CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR IN ELECTROCHEMISTRY WINS E.B. YEAGER AWARD

August 5, 2010 | Jacek Lipkowski, Canada Research Chair in Electrochemistry at the University of Guelph, has won the prestigious E.B. Yeager Award for his contributions to advancing electrochemistry. The award—named after the renowned electrochemist, the late Ernest B. Yeager—is presented every two years to an outstanding North American researcher by The Electrochemical Society.

Over the past 30 years, Lipkowski has been renowned for his groundbreaking research. Currently, he is co-ordinating research on proteins and peptides through the Guelph-based Advanced Foods and Materials Network, which involves 13 scientists from across Canada.

CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR PUBLISHES RESEARCH FINDINGS IN AIDS JOURNAL

July 27, 2010 | Peter Newman, Canada Research Chair in Health and Social Justice at the University of Toronto, has recently had an article published in AIDS, the official journal of the International AIDS Society. The journal publishes the latest research on HIV and AIDS, and targets clinicians and the research community.

Newman’s article, co-written with University of Toronto doctoral student Carmen Logie, undertakes a systematic review of the literature to examine HIV vaccine acceptability—the degree to which people at risk of contracting HIV are willing to be inoculated with the vaccine—and factors affecting the acceptability of future HIV vaccines. The researchers drew their conclusions from 30 previous research papers involving nearly 12,000 people.

“One might assume that if an HIV vaccine was available, many people would line up to be vaccinated. However, the research strongly indicates this is not the case,” says Newman. “The availability of a vaccine alone is not enough to ensure that people will be inoculated.”

Newman and Logie's meta-analysis of existing literature identified several factors that could influence people's willingness to be inoculated with an HIV vaccine. Among them were a lack of confidence in the effectiveness of the vaccine, scepticism about the risk of infection, and practical considerations such as cost and accessibility of the vaccine.

Newman argues that these factors need to be addressed now, before any vaccine is made publicly available, and says there is a need for more education and awareness around the benefits of vaccines and the continuing risk of HIV, particularly in young people.

TEAM CO-LED BY CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR JACEK MAJEWSKI MAKES BREAKTHROUGH IN GENETIC DISEASE TREATMENT

July 19, 2010 | A team co-led by Jacek Majewski, Canada Research Chair in Statistical Genetics at McGill University, has made a major breakthrough that will revolutionize the screening and treatment of genetic diseases. The research team has proven, for the first time, that it is possible to rapidly identify any genetic disease using a powerful and reliable exome sequencing method. The exome, a small part of the genome, accounts for 85 per cent of genetic mutations.

This new approach makes it easier for researchers to identify the gene causing a disease, since they no longer need to analyze the genes of two people from the same family, as was previously the case, but rather just two people affected by the same disease. The research team’s study, published recently in the journal Human Mutation, focused on isolating the mutation responsible for Fowler's Syndrome, a rare and debilitating genetic syndrome that causes urinary retention in young women.

The goal of this new sequencing technique is to isolate genetic alterations in cases of hereditary diseases among children. It is expected to reveal, within one or two years, a 'full catalogue' of mutations responsible for most hereditary diseases, and for more complex diseases, such as cancer in children.

FIVE CANADA RESEARCH CHAIRS NAMED IN LIST OF CANADA’S
TOP 40 UNDER 40

June 21, 2010 | Five Canada Research Chairs have been named in the 2009 Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 list, announced June 7. Established in 1995 by The Caldwell Partners International, this program celebrates the achievements of 40 Canadians in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, who have reached a significant level of success before the age of 40. The program promotes mentorship and professional development by introducing these leaders to the established business community and by promoting them as role models for young Canadians.

The five Canada Research Chairs included in the 2009 list are: Linda Campbell, Canada Research Chair in Aquatic Ecosystem Health at Queen's University; Daniel Durocher, Canada Research Chair in Proteomics, Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics at the University of Toronto; Paul Khairy, Canada Research Chair in Electrophysiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease at the Université de Montréal; Ian R. Mann, Canada Research Chair in Space Physics at the University of Alberta; and Subodh Verma, Canada Research Chair in Atherosclerosis at the University of Toronto.

The Canada Research Chairs Program congratulates these outstanding Canadian researchers.

