Nine FMHS researchers receive infrastructure funding from the CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund, matched by Quebec, propels research innovation at McGill
Twenty McGill researchers – nine of them from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences – have received infrastructure awards from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to support their innovative projects, for a total federal investment of $5.5 million.
These grants will be matched by the Quebec government, doubling their value.
The funding was announced September 13, part of a total of $86 million in CFI awards for 316 research infrastructure projects at 47 institutions across the country. The awards, from CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF), help universities provide top scientific researchers with the highly specialized infrastructure they need to excel.
McGill’s recipients work in a wide range of fields, from reducing chemical pollution in the environment to improving immunotherapies to treat cancer.
Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery professor Dana Small will leverage JELF funding to launch paradigm-shifting research combatting the obesity and diabetes pandemics. Obesity was once considered strictly a metabolic disorder, however recent research is revealing surprising interactions between the brain and metabolism, with obesity and Type 2 diabetes now recognized as significant risk factors for cognitive impairment and the development of dementias, including Alzheimer’s disease. Small’s initiative will establish a world-class program positioned at the intersection of neuroscience and metabolism, emphasizing cutting-edge research, new technologies, public outreach, commercialization and the development of a sustainable training program. Small began her tenure at McGill in 2023 as Canada Excellence Research Chair in Metabolism and the Brain.
Among the award winners is Lucas Caire da Silva, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry, who draws inspiration from how cells work in his exploration of how to increase the efficiency and selectivity of chemical reactions. A goal is to devise methods that avoid reliance on toxic chemicals and complex steps that waste materials and energy. This approach supports Canada’s sustainability goals and positions the country as a leader in innovative, bio-inspired chemistry.
Vivian Qian Liu, Assistant Professor in the Department of Parasitology, will use her JELF funding to acquire super-resolution microscopy to study infectious diseases that originate from animals and infect humans, particularly through foodborne illnesses. These viral and bacterial zoonoses are among the greatest challenges faced by public-health experts today. Liu’s research will explore how zoonotic viruses spill over from wildlife to humans and livestock, and how bacterial cells persist in agroecosystems. By providing high-resolution, three-dimensional imaging of live specimens, this research will aid in the development of active surveillance systems and effective intervention strategies.
“I thank the Canada Foundation for Innovation for providing this essential support for cutting-edge McGill research, and for its commitment to strengthening Canada’s position as a global innovation leader, and I also am grateful to the Quebec government for its matching grants, which similarly strengthen Quebec,” Dominique Bérubé, McGill’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation, said.
List of CFI JELF-funded projects at McGill
FMHS projects:
Microvascular and Endothelial Health in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy
Professor Mariane Bertagnolli, School of Physical & Occupational Therapy
$294,252
The marmoset as a preclinical model for studying sensory and social mechanisms linked to Autism Spectral Disorders
Professor Justine Cléry, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery
$95,528
Understanding cellular dynamics of skin health and disease
Professor Katie Cockburn, Department of Biochemistry
$160,000
Ex vivo assessment of the aging brain and its disorders
Professor Mahsa Dadar, Department of Psychiatry
$97,776
Architectures that mediate bacteria-host interactions: towards an anti-adhesion strategy to treat microbial infections
Professor Shuaiqi Guo, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
$150,000
Long term effects of mild-traumatic brain injury
Professor Lili-Naz Hazrati, Department of Pathology
$187,486
Understanding T cell development and function to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies
Professor Heather Melichar, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
$276,393
Brain and Metabolism Initiative
Professor Dana Small, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery
$799,999
Microwave sensing for accessible, personalized health screening and monitoring
Professor Emily Porter, Department of Biological & Biomedical Engineering
$100,000
Other McGill projects:
Timeseries Anomaly Detection
Professor Narges Armanfard, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
$140,459
Innovative nutrition and lifestyle interventions for health improvement and management of diabetes, aging and cancer
Professor Anne-Sophie Brazeau, School of Human Nutrition
$447,848
Bio-inspired Supramolecular Microreactors for Synthetic Chemistry
Professor Lucas Caire da Silva, Department of Chemistry
$280,934
Precise, comprehensive and practical musculoskeletal measurements to prevent age-, sex- and disease-specific bone loss
Professor Jenna Gibbs, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education
$162,342
Science Biology Integrated microbial culture facility for near-realtime evolutionary analysis
Professor Rees Kassen, Department of Biology
$435,381
Laboratory for soil and water resource protection
Professor Jinxia Liu, Department of Civil Engineering
$499,724
Investigation of the survival and transmission of emerging zoonotic human pathogens using super-resolution microscopy
Professor Qian Liu, Institute of Parasitology
$553,482
Uncertainty quantification and reduction via expert knowledge integration in AI-based clinical decision support tools
Professor Sreenath Arekunnath Madathil, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences
$80,315
Distributed neural representations for efficient learning and inference
Professor Paul Masset, Department of Psychology
273,722
TRANSFORM: Engaging with young People for social Change
Professor Claudia Mitchell, Department of Integrated Studies in Education
$95,879
Extreme temperature carbothermal manufacturing of sustainable graphitic carbon materials
Professor Philippe Ouzilleau, Department of Mining and Materials Engineering
$374,138