Seneca College RED 2020 - 19

There was so much work to do in a short time,
and we're so used to being in the office to do
it. We had to learn how to pitch in from home.

lab time to graduate were brought back under strict safety protocols.
Seneca's researchers, in collaboration with professor Barkev
And at Seneca@York, several School of Biological Sciences & Applied Keoshkerian, combined essential oils that have natural abilities to
Chemistry students, staff and faculty were busy with two timely
fight bacteria, viruses and fungi. Finding the proper combination of
research projects that were approved shortly after Seneca closed.
elements was only part of the battle, though.
The first, working with Kenota Health, was the development of
" If you just sprayed the essential oils, they work but they would
much-needed material to test for COVID-19 antibodies.
evaporate and be gone, " Mr. Keoshkerian says. " By containing them
" Initially, there was an urgency to detect the virus, " says professor in a nanoparticle we have extended how long they are effective -
Frank Merante, working with Bryan Chalk, Microbiology Laborpossibly up to a week or more. "
atory Technologist, as co-primary investigators. " We knew the next
The growing need for this kind of research can be seen in the
wave of testing would be to assess who has been exposed and if
recent $2-million NSERC grant to establish the Seneca Centre for
they have antibodies. "
Innovation in Life Sciences (SCILS), a unique applied research
Kenota Health has developed a self-contained, portable device
facility in the postsecondary sector.
that only requires a small pinprick of blood to deliver a result
" SCILS projects will provide practical solutions to real-world
in less than an hour. It works by exposing the blood sample
challenges in biological sciences and applied chemistry, " Mr. Rogers
to non-contagious portions of coronavirus protein. If the blood
says. " The funding received through NSERC will enable our
contains antibodies to fight the disease, they will swoop in and
student and faculty researchers to extend the breadth of their
attach to the virus.
collaborative projects with industry. "
" Viruses are composed of proteins and we're making COVID-19
proteins artificially, " Mr. Merante says.
Alumni face the crisis
" This will reduce the price of the test dramatically and there will
Many alumni have been on the front lines of the battle with COVID-19
be a secure source for them. "
in Toronto, including three who graduated in the spring: Denver
Ben Rogers, Dean of Seneca Innovation, says funding for the
Stewart, Radeesha Williams and Trudy-Ann McKenzie.
Kenota project was approved by the Natural Sciences and EngiWorking as a personal support worker at Valleyview Residence,
neering Research Council (NSERC) in a matter of weeks which is
Ms. Stewart (Personal Support Worker) admits that the deaths that
highly unusual and shows the need for scientists and funders to
occurred at her facility caused great concern for herself and her
be nimble and adaptable in the research response to COVID-19.
family: " Of course, I'm scared, " she told Seneca in early June. " But
The other project was with Giftgowns which produces stylized
these people need our help. Many of them are confined to bed and
hospital gowns. The company was originally looking for an antican't leave their rooms. They depend on us for everything. "
bacterial spray that could be applied to its gowns and porous
For Ms. Williams (Social Service Worker - Immigrants &
surfaces. Once COVID-19 hit, they quickly pivoted to create a spray
Refugees), mother to a three-month-old daughter, knowing that
that destroyed viruses.
a co-worker infected his own child was an additional concern.
" It's a spray of nanoparticle encapsulated essential oils that grad- But with the support of her family, and a strict hygiene regimen
ually release an antiviral compound for a sustained and prolonged
at home, she was able to continue working as a relief shelter worker
effect, " Mr. Merante says.
at Homes First Society, and as an after-hours supervisor at The
An additional goal was to create an environmentally safe product. Neighbourhood Group.
" A lot of antiviral, antimicrobial compounds are heavy-metal
During the height of the outbreak, Ms. McKenzie (Social Service
based, which work well, but they end up getting washed into our
Worker - Immigrants & Refugees) worked night shifts and often
water system and they are pollutants, " he says.
filled in for absent staff at Regeneration Community Services
RED

2020

Seneca College RED 2020

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