TWO CANADA RESEARCH CHAIRs HONOURED BY UNITED KINGDOM’S ROYAL SOCIETY

June 9, 2010 | Loren Rieseberg, Canada Research Chair in Plant Evolutionary Genomics at the University of British Columbia, and Lewis Kay, Canada Research Chair in Proteomics, Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics at the University of Toronto, have been elected to the United Kingdom’s Royal Society. The Royal Society is the world’s oldest scientific academy in continuous existence, and has been at the forefront of enquiry and discovery since its foundation in 1660. Past members of this illustrious society include Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Ernest Rutherford, Albert Einstein, Dorothy Hodgkin and Stephen Hawking. Each year, 44 new Fellows are elected from among the Commonwealth’s most eminent scientists, engineers and technologists.

Loren Rieseberg, a professor with The University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Department of Botany, was elected for having made a fundamental contribution to the understanding of speciation mechanisms and the evolution of local adaptation, and for pioneering the application of experimental genomic approaches to studies of micro-evolutionary processes. Rieseberg heads up The Rieseberg Lab at UBC. The lab’s primary research interest, at present, concerns how new plant species arise—one of the most fundamental questions in biology.

Lewis Kay is a professor of biochemistry, molecular genetics and chemistry at the University of Toronto. He was elected for the society for, among other achievements, developing many of the recent technical advances that have pushed the size limit of protein complexes that can be examined by NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy. Kay’s laboratory work has garnered him a string of prestigious awards and accolades, including an Alfred P. Sloan research fellowship, the Steacie Prize, inclusion in Canada's Top 40 Under 40, a Premier's Research Excellence Award, and membership in the Royal Society of Canada.

CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR INVITED TO PRESENT AT IDEACITY CONFERENCE

May 27, 2010 | Andrea Tone, Canada Research Chair in the Social History of Medicine at McGill University, will present at ideaCity, “Canada’s Premiere Meeting of the Minds,” this June in Toronto. ideaCity is the Canadian version of the TED conference.

Each year, ideaCity invites fifty innovators—from adventurers to scientists, environmentalists to filmmakers—to share their ideas, passions and stories with an audience of 700.

Tone was invited to present at the conference after her groundbreaking work on the history of the birth control pill attracted the attention of ideaCity founder and host Moses Znaimer.

Canada Research Chair uncovers secret lives of birds

May 27, 2010 | A new book by Bridget Stutchbury, Canada Research Chair in Ecology and Conservation Biology at York University, studies the sexual and social lives of birds, and explains the science behind their sophisticated and often amusing behaviour.

In The Bird Detective, Stutchbury describes behaviours that are, at times, surprisingly similar to human traits, including divorce, adultery, betrayal and selfishness.

Using radio-tracking technology, Stutchbury and York postdoctoral fellow Bonnie Wolfenden solved a mystery that had puzzled biologists: how were female Acadian flycatchers getting fertilized by males who lived hundreds of metres away?

“We had the genetic evidence of their infidelity, but we never did catch a female sneaking away from its nest. It turned out to be the males making clandestine visits to the females,” Stutchbury says.

Stutchbury and her team also became the first scientists in the world to track migratory songbirds from breeding to wintering grounds, showing the tiny birds’ incredible speed in migration, and finding that they fly three times faster than previously suspected.

While these details might appear to be curiosities to some, Stutchbury argues that they are, in fact, crucial pieces of the puzzle that will help researchers protect birds from threats like climate change, habitat destruction, and other environmental concerns.

“There’s truly a pressing need for behavioural research,” Stutchbury says. “Otherwise there’s no way for us to know how to best protect species.”

Stutchbury’s previous book, Silence of the Songbirds, was shortlisted for the 2007 Governor General’s Literary Award for non-fiction.

TEAM CO-LED BY CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR BRENDAN FREY CRACKS HIDDEN DNA CODE

May 17, 2010 | The research team co-led by Brendan Frey, Canada Research Chair in Information Processing and Machine Learning at the University of Toronto, has cracked a hidden code within human DNA.

The breakthrough closes the gap between the sequencing of the human genome and understanding how a limited number of genes are capable of forming complex organs such as the brain.

Together with researcher Benjamin Blencowe, Frey used data generated by the cataloguing of RNA (strands coded by DNA to create proteins that help build organs or direct bodily functions) to train a computer algorithm to predict the outcome of alternative splicing.

