University of British Columbia

Cementing operations are carried out on oil and gas wells at various stages. Primary cementing encases the well in a layer of cement. The purpose is to both seal the outside of the well and provide structural integrity. The impact of poor primary cementing is felt both economically (reduced production rates) and environmentally (leakage to surface). In extreme cases poor cement can be a contributing cause of a blowout, (e.g. BP’s Deepwater Horizon incident).

The Canadian National Trauma Registry have recorded that out of 109,738 major injuries occurring in 1999, 4531 had a pelvis fracture. Traditional intraoperative imaging modality in orthopaedic surgery is 2D fluoroscopy which makes identification of 3D bone surfaces very difficult and exposes the patient and the surgical team to harmful ionizing radiation. Ultrasound has traditionally been used to image the body's soft tissue, organs, and blood flow in real time.

Diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's, HIV and blood disorders present challenges to our society, our healthcare and our basic scientific understanding of physiological processes within the human body. Mathematical modelling can be used to help scientists decipher the processes at work in these complex diseases at a molecular, cellular and organ level. Recently, research team members examined the ways in which drugs such as Filgrastim could be used to replenish levels of white blood cells, a common challenge following chemotherapy.