McMaster University researchers awarded more than $3M in Federal funds for projects

Eleven researchers working out of Hamilton’s McMaster University have been awarded almost $3.3 million from the Federal Government for projects deemed to be “on the cutting edge of science and innovation.”

On Wednesday (Aug. 11), François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced that more than $77 million had been earmarked to support 332 research infrastructure projects at 50 universities across Canada.

The funding, made possible through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF), is expected to help universities attract and retain top researchers.

“From developing sustainable building materials to creating new laboratories based on Indigenous principles and community engagement, these awards support essential and urgent research,” said CFI president and CEO Roseann O’Reilly Runte, in a press release.

“With the necessary spaces and tools, Canada’s researchers will play a meaningful role on the global stage and contribute significantly to the quality of life today and for generations to come.”

The more than $3 million going to Mac researchers will help advance their work in health, materials and electrification research.

Projects at Mac that will benefit from the funding include:

Faculty of Engineering

Bilgen Berker, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Project: An Acoustic Noise and Vibration Measurement Facility for Low-noise and High-efficiency Electric Motor Drives
Award: $200,000

Ryan Lewis, Engineering Physics
Project: Advanced Epitaxial Nanostructures and Materials Laboratory
Award: $190,584

Zahra Keshavarz-Motamed, Mechanical Engineering
Project: Developments of Diagnostic and Predictive Tools and Regulatory Device Testing Machines for Cardiovascular Diseases
Award: $185,000

Maureen Lagos Paredes, Materials Science & Engineering
Project: Momentum-resolved EELS Spectroscopy of Beam-sensitive Nanoscale Materials
Award: $387,788

Faculty of Health Sciences

Lisa Carlesso, Rehabilitation Science
Project: Understanding Pain Mechanisms and Management in Neuromusculoskeletal Rehabilitation
Award: $129,000

Michael McGillion, Nursing
Project: Improving Perioperative and canceR Outcomes Through Excellence and appliCation of Virtual Technologies (PROTECT) Lab
Award: $800,000

Ishac Nazy, Medicine
Project: Investigating Novel Mechanisms in Immune-mediated Platelet Disorders
Award: $160,000

Michael Surette, Medicine
Project: Metagemomics and Genomics of the Microbiome, Infectious Disease and Host Response
Award: $650,000

Faculty of Science

Katherine Bujold, Chemistry & Chemical Biology
Project: Establishment of Nucleic Acid Nanomedicine Laboratory at McMaster University
Award: $75,005

Katrina Choe, Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
Project: Neural Mechanisms Linking Autism-risk Genes with Impaired Social Behavior
Award: $400,000

Jeremy Walsh, Kinesiology
Project: Integrative Psychophysiology Research Lab
Award: $100,000

A full list of research projects and funding recipients benefitting from this investment can be found on the CFI website.