Alternative splicing is the process by which segments of “messenger RNA” from a given gene can be combined to create different results (from different traits to genetic orders or diseases) from the same original DNA code. These variations are what lead to the enormous complexity of human biology.

Using a computer-assisted model, the researchers discovered a number of “code words”—short DNA sequences—hidden within the genome. The code words have enabled the researchers to predict how thousands of genetic messages are contained within tissues.

Once the code words for a specific tissue have been found, researchers can make predictions on how splicing will occur in other tissues.

The research opens the way for the study of disease-causing genetic mutations—and eventually their cures.

The research results were published in the May issue of the prestigious Nature magazine.

TWO CANADA RESEARCH CHAIRS AWARDED THE KILLAM PRIZE

May 10, 2010 | Two Canada Research Chairs are among the winners of the 2010 Killam Prizes. The prizes, awarded annually since 1981, serve to honour the lifetime achievements of eminent Canadian scholars and scientists actively engaged in research, whether in industry, government or universities.

Ming Li, Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics at the University of Waterloo, has received the Killam Prize for engineering. Li is an internationally acclaimed computer scientist whose current research improves genome mapping by providing efficient tools for computers to execute homology searches, read maps and determine protein structures. His groundbreaking publication, An Introduction to Kolmogorov Complexity and Its Applications, examined the theory of randomness and information, and introduced the incompressibility method—a new way of analyzing algorithms used in computer programs.

R. Mark Henkelman, Canada Research Chair in Imaging Technologies in Human Disease and Preclinical Models at the University of Toronto, was recognized for his work in health sciences. Henkelman uses state-of-the-art digital imaging technologies to research human diseases. His work applies modern imaging technology to diagnose cancer and other diseases. Furthermore, his research spearheaded the development of real-time magnetic resonance imaging for use in neurosurgery. Henkelman’s current research is focused at the Mouse Imaging Centre at The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto.

Chairholders win University of Victoria research awards

May 4, 2010 | Two Canada Research Chairs are among the recipients of the 2010 University of Victoria Craigdarroch Research Awards. The prestigious awards, presented annually, are given to researchers who have produced original, productive, entrepreneurial and groundbreaking research at the university.

Margaret-Anne Storey, Canada Research Chair in Software and Knowledge Visualization, has been awarded the Craigdarroch Silver Medal for Excellence in Research. Storey designs software to help people organize, analyze and better understand large amounts of information. Her research has led to applications in many areas, including software engineering, biomedicine and education.

Neena Chappell, Canada Research Chair in Social Gerontology, has received the Craigdarroch Award for Excellence in Communicating Research. Chappell studies quality of life for seniors, care-giving, and the health-care system. She examines social trends and ways to better integrate the treatment and care of the elderly in institutions and at home.

The 2010 Craigdarroch awards were presented during a ceremony at the University Club of Victoria on April 27.

Canada Research Chair receives 2010 Herzberg medal for physicists under 40

April 28, 2010 | Carlos Silva, Canada Research Chair in Organic Semiconductor Materials at the Université de Montréal, has been awarded the 2010 Herzberg Medal by the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP).

Silva received his award for his contributions to the understanding of optical and electronic processes in molecular and polymeric semiconductors, and for his work in clarifying the complex relationships between microstructure and semiconductor properties in this new class of materials.

The CAP Herzberg Medal was introduced in 1970, and is awarded for outstanding achievement in any field of research by a Canadian or Canada-based physicist under the age of 40.

Silva will be presented with the medal at an awards banquet on June 10, during the 2010 CAP Congress in Toronto.

Canada Research Chair wins important award for invention to treat and control diabetes

December 10, 2009 | Aicheng Chen, Canada Research Chair in Material and Environmental Chemistry, was a recent recipient of the W. Lash Miller Award from the Canadian Section of the Electrochemical Society. Established in 1967, the award recognizes a candidate’s excellence in publications and/or technical contributions in the field of electrochemical science.

Chen won the award for an invention that will help treat and control diabetes, a disease that currently affects more than two million Canadians. He has developed a non-enzymatic electrochemical technique to monitor blood sugar levels; this is a new way to oxidize glucose through the use of an electrochemical process.

Chen is an associate professor of chemistry at Lakehead University. His research is leading to the development of electrode materials for electrolysis, and new applications for environmental and biological analysis.

