Media releases

• Research aiming to boost worldwide food security among Brock projects awarded $3M

  Friday, June 14, 2024 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: June 14, 2024 – R0078

  For more than three billion years, cyanobacteria, the blue-green algae seen in some lakes, has been converting sunlight to chemical energy through photosynthesis.

  Most of this process involves visible light humans can see. But Brock University Assistant Professor of Chemistry Divya Kaur Matta is curious about a particular species that uses an almost invisible portion of the colour spectrum to convert light and store energy — knowledge that could have powerful implications for agriculture.

  Matta was among 18 Brock researchers awarded funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), announced Friday, June 14.

  The University received more than $3 million from the 2024 round of Discovery Research Programs grants.

  Included was the work of Alonso Zavafer, whose interest also lies in light and crops, specifically colours given off by plants during photosynthesis.

  The Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences and Engineering is developing tools that use the colour of plants as a way of continually monitoring their health, nutrition and metabolism, another potential boon for the agriculture industry.

  “As these funding successes show, Brock researchers are continuing to expand their strengths in agricultural research,” says Acting Vice-President, Research Michelle McGinn. “We are grateful for NSERC’s support within this field and across the broad range of other topics funded this year.”

  Matta’s project involves studying a particular marine cyanobacterium called Acaryochloris marina (A. marina). This species contains pigment molecules called chlorophyll d that allows it to draw energy from far-red light, which is on the extreme red end of the visible colour spectrum. It is one step away from infrared light that is invisible to the human eye.

  Matta’s research group, the Computational Biophysics Laboratory, is aiming to better understand how A. marina and other species are able to gather and store energy under very low light conditions. She says such information could help boost global agriculture and food security.

  “This remarkable ability to adapt suggests that it could be used to engineer crops that thrive in shaded conditions and may even lead to innovations in sustainable energy,” Matta says.

  Increasing food security is also the aim of Zavafer’s research, which is in the field of ‘biophotonics.’

  A photon, the smallest particle of light, emits visible and near-visible light. Biophotonics includes studies of photons in biological systems to see if cells and tissues are healthy, playing a major role in medical imaging and therapeutic procedures.

  Zavafer’s research group, the Biophonic Engineering Laboratory, aims to improve food security by providing farmers with cost-effective tools to monitor plant stress in crops.

  “One possible way to improve farming is by monitoring and controlling in real time the health, nutritional and metabolic content of crops,” says Zavafer. “This project aims to identify, develop and refine photonic tools to monitor plant performance to support the agriculture, horticultural and forestry sectors.”

  Zavafer and Matta’s work is being funded by NSERC’s Discovery Grant, which supports ongoing research programs with long-term goals rather than a single short-term project or collection of projects.

  Also announced June 14 was an NSERC PromoScience grant, awarded to Professor of Biological Sciences Jeff Stuart for his “Lab-in-a-Box” interactive outreach program, which brings free interactive laboratory experiences to schools and underprivileged youth groups.

  In addition, Brock researchers received funding from the Discovery Development Grant and the Research Tools and Instruments Grant.

  “The Discovery Research Programs shows our government’s commitment to advancing science and technology in Canada and beyond,” says Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre.

  “I’m pleased to see the vibrant contributions Brock University researchers are making in the fields of chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, computer science, psychology and health sciences through their innovative research projects,” he says.

  “Looking over the list of research projects being supported by the Discovery Research Programs, I’m impressed by the talent of the Brock University research community,” says Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines. “These projects will make significant inroads in health care, agriculture and technology, areas particularly relevant for Niagara as well as the rest of the country.”

  A full list of Brock’s funding recipients is available on the University’s website.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  * Maryanne St. Denis, Manager, Content and Communications, Brock University mstdenis@brocku.ca or 905-246-0256

  – 30 –

  Categories: Media releases

• Brock grad walks across Convocation stage after rare condition left her paralyzed

  Friday, June 14, 2024 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: June 14, 2024 – R0077

  Walking across the stage to receive a university degree is a major milestone in any student’s life.

