description:
How do we manipulate bioluminescent aquatic dinoflagellates to control their light emission? How can we develop an artificial muscle based on a molecular photo-switch? How do we discover and develop molecular-scale diagnostic biomarkers for cancer? Interested in studying biomimicry and sensing in living systems with biophotonics? Our project involves using light-activated molecular switches to perturb and probe biological systems using ultra-sensitive single photon counting optical experiments.
Student Responsibilities:
This project is highly trans-disciplinary and will be conducted in close collaborations with Prof. William Pietro (Chemistry) and Prof. Christopher Barrett (McGill, York U Physics). The student is ideally a biophysicist (physicist or chemist), comfortable in learning and developing upon our optical systems. The USRA candidate will prepare optical solutions based on photo-switching chromophores, known as azobenzenes, isolating and integrating the photo-switches into the dinoflagellates, and conduct experiments on biomodulation and investigate pump-probe energetically/kinetics with a new in-house developed photon counting setup. For the more computationally-oriented, the project may involve Density Functional Theory calculations of azobenzene photo-switching energies.
Desired Background/Skills:
The physicist, chemist, or alike, will be comfortable with aqueous and or biological preparations for optical biophysics experiments and be excited to develop/expand upon our optical instrumentation. For computation enthusiasts, the project may be tailored for density functional theory calculations of one of our azobenzene photo-modulation/optical biosensing systems.
Supervisor: Balint Radics
Contact Info: bradics@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 1
Project Title: Search for Dark Matter and Beyond-Standard-Model physics at CERN
Project Description:
Despite a decade-long search at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and at other frontiers, the nature of Dark Matter remains a puzzle. However, the recently measured deviation between the experimental and theoretical value of the muon anomalous magnetic moment indicates that the muon particle might have non-standard interactions with matter. One interesting possibility recently proposed is that new Beyond-Standard-Model Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) interactions of muons could involve charged lepton flavor violation that manifests at low energy via effective dimension-6 operators. In this project, the unique high-intensity and high-energy muon beam at CERN is used to study the experimental sensitivity of a fixed-target experiment to these proposed effective interactions when high-energy muons undergo scattering on nuclei.
Student Responsibilities:
The student will implement the proposed DIS charged lepton flavor violating signal model and make a simplified event generator to simulate the final state particles of the new interactions in the fixed-target experiment. Then discriminator variables will be introduced to simulate the experimental acceptance and trigger conditions. The student will then produce predictions on the experimental signal features and yield of the hypothetical new muon-nucleon DIS interactions. If there is time, a similar charged lepton flavor violating Dark Matter candidate model will also be studied using the same techniques.
Desired Background/Skills:
Knowledge of special relativity and relativistic kinematics, and some experience in programming in C++ (or Python) and compiling and executing codes on Unix/Linux systems is desired.
Supervisor: Sarah Rugheimer
Lab Website: https://www.sarahrugheimer.com
Contact Info: srugheim@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 1
Project Title: Modeling abiotic oxygen
Project Description:
The nature of the research project is to model the atmospheres of Earth-like exoplanets in different geological conditions and under different stellar radiation with a goal to understand how terrestrial planets evolve in other star systems to prepare for future observations with JWST and ELT. This project is an interdisciplinary project linking astrophysics, geology, atmospheric chemistry, and biology. The research theme focuses on assessing the habitability of planets along with the detection of biosignatures and potential mechanisms for false positives. The student will be modelling an Earth-sized exoplanet with a lower atmospheric pressure to see if we can trigger false positive mechanisms for oxygen generation. By considering the plausible geological fluxes and redox states of the planet, the student will look at plausible ways of generating gases and their detectability in the atmosphere.
The student will have weekly or bi-weekly meetings with Prof. Rugheimer to learn the coding skills required and training in how to run the models. Prof. Rugheimer also will mentor the student in academic writing and public speaking skills through extra training sessions toward the end of the project. In addition to scientific mentoring, Prof. Rugheimer will also provide general career mentorship to prepare the student for their chosen career path post their undergraduate education.