World first: team of B.C.-based scientists, including Canada Research Chair Samuel Aparicio, uncover the Breast cancer map

October 8, 2009 | "We've been dreaming about the possibility to capture complete genome information from cancers in a routine way for decades," says Samuel Aparicio, Canada Research Chair in Molecular Oncology. "The moment has arrived!" Learn more

Canada Research Chairs Program is pleased to announce the appointment of Michèle Boutin as Executive Director

September 21, 2009 | The Canada Research Chairs Program is pleased to announce the appointment of Michèle Boutin as the Executive Director of the Canada Research Chairs Secretariat , Canada Excellence Research Chairs and the Indirect Costs Program, beginning September 16th.

Michèle brings to the Secretariat extensive knowledge of Canada’s innovation system and over 15 years of experience in the federal apparatus. In particular, she served as liaison between the Chairs program and Industry Canada when the program was first launched in 2000. Later on, she led the development and implementation of the Indirect Costs Program. Michèle has also served as Director of Federal-provincial relations for Industry Canada, and Director of Small Business Policy and Liaison.

Ms. Boutin holds a masters degree and a bachelor of science in mathematics, both from the Université de Sherbrooke.

The Canada Research Chairs program would also like to thank Terry Campbell for her leadership at the Secretariat.

John Brennan discovers a surprising use for the inkjet printer

September 21, 2009 | Most of us know the inkjet printer simply as a machine used to print documents—and as a nuisance when it comes time to change the toner. A recent study by John Brennan, Canada Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry, sheds new light on this unassuming device, revealing it as a potential means for detecting harmful toxins such as those that can cause food poisoning or be used in bioterrorism.

In the July issue of Analytical Chemistry, Brennan and his research team at McMaster University describe a method for printing a toxin-detecting biosensor on paper. The process involves formulating a non-toxic, biocompatible ink, depositing this ink on a sheet of paper, and covering it with a film of special enzymes. When the enzymes are exposed to sample toxins, the ink will change colour, like a home pregnancy test.

Brennan’s discovery of inkjet printing as a simple, cost-effective method of adhering biochemical reactants to paper is expected to be extremely useful in the monitoring of environmental and food-based toxins, and in disease detection in less industrialized countries.

Chairholders in the Canada Research Chairs program are helping Canada build and maintain its science and technology advantage on a global scale, while exploring issues that matter to Canadians.

Shoichet appointed to Ontario Centres of Excellence board of directors

September 4, 2009 | Dr. Molly Shoichet, Canada Research Chair in Tissue Engineering, has been appointed to the Ontario Centres of Excellence’s board of directors. Shoichet’s appointment is a testimony to her numerous and remarkable achievements.

A world-renowned expert in biomedical engineering, Shoichet specializes in the study of polymers for regeneration (materials that promote healing in the human body). She has received many prestigious distinctions, such as the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council’s Steacie Fellowship and the Canada Council for the Arts’ Killam Research Fellowship. She is a member of the Science, Technology and Innovation Council.

The Ontario Centres of Excellence encourages economic growth and Ontario’s global competitiveness by supporting industrially relevant research and development, the opening of new market opportunities, and the commercialization of leading-edge discoveries.

The Canada Research Chairs Program is one of the keystones of a national strategy to make Canada a world leader in research and development. It recognizes that talent and skilled people are the most critical element of a successful national economy.

Benjamin Alman finds new treatment for deadly bone cancer

August 26, 2009 | Benjamin Alman, Canada Research Chair in Vascular and Metabolic Biology, and his team at the University of Toronto are developing a new and promising treatment for a rare and fatal form of bone cancer that existing treatment options, such as chemotherapy, have so far been unable to help.

The new treatment will involve a multi-drug regime that treats cancerous tumors, but is much less toxic than chemotherapy.

Although bone cancer is less common than breast or colon cancer, it has a significant impact on society as it affects mostly younger people and is often fatal. A type of bone cancer killed Terry Fox midway through his cross-Canada run.

Through the Canada Research Chairs program, the Canadian government funds academic research that addresses some of the world’s most pressing health, social and scientific problems.

Canada Research Chair co-edits text on Native American and Anglo-American culture

August 26, 2009 | Kevin Hutchings, Canada Research Chair in Romantic Studies at the University of Northern British Columbia, recently co-edited, with Tim Fulford of Nottingham Trent University, a collection of essays entitled Native Americans and Anglo-American Culture, 1750-1850.

