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In this work, we have synthesized ordered NixSny nanoparticles separated by Al2O3 as highly efficient catalysts for the vapor phase hydrogenation of furfural. The NixSny-Al2O3 composite catalysts with different chemical compositions (Ni3Sn4, Ni3Sn, Ni1.5Sn, Ni3Sn2, Ni) were prepared through layered double hydroxide (LDH) route by annealing at 800 °C in presence of H2. NixSny nanoparticles were well dispersed throughout the Al2O3 matrix indicating the high thermal stability of these materials. The effect of different concentration of Ni, Sn and Al in the formation of NixSny-Al2O3 catalyst was investigated. The XRD, TEM and XAFS analyses indicate the formation of intermetallic phases with spherical particle having average size of 30-160 nm. The nanoparticles with different compositions were tested towards the hydrogenation of furfural and found that crystal structure, atomic ordering and composition play crucial roles in the catalytic activity. DFT calculations indicate the adsorption energy and the geometrical orientation of furfural on the surface of different NixSny-Al2O3 compounds play crucial role in the hydrogenation of furfural. Ni3Sn2-Al2O3 was found to be most efficient catalyst with high furfural conversion (~ 65 %) and selectivity (57-62 %) for furfuryl alcohol.

Biobanks are resources that facilitate research. Many biobanks exist around the world, but most tend to focus on a specific disease or research area. BC Children's Hospital and BC Women's Hospital are located on the same campus (Oak Street Campus) in Vancouver, BC, Canada. A campus-wide biobank has been established on the site of these two hospitals to collect specimens and annotated data from children or women seeking medical care at either of the hospitals. Such an initiative requires careful planning and consideration of many factors such as buy in and support of key stakeholders, governance, financial planning, and optimizing specimen collection. We developed a business plan to account for the many aspects associated with integrating the "BC Children's Hospital BioBank." This document describes the approach our business plan took for the implementation of our biobank and the progress, including deviations from the business plan. We also provide a perspective on the current status with a focus on sustainability.

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