New MRU labs explore 'environmental crime scenes', walking and runnning

Here's a pitch for a new one-hour crime drama set in Calgary.
Thanks to a new lab dedicated to environmental forensics opening at Mount Royal University, the working title might be Environmental CSI: MRU.
That's the focus of one of two different labs the school has opened recently, it announced in a release issued Thursday.
The environmental forensics and arson lab will support the work of Dr. Gwen O'Sullivan, a professor in and the chair of the earth and environmental science department at MRU. O'Sullivan conducts analyses of complex organic contaminants in liquid, gaseous and solid samples to complete research on arson, biomonitoring, exposomics, occupational exposure, risk assessment and liability.
Dr. Gwen O'Sullivan of the Environmental Forensics & Arson Lab
The lab has already done litigation and case work in Canada and the U.S., investigated pipeline and off-shore spills, and supported reclamation and remediation projects.
FEET FIRST
The second of two new labs is the foot-ankle stability lab, which will support the research program of Dr. Michael Asmussen. Asmussen's research is "understanding the structure, function and neural control of the foot and ankle during locomotion in healthy, injured and diseased states," according to a release issued by the university.
"As part of the growth and evolution of research at MRU, we are proud to open these labs, which will serve as transformational spaces for discovery and collaboration," said Dr. Jonathan Withey, dean of the faculty of science and technology.
"The work undertaken in these labs will strengthen relationships with industry and government partners, as we mobilize knowledge, solve problems and improve lives," he added. "At the same time, these spaces will create bold learning, engagement and training opportunities for our students, which is very much a signature of the MRU experience."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec police officer stabbed and killed during arrest, second wounded
A Quebec provincial police officer was fatally stabbed Monday night while performing an arrest in Louiseville, west of Trois-Rivieres, Que. The Surete du Quebec (SQ) has confirmed the identity of the officer, Sgt. Maureen Breau, who had been on the force for over 20 years. She was assigned to the post of the MRC de Maskinonge. Another officer was injured during the incident, but their life is not in danger.

Liberals to go after predatory lending in today's budget, invest in dental care plan
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is set to table a federal budget in the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon, which a federal source says will include plans to go after predatory lending and more details on dental care as part of a pitch to make life more affordable.
Canada heading into 'mild recession' as tight monetary policy squeezes growth: report
New research says Canada is heading into a mild recession as elevated borrowing costs, a downturn in the U.S. and persistent inflation dial up the country's economic uncertainty.
Security, support services needed to tackle violence on Canadian transit: analyst
Cities across Canada need greater security on transit and improved access to mental health and addiction services in order to help Canadians feel safe, one public safety analyst says.
Here's why advocates want 'femicide' in Canada's Criminal Code
Advocates against women's violence are urging the government to add femicide to the Criminal Code, saying it would bring further awareness to the term and the tragedies it describes.
Nashville shooter was ex-student with detailed plan to kill
The former student who shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school in Nashville and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre.
How many COVID-19 vaccine doses should you have by now?
Here is a summary of the current COVID-19 vaccination guidelines from NACI, for both children and adults who are at increased risk of serious illness and those who are not.
Walmart Canada CEO says retailer not trying to profit from inflation
Walmart Canada is not trying to profit from food inflation, president and CEO Gonzalo Gebara told a parliamentary committee studying the issue Monday evening.
Indigenous concert in Vancouver cancelled over questions about performer's identity claims
The Vancouver Park Board and Britannia Community Services Centre cancelled an event Sunday that had been advertised as part of an Indigenous concert series in Grandview Park.