According to Hutchings, the book features 12 substantial essays by British, American, Canadian, and First Nations historians and literary scholars.

"These authors examine late 18th- and early 19th-century literary texts, travel accounts, captivity narratives, autobiographies, newspaper articles, paintings, songs, and other cultural artifacts, exploring the various ways in which contact between Anglos and indigenous peoples changed the Western world."

The book is published by Cambridge University Press.

Hutchings has also released a new CD called On the Bridge You Were Burning, an addition to his earlier musical compilation, Songs of William Blake.

Chairholders like Hutchings improve our depth of knowledge and quality of life, and increasingly use a wide range of media to do so. They are strengthening Canada's international competitiveness and helping train the next generation of highly skilled talent through student supervision, teaching, and the coordination of other researchers' work.

Study by Ahmed El-Sohemy links vitamin C deficiency and chronic disease in young Canadians

August 5, 2009 | A study conducted by Ahmed El-Sohemy, Canada Research Chair in Nutrigenomics, associates vitamin C deficiency at a young age with the development of chronic disease and long-term health problems such as obesity and high blood pressure. The study showed that one in seven young Canadian adults has a vitamin C deficiency and that one in three has less than optimal levels of vitamin C. Study participants — 692 women and 287 men — were recruited from the University of Toronto campus. Until now, the health consequences of having inadequate vitamin C levels at a young age were unknown.

Researchers supported by the Canada Research Chairs program are conducting cutting-edge research in health, the natural sciences, engineering, the social sciences and the humanities. Their work has a direct effect on the quality of life of all Canadians.

Karen Kidd helps bridge gap between scientific community and public

July 22, 2009 | Karen Kidd, Canada Research Chair in Chemical Contamination of Food Webs, is serving as a Science Communication Fellow with the Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) organization. This American non-profit organization aims to increase public awareness of pressing environmental issues and their effects on human health.

Every year, the organization appoints fellowships to 10 science professors whose aim is to increase public awareness about current environmental health science research. The fellows help journalists bridge the gap between the scientific community and the general public by informing them—in plain language—of the latest scientific findings.

A biology professor at the University of New Brunswick, Kidd is researching the effect of industrial pollutants on our freshwater ecosystems, particularly with respect to human health.

Russ Kerr receives medal for discovery of new cancer antidote

July 9, 2009 | Canada Research Chair in Marine Natural Products Russ Kerr was recently awarded the Premier’s Medal for Innovation for his work on advancing cancer treatment. He is now developing and testing a marine product known as desmethyleleutherobin, a highly promising cancer drug. The prestigious provincial award was handed down by Premier of Prince Edward Island Robert Ghiz.

The Canada Research Chairs Program currently supports over 1,800 of Canada’s top researchers. Their contributions to research often have far-reaching implications, not just for Canadians but on a global scale.

Kerr’s research focuses on developing sustainable production methods for bioactive marine products, and discovering new marine products with the potential to improve the well-being of humans and animals. He currently works out of the University of Prince Edward Island, after moving from Florida Atlantic University.

Ming Zheng gets funding for work on greening automotive industry

July 8, 2009 | A Canada Research Chair and professor in mechanical engineering at the University of Windsor has received $1.4 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation to build a new research centre in the geographic heart of Canada’s faltering auto industry.

Ming Zheng is the Canada Research Chair in Clean Diesel Engine Technologies and is the lead investigator of the new Centre for High Efficiency Clean Diesel and Hybrid Powertrain Research.

The centre will expand on the work of the Clean Diesel Research Laboratory already being done at the university’s Centre for Automotive Research and Education. The funding will help the centre improve diesel fuel efficiency with ultra-low emissions using adaptive combustion control. It will also help Zheng and his team research exhaust after-treatment methods, innovative engine design and diesel-based hybrid electric drive-train configurations.

The Canada Research Chairs Program and CFI play a key role in keeping Canada on the cutting edge in the development of green technologies through their support of leading researchers.

David Zingg helps launch new supercomputer

June 29, 2009 | Canada’s research capacity has been significantly expanded with the launch of a new supercomputer at the University of Toronto’s SciNet Consortium. Equipped to perform up to 360 trillion calculations per second, the machine is expected to be among the top 20 fastest computers in world—and the fastest outside of the United States—and operates at 30 times the speed of Canada’s current fastest system.

