More than the sum of its parts: Collaborative research team grows big ideas
Dr. Ali Ahmadi and Dr. Russell Kerr aren’t the most obvious in research colleagues. Dr. Ahmadi is an assistant professor in UPEI’s Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering with a specialty in micro-fabrication. Dr. Kerr is a professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Biomedical Science with a long history of discovering and producing novel bioactive compounds from marine sources. When the two met in 2017 at a BioAllliance event, they knew right away they could work together.
Dr. Ahmadi and Dr. Kerr have been awarded $250,000 from the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers In Research Fund (NFRF) to explore the possibilities of this collaboration. The NFRF is designed to push boundaries with focus on high-risk, fast-breaking, and interdisciplinary research for researchers early in their career. Dr. Ahmadi is the primary investigator for this award.
“There was obvious compatibility,” said Dr. Kerr, thinking back on that first meeting. “Researchers in my field are coming up against a phenomenon known as the ‘great plate count anomaly’. We can only culture in the sterile lab about 1% of the microbes in samples we bring back. It is a barrier to finding and exploiting new microbial sources of natural products for drug discovery and other applications.”
Working with Dr. Ahmadi presented an exciting opportunity. His research focuses on micro-fabrication in biomedical applications. Dr. Ahmadi could create a miniature “petri dish” that could be embedded within its home environment—in this case, a sponge. The idea being, more microbes can be isolated when the miniature “petri dishes” are in their own ecosystem for a domestication period, interacting with other familiar organisms.
“We called the first generation of the ‘dish’ the MD Pod,” explained Dr. Ahmadi. “It was a few centimetres in diameter, which posed some challenges in embedding it within the sponge. This award will allow us to fabricate an even smaller version—the Micro MD Pod—which will be just a few millimetres in size and will be used in corals.”
Dr. Ahmadi and Dr. Kerr co-supervised an engineering graduate student embedded in the Kerr lab. It was an important step in the collaboration, but not without its own challenges. That engineer had to integrate into the much different world of microbiology.
“That was crucial,” said Dr. Ahmadi. “Engineers are often hampered by trying to solve a problem they don’t fully understand because they’re working away from the subject. By working within Dr. Kerr’s team, my student was better able to understand the technical challenge and come to a solution. It really underscores the value of interdisciplinary research.”
The team will also work with Nautilus Biosciences as an industry partner. Dr. Ahmadi points at the value of an experienced industry partner with real interest in the solution to the project. “It’s an excellent motivator for the team and a valuable interaction.”
Dr. Ahmadi is one of 157 early career researchers to receive funding for exploratory research that crosses disciplinary boundaries. The results of this round of the NFRF was announced recently by the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Canada’s Minister of Science and Sport.
“I am pleased today to celebrate the very first researchers to benefit from the New Frontiers in Research Fund,” said Minister Duncan. “Our government’s vision is for our researchers to take risks and be innovative. We want our scientists and students to have access to state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment, and we want the halls of academia to better reflect the diversity of Canada itself. This new fund will help us achieve that vision.”
The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.
