Eleven McMaster researchers have been awarded more than $3.4 million in infrastructure funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to advance their work in health and disease, autonomous vehicle and steel research.
The funding, which comes from the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF), is designed to help universities attract and retain the very best researchers by providing them with the foundational equipment and facilities to ensure they become leaders in their fields.
McMaster’s Vice-President, Research, Gianni Parise, congratulated the researchers and thanked the CFI for its investment.
“Congratulations to our researchers on receiving these awards that reflect the strength of their work and its potential to spark transformative discoveries,” he said. “We’re grateful to the CFI for its continued confidence in McMaster’s research community and its capacity to drive innovation that matters.”
Faculty of Engineering:
- Adedapo Awolayo – Advancing Canada’s Sustainable Energy Future through characterization of reactive fluid-rock interactions
- Jonathan Bradley – Infrastructure for Versatile Integration of Photonic Materials and Chips Enabling their Transition from Lab to Product
- Markus Piro – Thermal analyses of advanced high-performance materials
Faculty of Health Sciences:
- Jonathan Stokes – Integrated AI-driven Antibiotic Discovery Platform
- Yingfu Li – McMaster Aptamer Laboratory
- Elena Verdu – Microbiome-host interactions and development of therapies for chronic diseases
- Kathleen Houlahan – Germline-somatic associations in cancer
Faculty of Humanities
- Sandra Lapointe – Observatory for Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts Contribution to Public and Social Sector Innovation and Impact
Faculty of Science:
- Ryan Wylie – Materials for Anchoring and Penetration Laboratory (MAPL)
Faculty of Social Sciences:
- Saara Greene – Community-engaged laboratory for creative methodologies (Co-Create Lab)
- Bradley Ruffle – Expansion and upgrade of McMaster Decision Science Laboratory (McDSL)
Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Mélanie Joly, said the investment demonstrates the remarkable contributions of Canada’s researchers and institutions.
“By investing in science and research infrastructure, we are laying the groundwork for discoveries that will enrich our communities and inspire future generations. Canada has what the world’s innovators are looking for, and our government is making Canada the destination of choice for the world’s top minds.”
This investment by the Government of Canada through the Canada Foundation for Innovation is driving discoveries in areas that matter most to Canada, says Sylvain Charbonneau, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation.
“By equipping universities and colleges with cutting edge research tools and labs that underpin innovation, we help ensure Canada remains secure, productive and globally competitive.”
John R. Evans was the founding dean of McMaster’s Faculty of Health Sciences (1965-1972) and the CFI’s first Board Chair.
A full list of awards can be found on CFI’s website.