  But after six years of hard work and dedication, Sophie Roy (BA ’24, BEd ’24) wasn’t sure she was going to get that chance.

  Two weeks before she was set to graduate from Brock University on Thursday, June 13, the 24-year-old underwent emergency spinal surgery to treat a rare condition that left her paralyzed from the waist down.

  Attending Convocation was left in limbo, and “that nearly broke my heart because I’ve worked so, so hard,” Roy said.

  The Hunstville, Ont., native had been diagnosed with Cauda Equina Syndrome, a rare neurological condition that occurs when a collection of nerves that rest at the base of the spinal cord become compressed. This cuts off sensation and movement to the legs, bladder and bowel.

  After undergoing a major surgery to treat the condition, Roy was transferred to the Lyndhurst Centre, a Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, to undergo specialized care to regain motor and organ function.

  In the days leading up to her graduation from Brock’s Concurrent Education program, where she would receive both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education, Roy wasn’t sure when — or even if — she would walk again.

  “It was super traumatic and really discouraging,” she said. “My life had changed forever.”

  Her father and fellow Brock graduate Jeff Roy (BAdmin ’86) said progress happened incrementally.

  “Five days ago, we didn’t know if she could even come [to graduation] in a wheelchair,” he said.

  Then, Roy sat up.

  She stood.

  And finally, she began to walk again.

  “One day she started to walk, and then more, and then more,” he said. “She was moving her foot an inch, and then oh, wait a minute, let’s go a little farther.”

  When it was finally time to take the walk across the stage, he and Roy’s mother, Janice, watched eagerly in the audience.

  Roy’s sister, fellow Brock graduate Phoebe Roy (BScN ’20), stood close by in case she needed a helping hand.

  But Roy walked from one end of the stage to the other completely unassisted — and on her own terms.

  “My surgery was two weeks ago, and I was able to go to my graduation and walk across the stage. Honestly, it’s purely a miracle,” she said.

  “It’s also because I had my family advocating for me 24-7. I have people willing to drop everything and who consider it a privilege to be able to come into one of the worst valleys and one of the scariest seasons of my life. That’s a gift.”

  Her sister, who is currently a pediatric nurse in Cambridge, said she couldn’t be prouder.

  “It was amazing; I was sitting on the ramp and just weeping,” she said. “When we were in the hospital [Sophie] said, ‘I’m not going to be able to go to grad,’ and I said, ’Oh, you are walking across that stage.’ And so, she did.”

  Phoebe added that she was humbled to be able to apply the skills she learned during her nursing studies, as well as from volunteering in Brock’s Power Cord program for people with spinal cord injuries, in such a meaningful way.

  While Roy admits there are still many hurdles to overcome, the experience has only strengthened her passion for teaching.

  “Brock has equipped me with the pedagogical knowledge, certainly, to be able to teach students,” she said. “Now, I want to get into a classroom to test out all of this knowledge and see how it actually applies with real kids.”

  Once she is discharged from the rehab facility, Roy plans to spend her summer focusing on her recovery, spending much-needed time with her dogs and completing some online courses to further bolster her qualifications.

  She also hopes to find a position teaching primary-level French soon — following in the footsteps of her mother, who also taught French.

  “I love teaching because it’s about helping people and empowering people,” Roy said. “I’ve been told ‘you may never walk again,’ and I was walking just days post-op, so I’m kind of putting to bed telling kids what they can’t do and really encouraging kids to believe in what they can do.”

  Brock University’s 115th Convocation concludes on Friday, June 14. Over the course of the five-day celebration, about 3,200 graduates received their degrees from seven Faculties.

  All ceremonies can be viewed online at brocku.ca/livestream

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Maryanne St. Denis, Manager, Content and Communications, Brock University mstdenis@brocku.ca or 905-246-0256

  – 30 –

  Categories: Media releases