The computer will be used in a wide variety of disciplines, performing such tasks as accurately simulating the earth's climate one hundred years into the future in only four days, and helping researchers study cosmic background radiation, a calculation-intensive task that offers a glimpse into what the universe looked like 13 billion years ago.

David Zingg is a Canada Research Chair in Computational Aerodynamics and Environmentally Friendly Aircraft Design and played an instrumental role in launching the computer. His research, along with that of his other colleagues in aerospace, will benefit tremendously from this new acquisition.

The SciNet Consortium provides high-performance computing resources to researchers, including Canada Research Chairs, in six key areas: aerospace, bioinformatics, astrophysics, chemical physics, climate changes prediction and medical imaging.

Paul Snelgrove leads network on marine sustainability

June 25, 2009 | For many, lobster is an enjoyable delicacy served seasonally at Canadian restaurants and banquet halls. For communities along the Atlantic coastline, the lobster fisheries are an important livelihood and their long-term sustainability is crucial.

Paul Snelgrove, Canada Research Chair in Boreal and Cold Ocean Systems at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, has recently been chosen to lead the Canadian Healthy Oceans Network, which brings together researchers from 15 universities with local fishermen. The network’s main focus is on evaluating and improving the sustainability of Canada’s marine resources, like the Atlantic lobster population.

Srinivasan Keshav provides evidence on real costs of text messaging

June 17, 2009 | Canadians sent about 20.8 billion text messages last year. “Texting” has taken Canadians—mostly youth—by storm as a quick means of communicating with family and friends. But, with people using instant messaging now more than ever, how much does a text message really cost?

University of Waterloo computer science professor and Canada Research Chair Srinivasan Keshav recently told a United States Senate committee that the actual cost to mobile phone carriers is not likely to exceed one-third of a cent. Yet, carriers charge up to 15 cents per text for pay-per-use customers—a 4,900 per cent markup. Keshav’s research in mobile systems helps Canadian consumers make more informed choices about their mobile products. Equally innovative on a global scale, he co-invented “fair queuing”—a multitasking method used by computers and found in some version in every router worldwide. Keshav holds a Canada Research Chair in Tetherless Computing—the development of reliable, high-speed communication between portable smart devices and powerful computers. He came to Canada from the US.

Stephen Larter gains international recognition for research on Canada as a global energy producer

June 9, 2009 | Stephen Larter, Canada Research Chair in Petroleum Geology at the University of Calgary, is being recognized internationally for his contributions to science with membership in the United Kingdom’s prestigious Royal Society.

Larter’s work focuses on understanding how petroleum is generated in organic matter-rich shales and then travels—perhaps hundreds of kilometres—before pooling in the pores of rocks where biodegradation can take place. As a Canada Research Chair, Larter has focused his research on the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin and is contributing to a global understanding of the formation of oil and gas.

The Royal Society is the world’s oldest scientific academy still in existence. Past members include Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein.

Michael Rudnicki discovers a protein that stimulates muscular regeneration

June 8, 2009 | Michael Rudnicki, Canada Research Chair in Molecular Genetics, and his colleagues at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute have discovered a protein—named Wnt7a—that increases the number of stem cells in muscle tissue and fuels the regeneration process. This breakthrough will pave the way for the development of innovate treatments against muscular dystrophy and other muscle-deteriorating diseases.

Beverley Diamond and Jeremy Webber among the 2009 Trudeau prizes recipients

May 21, 2009 | Beverley Diamond, Canada Research Chair in Traditional Music at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a world-renowned ethnomusician. Her work with Aboriginal communities aims, among other things, to improve access to traditional knowledge in a globalized world.

Jeremy H. A. Webber, Canada Research Chair in Law and Society at the University of Victoria and an expert on broad constitutional issues, is known in Canada and abroad for his extensive knowledge of Aboriginal law. He is researching the constitutional structure of democratic governance, with a particular interest in both the opportunities and challenges of cultural diversity.

Each year, the Trudeau prizes are awarded to researchers who have set themselves apart through their research achievements, creativity and social commitment, and who have proven their ability to offer new solutions to major contemporary issues.

Ray Jayawardhana and Julie Lessard among the prestigious Top 40 Under 40

May 11, 2009 | Ray Jayawardhana, Canada Research Chair in Observational Astrophysics at the University of Toronto is unravelling the incredible diversity of planetary systems and understanding where our own solar system fits in—this is the challenge that Ray Jayawardhana has embraced.

