Lambton College's award-winning research department is taking on COVID-19 projects.
Vice president of Research and Innovation Mehdi Sheikhzadeh said the school's response to the pandemic has expanded since initially helping set up a field hospital.
He said they're growing into more complex and advanced projects.
"We are looking at immune system boosters, we are looking at even vaccine production with big companies," said Sheikhzadeh. "We are looking at developing oxygen sensors for ventilators with a cheap and reliable technology."
Sheikhzadeh made the comments as the college recently received its sixth Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) award in five years.
The college was named the Silver recipient of the Applied Research and Innovation Excellence Award.
Sheikhzadeh said winning another national honour shows how the college is investing and supporting research across Sarnia-Lambton and beyond.
"So that just shows that the college is very tedious about innovation and research, which helps our community and our industry and also, of course, our students and graduates. To be exposed to advanced projects and learn advanced techniques and skills, which are going to be helpful for them for employment later on," he said.
Sheikhzadeh said this particular award is about the applied research excellence and is mainly evaluated on activities the school does and how impactful it has been.
"So there is a piece about how this has impacted the students, so we have to show numbers, and at the same time, some evidence. As well as how it impacted the community because colleges are supposed to be very engaged and embedded within the community initiative."
He said it also requires to show the impacts for the partners and how they have used the research to benefit them, and how the college is seriously supporting research.
-With files from Dave Dentinger