Student Responsibilities:
The student responsibilities are to keep track of their hours, have a mix of on site working and remote working practices, and show weekly progress by email and/or at group or individual meetings. The student will gain research experience in astrophysics and climate science by modelling the photochemistry and climate of exoplanet atmospheres. The student will gain coding experience in Python and Fortran and experience in using Linux systems. At the conclusion of the project, the student will also gain experience in academic writing and public speaking skills to present their work to the community.
Desired Background/Skills:
Some background in coding and python is required. A familiarity with linux is preferred.
| Project Title | Studying Fast Radio Bursts with CHIME |
| Supervisor | Paul Scholz |
| Supervisor's email | pscholz@yorku.ca |
| Supervisor's lab Web Site | https://www.yorku.ca/science/profiles/faculty/paul-scholz/ |
| Department | Physics & Astronomy |
| Number of positions | 2 |
Project Description
The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) is a revolutionary radio telescope, located in British Columbia. In its first five years of operation, CHIME has discovered hundreds of new Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), and this discovery rate is expected to continue. FRBs are millisecond-long pulses of radio waves from far outside of our Galaxy of unknown origin. CHIME has brought about a new landscape in the FRB field; for the first time we are able to study FRBs as a population. There are several potential projects using CHIME/FRB data including software and signal processing pipelines, data analysis and visualization. The student will have opportunities to develop skills in radio signal processing, Python programming, statistics, simulations, and machine learning.
Student responsibilities
The student will work with Prof. Scholz and the wider CHIME/FRB team analyzing CHIME/FRB data and helping to develop/improve CHIME/FRB software pipelines using Python. The student will work in a collaborative and vibrant research environment through interactions with CHIME/FRB members at several other institutions. The student will give presentations and share results with the team.
Desired background/skills
Experience with programming, particularly in Python. Interest in Astrophysics.
Supervisor: Sean Tulin
Lab Website: http://www.yorku.ca/stulin
Contact Info: stulin@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 2
Project Title: Dark matter minihalos and miniquasars
Project Description:
Small dark matter structures (minihalos) provided the gravitational seeds for the collapse of gas to form the first stars and black holes in the early universe. This research will study how dark matter's microphysical properties, such as its possible interactions and forces, can impact the structure of minihalos and the formation and growth of early black holes. This research will study dark matter models with strongly dissipative forces that accelerate black hole formation. As the black holes draw in gas, they can potentially produce a hypothetical object known as a miniquasar that can potentially be observed in the distant universe.
Student Responsibilities:
This research is theoretical and computational in nature, with the goal of simulating the dynamics of gas and dark matter collapsing under gravity. Student will assist with developing theoretical ideas related to hydrodynamical equations for gas and dark matter evolution in the early Universe. Student will write, run, and debug Python code for implementing these ideas, based on an existing codebase. Student will work in a collaborative, international, and vibrant team environment and will be expected to contribute to group activities, such as giving presentations and sharing results with the team.
Desired Background/Skills:
Strong knowledge in Python.
Supervisor: William van Wijngaarden
Lab Website: https://www.yorku.ca/science/profiles/faculty/william-van-wijngaarden/
Contact Info: wavw@yorku.ca
Number of Positions: 1
Project Title: Studies of How Clouds Affect Radiative Transfer through Earth's Atmosphere
Project Description:
This study will look at how radiation is transferred from the Earth's surface through a cloudy atmosphere to space. The effect of changing greenhouse gases, most notably carbon dioxide, has been calculated for the case of a clear sky. Work is underway to extend these calculations to consider scattering by clouds.
Student Responsibilities:
The student would be exposed to extensive programming using MATLAB and gain background in various numerical approximations.
Desired Background/Skills:
A background in computer programming is essential.
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