Julie Lessard, Canada Research Chair in Molecular Genetics of Stem Cell Hematopoiesis at the Université de Montréal is developing new treatments for blood diseases and cancer. She is not only of great interest for experts, but also for those who are battling these afflictions.

Each year, the Top 40 Under 40 honours 40 Canadians that have not yet reached the age of 40 and who excel in their respective fields.

Frank Plummer exposes the H1N1 virus

May 7, 2009 | Frank Plummer, Canada Research Chair in Resistance and Susceptibility to Infections, and his team at The University of Manitoba succeeded in completing the first genetic sequencing of the virus responsible for influenza A (H1N1). It is not only a world first, but also an important step towards the development of a vaccine.

Update: 30 July 2009 | This world-renowned expert in infectious diseases was recently awarded the 2009 Order of Manitoba for his significant contribution to global health, namely through his work with the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, Ottawa’s Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, and the Public Health Agency of Canada as chief scientific advisor. In addition to having shown exceptional leadership during the SARS crisis, Dr. Plummer’s groundbreaking studies have greatly contributed to the field of HIV/AIDS research.

Canada Research Chairs researchers are international experts in science, engineering, health, and the social sciences and humanities. Their work has a direct effect on the quality of life of all Canadians.

Paul Corkum wins country’s top scientific prize

March 16, 2009 | The University of Ottawa's Paul Corkum, National Research Council-Canada Research Chair in Attosecond Photonics, recently received the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council’s Gerard Herzberg Gold Medal.

Valued at one million dollars, this scientific prize is one of the most important of its kind in Canada. It was awarded to Dr. Corkum in recognition of his innovative research in the cutting-edge field of attosecond science.

Peter Tugwell and Michael Hayden
named health researchers of the year

November 20, 2008 | The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) recently awarded the prestigious Michael Smith Prizes in Health Research to Canada Research Chairs Peter Tugwell from the University of Ottawa and Michael Hayden from The University of British Columbia for their remarkable contributions to health research.

An international leader in the fight against global health disparities, Tugwell received the CIHR Michael Smith Prize in Health Research – Health Services and Systems and Population Health Research.

Hayden, a world-renowned geneticist, earned the CIHR Michael Smith Prize in Health Research –Biomedical and Clinical Research.

The prizes are awarded to researchers who have demonstrated a high degree of innovation, creativity, leadership and dedication to health research.

Eugenia Kumacheva wins prestigious UNESCO scientific prize

November 10, 2008 | Eugenia Kumacheva, Canada Research Chair in Advanced Polymer Materials at the University of Toronto, was recently awarded the 11^th L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Award For Women in Science, making her the first Canadian woman to receive the prize, which is given annually to the world’s most accomplished female researchers.

The award recognizes Kumacheva’s scientific work designing and developing innovative materials that will, among other things, help target drug delivery for cancer treatments.

Canada Research Chairs Program releases names of latest chairholders

September 30, 2008 | The Canada Research Chairs Program is pleased to release the names of the most recently appointed Canada Research Chairs. These 123 top researchers, whose nominations were submitted by 38 Canadian universities in December 2007, include 18 new Canada Research Chairs, 104 Chairs whose mandates have been renewed, and one who has been advanced from a Tier 2 to a Tier 1 Chair.

List of all 123 Canada Research Chairs

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) will support research infrastructure related to 25 Canada Research Chair projects associated with this announcement.

List of CFI infrastructure contributions

New Executive Director of Canada Research Chairs and Indirect Costs Programs

May 25, 2008 | Terry Campbell has been appointed as the Executive Director of the Secretariat for the Canada Research Chairs program and the Indirect Costs Program, beginning June 2.

Ms. Campbell brings to the Secretariat extensive experience and knowledge of the research landscape within Canada and abroad. She comes to the Canada Research Chairs from the Canada Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), where she has worked since 2002. In her most recent role at CIHR as Executive Director, Strategic Policy and Government Relations, her responsibilities included strategic policy development, strategic planning, corporate governance and international relations. She has also been working closely with colleagues at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Canada Foundation for Innovation in the implementation of the federal government's science and technology strategy, released a year ago. Ms. Campbell has held management positions in the not-for-profit sector in the areas of health information and informatics as well as hospital management.

She has a Master's in Health Administration from the University of Ottawa and an undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois.