Chairholders



  Chairholder details Keywords
Rish

Irina Rish
Université de Montréal | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Autonomous Artificial Intelligence

What happens in our brains when we solve problems? And, how can we use the answers to that question to improve both our brains and artificial intelligence (AI)? It's what world-renowned AI expert Irina Rish, wants to find out. Her research examines AI at the point where machine learning and neuroscience intersect.

As the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Autonomous Artificial Intelligence, Rish plans to build an ambitious, cross-disciplinary research centre at the Université de Montréal. Research at the centre will strengthen Montréal’s role as a hub for AI research and further advance Canada’s leadership in AI. Rish and her research team will work to bridge the gaps between AI, biology, neuroscience and psychology, and give us a deeper understanding of the human brain. Rish also aims for her team to help make AI more autonomous, with human-level learning abilities, by developing new models and methods for more robust and ethical AI systems.


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University, Montreal
Subramaniam

Sriram Subramaniam
The University of British Columbia | CIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Precision Cancer Drug Design

While many drugs induce responses and prolong survival, most cancers adapt through clonal evolution to develop treatment-resistant, lethal disease. The discovery of drugs targeting newly identified cancer drivers remains a slow, challenging and costly process. The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Precision Cancer Drug Design will use state-of-the-art tools in genomics, cryo-electron microscopy and computer-aided drug discovery in a precision oncology framework to lead an internationally unique research program. The aim is to revolutionize the way we discover and develop effective anti-cancer treatments. The program will be interdisciplinary, capitalizing on transinstitutional collaborations, including engineering, chemistry and biology, with a variety of partnerships with the private sector. We seek to be the global leaders in the emerging era of integrating genome-derived target discoveries and their translation to patient-oriented research for cancer drug discovery in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Dahl-Jensen

Dorthe Dahl-Jensen
University of Manitoba | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Arctic Ice, Freshwater Marine Coupling and Climate Change

The observed changes in ice (that is, sea ice, glacial ice and permafrost) are increasing freshwater inputs into the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas. These changes are present throughout the system, affecting all levels of ecosystem services, Inuit traditional use of marine areas and global pressure to increase development in the Arctic. Changes in the Arctic also affect processes at lower latitudes, including connections to extreme weather, floods, droughts and climate variability, like the polar vortex, sea level rise and global ocean circulation through export of fresh water to the deep-water convection areas of the North Atlantic. The University of Manitoba’s Canada Excellence Research Chair will generate transformative knowledge, allowing policy-makers, communities, industry and co-management groups to create informed sustainable development, adaptation and mitigation strategies needed to address both the unprecedented challenges and opportunities of the opening of Canada’s Arctic Ocean.

Mahal

Lara Mahal
University of Alberta | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Glycomics

Carbohydrates (or glycans) on the surface of cells are critical players in human diseases, ranging from cancer to microbial infections. Exploiting the roles of glycans in human health provides new opportunities for drug development and personalized medicine. For 15 years, Lara K. Mahal has been at the forefront of creating and using systems-based approaches to decode the role of glycans in human health. Her laboratory invented a key technology—lectin microarrays—that has revolutionized the field of glycomics. Her laboratory also discovered that microRNAs are major regulators of glycan expression and may be the missing link between genomics and glycomics. Her research interests include: unraveling the role of glycans in cancer progression; understanding the role of glycans in microbial diseses and the immune response against bacterial and viral infections; and studying the role of miRNA in controlling the expression of glycans in cells.


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Eicker

Ursula Eicker
Concordia University | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Smart, Sustainable and Resilient Communities and Cities

The goal of the research agenda for next-generation communities and cities is to: develop sustainable urban transformation strategies that will support decision-making and faster implementation of sustainable urban energy and resource efficiency measures in the cities; and scientifically monitor and optimize performance of urban districts, entire cities and regions. The Canadian Excellence Research Chair is built on four interconnected vertical research axes: clean energy systems for an efficient built environment; integrated built environment design; smart technologies and optimized community operation; and collaborative community, knowledge mobilization and policies. These will be connected by a horizontal task of an urban platform development, merging software and services created. The Chair will link different academic disciplines from the building, transport, energy, biodiversity and socio-economic sectors, while bringing the right urban stakeholders together to discuss urban development. Based on a sound theoretical basis, the research will be translated into the design and implementation of hardware and information and communications technology solutions for a sustainable city infrastructure.


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Mooser

Vincent Mooser
McGill University | CIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Genomic Medicine: Genes to Drug Targets for Next-Generation Therapies

Large-scale sequencing of the human genome opens up unprecedented opportunities to identify and validate new drug targets and to accelerate and improve the probability of success for drug development. The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Genomic Medicine program intends to capture these opportunities by capitalizing on the cutting-edge resources at McGill University and affiliated hospital-based research institutes in terms of knowledge in genomic medicine, computational capabilities, sequencing infrastructures, access to patients and cohorts, and possible engagement with industry in this effort. The Chair will use the latest technologies in bioinformatics, high-throughput genome editing and genetically enriched clinical trials to prioritize disease-relevant genes, determine optimal indications and perform proof-of-concept studies on individuals who are genetically selected to respond optimally to a particular pharmacological intervention. This research will significantly benefit the Canadian population, propel McGill to the forefront of genomic medicine-based pharmaceutical sciences and accrue substantial funding from industry and other partners.

Triandafyllidou

Anna Triandafyllidou
Toronto Metropolitan University | SSHRC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration

The Canada Excellence Research Chair will explore the links between migration and post-migration processes, forced and voluntary mobility, internal and international migration, and the role of countries of origin and transit. This will produce innovative and usable knowledge. Anna Triandafyllidou and her team will focus on Canadian realities while developing comparative research with and among other countries in various global regions. Their work will engage with stakeholders at local, provincial, national and global levels (including the Global Compact for Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees), who will be involved as co-creators of the Chair’s research agenda. The research will develop along five research streams: migration trends; migrant agencies, stakeholders, networks and institutions; comparative analysis of migration and integration policies and their outcomes; addressing the role of cities in managing diversity; and thinking forward: migration challenges for Canada and the world in 2050. The Chair will be supported by an interdisciplinary data and methods lab.

Rojas

Orlando Rojas
The University of British Columbia | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Forest Bioproducts

The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Forest Bioproducts will deliver next-generation materials from renewable, forest-based resources. These sustainable and cost-competitive, advanced materials are key for the success of the bioeconomy and the reinvention of the Canadian forest industry. Benefits to Canada include a cleaner environment and reduced dependency on non-renewable resources. Leveraging genetics, synthetic biology and polymer chemistry/physics, the Chair will produce materials, products and devices that will reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonize our economy and improve our quality of life. These research discoveries will help control the interactions involving lignocellulosic structures at the micron- and nanoscales to achieve enhanced structural, optical and other properties. The effort will involve cellulose- and lignin-based particles, filaments, films and composites. Leading a multidisciplinary team and integrating strong local and global networks, the Chair will produce world-leading science, innovative products and processes, accelerating demand for forest bioproducts with high societal impact.

Mombaur

Katja Mombaur
University of Waterloo | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Human-Centred Robotics and Machine Intelligence

Every year, our machines are becoming smarter and more adaptable. Realizing their full potential poses fundamental scientific challenges at the intersection of mechatronics, computer vision, computing, artificial intelligence and cognitive science. It also poses fundamental philosophical, ethical and legal questions. How can these machines operate safely and efficiently in the human world, with all its dynamism, uncertainty and complexity? How should they behave? The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Human-Centred Robotics and Machine Intelligence will launch an ambitious multidisciplinary research program, integrating theory, computation and experiment. International collaborations will bring together expertise in mathematics, engineering, health science, social science and philosophy to pioneer a new range of intelligent technologies that will forever change how we live, work and play for the better.

Marquet

Pierre Marquet
Université Laval | CIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neurophotonics

As the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neurophotonics, Pierre Marquet will develop new, multimodal optical techniques at a very high resolution to explore structure and cellular dynamics at the nanoscale. The multimodal aspect makes it possible to measure a large number of cellular parameters at the same time. It will produce a very detailed vision of the cellular processes that lead to a true cellular profile, which could be used to identify new biomarkers and create new theoretical etiological models.

The new optical approaches would strengthen and complement the already highly effective arsenal of neuroimaging techniques, such as MRIs, which are starting to enable the detection of discrete anomalies in brain structure and function among at-risk children. The approaches will also help identify new cellular biomarkers and thereby contribute to characterizing developmental risk trajectories among children of patients being treated in these multigenerational cohorts.


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Snowberg

Erik Snowberg
The University of British Columbia | SSHRC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Data-Intensive Methods in Economics

Erik Snowberg plans to make The University of British Columbia into the world leader in empirical political economy research. The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Data-Intensive Methods in Economics at the university is using innovative data to understand the effects of politics and policy on the economy. Snowberg and his team’s research will explore how business and environmental groups can collaborate with government to simultaneously improve economic productivity and quality of life.

Chang

Zenghu Chang
University of Ottawa | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Attosecond X-ray Photonics

Attosecond X-ray pulses are the shortest bursts of light that scientists can create and control. To give you an idea of how short they are, one attosecond is equivalent to one quintillionth of a second, which is like comparing one second to the entire age of the universe (14 billion years). Attosecond X-ray photonics is a field that observes the movements of electrons inside atoms and molecules in real time, similar to capturing slow-motion footage of athletes performing on ice. Dr. Zenghu Chang is leading a program at the University of Ottawa to develop the world's first compact attosecond source that produces X-rays with a broad range of wavelengths, allowing scientists to study every element on the periodic table using attosecond X-ray spectroscopy in university laboratories. Such a breakthrough will enable researchers to explore and control incredibly fast processes involved in solar cells and quantum materials, advancing our understanding of physical chemistry at its core.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

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Das

Kalyan Das
University of Alberta | CIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Antiviral Drug Design

The development of potent antiretroviral drugs represents a remarkable success in decades of global efforts to manage the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Unfortunately, antiviral drugs are not available for many other deadly viruses that could cause the next pandemic. Viruses evolve and adapt, which warrants sustainable activities in this area of research. The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Antiviral Drug Design, Dr. Kalyan Das, uses a combination of X-ray crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to facilitate the development of medical countermeasures against emerging pathogens. High-resolution structural snapshots of dynamic viral targets and their mutated variants will form the basis for the structure-based design of small molecule antivirals, as well as vaccines. The new research program will develop a comprehensive approach to identify novel target sites, understand mechanisms of action and drug resistance, and build platforms that cover a complete discovery and development pipeline for clinical candidates. Targeting the replication machinery of “prototypic viruses” that represent families of pathogens with high epidemic potential is a strong focus of the research agenda.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

de Leeuw

Evelyne de Leeuw
Université de MontréalCIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in One Urban Health

The Canada Excellence Research Chair in One Urban Health acknowledges that cities are unique ecosystems with opportunities and challenges for the well-being and health of humans. With more than 50% of the population worldwide living in cities, many disciplines are engaged in analyses and interventions to make cities better places. The goal of this CERC is to merge the World Health Organization Healthy Cities social movement with the One Health approach that examines human-animal-nature disease interactions. By combining the social science and One Health approaches, this research program proposes new, engaged and integrated ways to develop healthier cities for all.

This inclusive partnership based in Montréal will mobilize citizen science, social movements and old and new networks for cities, health and sustainability. The CERC in One Urban Health will reaffirm and strengthen the relationship between the human, animal and natural environment ecosystems, and how they achieve durable meaning.


Award amount: $500,000 per year for eight years

Duong

Trung Q. Duong
Memorial University | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Next Generation Communication Technologies

Wireless communication is shaping our planet in an unprecedented way. However, the next generation communication technology—the sixth generation (6G)—is facing major challenges. A primary concern is to support the massive number of wireless and mobile devices requiring ultrasecurity, ultrahigh accuracy, very high capacity, ultrareliability and very low latency functionalities, which continue to generate ever-growing traffic for ubiquitous communications.

As the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Next Generation Communication Technologies, Dr. Trung Duong will address these challenges by developing novel communication technologies employing new wireless optimization and design, AI-empowered physical communications and quantum machine learning to generate the “wireless without limit” connectivity that guarantees high quality-of-service targets for a massive number of connected devices. Duong’s cutting-edge research will strengthen Memorial University’s growing international reputation as an innovative leader in advanced communications technology. His CERC research program will build a world-leading research team to address the significant technological, social, environmental and economic challenges and further advance Canada’s leadership in 6G.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Garcia-Luna-Aceves

J.J. Garcia-Luna-Aceves
University of Toronto | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Intelligent Digital Infrastructures

The computer networks we enjoy today have been built based on the initial designs by giants in the field of computer networks dating back to the 1960s to 1980s. These architectures and protocols have proven to be remarkably useful; however, the communication, computing and storage resources available today are many orders of magnitude larger and far more affordable than researchers could have ever imagined 50 years ago. Furthermore, there has been limited progress in the development of digital infrastructures that are just and equitable, ensuring that they are available to all regardless of geographic and socio-economic context.

The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Intelligent Digital Infrastructures at the University of Toronto will focus on two equally important goals. First, it will reimagine how the internet could operate using more processing power, storage capacity and machine intelligence inside networks, rather than just using those resources at the server and client levels. Second, it will develop new network architectures, protocols and algorithms for just and equitable intelligent digital infrastructures that can serve all segments of society.


Award amount: $500,000 per year for eight years

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Grant

Darren Grant
Simon Fraser University | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Astroparticle Physics

Neutrinos are one of nature’s most elusive fundamental particles. They are produced prolifically in the cores of stars and extreme astrophysical events, in interactions in the Earth’s atmosphere, and at nuclear reactors and particle accelerators. Neutrino telescopes have revealed insights about the behaviour of neutrinos and the inner workings of the brightest and most intense places in the universe.

Dr. Darren Grant’s research focuses on measurements advancing our knowledge of neutrinos and rare interactions, including searches for unknown dark matter. The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Astroparticle Physics supports three areas of innovation: analyzing data for existing neutrino telescopes; developing of next-generation detectors for large-scale neutrino observatories; and enhancing the reach of observations that involve multiple astrophysical messengers.

This CERC aims to enhance our understanding of the properties of neutrinos, and harness those properties to open new windows to study the most extreme processes in the universe. Grant’s CERC will provide the catalyst to establish an international centre in British Columbia, and have substantial impact on the international particle physics arena, cementing Canada’s leadership in the field of multimessenger neutrino astrophysics.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Hart

Sara Hart
University of Waterloo | SSHRC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Developmental Science

Adults who struggle with reading and math face devastating impacts, including higher rates of incarceration and poverty, and shortened life expectancy. Therefore, helping all children succeed at school has far-reaching social, economic and health implications. Capitalizing on advancements in genomics, in combination with rich data resources on a developing individual, Dr. Sara Hart, the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Developmental Science, and her team will advance research in precision education, a contemporary approach to tailor education to the individual student. The precision education approach can be used as a framework for how we inform the everyday practice of education, as well as screen for and treat learning disabilities.

In addition to strengthening Canada’s research leadership in the field of precision education, Hart will continue leading data-sharing practices and developing data repository products to support researchers who work with diverse learners to reduce inequities.


Award amount: $500,000 per year for eight years

Hessels

Jason Hessels
McGill University | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Transient Astrophysics

Transient astrophysics provides a new dimension for understanding the grand story of how galaxies, stars, planets and, eventually, life are formed. Dr. Jason Hessels, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Transient Astrophysics, intends to uncover new astrophysical phenomena and objects that challenge existing theory, lead to new hypotheses, and provide novel scientific applications. A key focus is to decipher the nature of fast radio bursts (FRBs) and use them to reveal the otherwise invisible gas between stars and galaxies. The CERC will also greatly expand the Canadian CHIME telescope, to create a network of radio antennas that spans the continent and discovers several precisely localized FRBs per day. Combined, the thousands of FRBs that will be discovered and localized will draw an unprecedented 3D map of the universe.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Hildebrandt

Niko Hildebrandt
McMaster University | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Nano-Optical Biosensing and Molecular Diagnostics

Through a smart combination of nanotechnology, optical sensing and biomolecular analysis, Dr. Niko Hildebrandt and his multidisciplinary research team at McMaster University will advance next-generation biosensing technologies with applications in clinical research and diagnostics, as well as in environmental sensing and food safety.

Hildebrandt is an internationally renowned expert in multiplexed biosensing and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) technologies using luminescent molecules and nanomaterials. As the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Nano-Optical Biosensing and Molecular Diagnostics, Hildebrandt will build an ambitious research and technology centre to develop high-performance methods for biosensing and bioimaging—advancing health care, food safety and environmental security via improved clinical diagnostics, imaging and environmental analytics. By developing, understanding, characterizing and applying novel luminescence and energy transfer concepts, the CERC and his research team will advance and commercialize breakthrough biosensing technologies that will enhance the health and wellness of Canadians.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Hull-Meichle

Rebecca Hull-Meichle
University of Alberta | CIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in the Islet Microenvironment

Pancreatic islet β-cells are the sole source of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. Defects in β-cells underlie all forms of diabetes, which currently affects 3.5 million Canadians, with millions more at risk. Despite much progress being made in the 100 years since the discovery of insulin, current strategies to treat or replace β-cells remain inadequate. A major barrier to improving these treatments has been a lack of understanding of how islet cells are impacted by their microenvironment or “neighbourhood.” That is, even if β-cells can function perfectly in isolation, placing them into an adverse microenvironment threatens their function and survival. The goal of the Canada Excellence Research Chair in the Islet Microenvironment is to transform our understanding of the role of the microenvironment in helping islets thrive under healthy conditions, and of what goes wrong in diabetes. By understanding how the cells that make up the microenvironment are affected by diabetes and contribute to reduced β-cell function and survival, we will be able to develop better approaches to treat or prevent all types of diabetes.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Igloliorte

Heather Igloliorte
University of Victoria | SSHRC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Decolonial and Transformational Indigenous Art Practices

The historical narrative of Canada's colonial “truth” has long been told—and hidden—by museums, galleries, educational institutions and public spaces. As Canada Excellence Research Chair in Decolonial and Transformational Indigenous Art Practices, Dr. Heather Igloliorte will leverage the transformative power of art and innovative exhibition practices to advance reconciliation efforts, respond to colonial paradigms and generate new paths forward in Indigenous arts.

By integrating digital media, artistic processes and decolonial museum practices with creative technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality, immersive video and Indigenous intergenerational customary practices like sewing, carving and beading, she will advance institutional, community-based and collaborative research towards decolonization across the country and internationally.

By providing hands-on training and mentorship to Indigenous and other equity-deserving postsecondary students—especially those from remote, northern, reserve and other underserved communities—the CERC will also support a new generation of researchers, educators, curators, artists and other change-makers.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Jennewein

Thomas Jennewein
Simon Fraser University | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Global Quantum Internet Systems

Dr. Thomas Jennewein’s Canada Excellence Research Chair in Global Quantum Internet Systems aims to develop and build systems, components and applications for the future generation of networking—the global quantum internet. Studying photonic interfaces and the transfer of quantum information with silicon-based quantum devices, developed at Simon Fraser University and partner Photonic Inc., will support exploring applications for long-range quantum information transfer, and enable a scalable, multinode quantum network. 

This CERC research program will establish long-distance quantum communications and entanglement distribution. The proposed research systems will be tested and verified under real-world conditions—such as interfacing with the upcoming Quantum EncrYption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat) mission, as well as via fibre-optical networks—enabling design of next-generation ground and satellite systems.

Building upon British Columbia’s active quantum research and commercial community, the proposed research will produce transformative socio-economic benefits and solidify Canada as a global leader in the quantum space race. The outstanding quality and versatility of the new quantum systems discovered and developed through this project have the potential to be the breakthrough technology for the quantum internet.


Award amount: $500,000 per year for eight years

Kayla King

Kayla King
The University of British Columbia | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Evolutionary Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions

Climate change is causing extreme heating, and altering the distribution of pathogens, while associated human activity and biodiversity loss are increasing human-animal contact. These factors will contribute to infectious diseases becoming more prevalent. The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Evolutionary Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interactions aims to harness evolution to better understand infection/immunity in a changing world and prepare us in the race against future pandemics. Dr. Kayla King’s research program will test the impacts of warming on host susceptibility and pathogen evolution across animals. It will further explore pathogen evolution after host jumps and in populations with variable or waning immunity. This research has implications for predicting virulence, transmission, and the tempo of evolution as pathogens emerge or move to new areas with shifting climates. Research will principally use “evolution experiments” in animal-pathogen models, as well as state-of-the-art genomics, computational analysis, and mathematical theory in a global change biology framework.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Klein

Robyn Klein
Western University | CIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neurovirology and Neuroimmunology

Emerging RNA viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, have been identified as risk factors for diseases of cognition and may be associated with acute neuroinfectious, neurologic and neuropsychiatric diseases; these viruses may or may not be neuroinvasive. Dr. Robyn Klein has been at the forefront of this new field, defining neuroimmune mechanisms that contribute to diseases of cognition, and identifying molecular targets to predict and reverse memory deficits. As the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neurovirology and Neuroimmunology, her research program will use advanced genetic, pharmacologic, imaging and cognitive behavioural science techniques to examine neuroimmune responses to viral infections and the causes and outcomes of viral infection on cognition and cognitive recovery. Her work connecting neurology, immunology, virology and cognitive behavioural science will continue to be paradigm-shifting with the identification of novel drug targets and neuroimaging biomarkers to improve diagnosis and treatment of neurocognitive disorders, enhancing our understanding of the impacts of viral infections and neuroinflammation on cognition.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Kubes

Paul Kubes
Queen’s University | CIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Immunophysiology and Immunotherapy

Immune cells allow the human body to exist in a stable chemical and physical state (homeostasis) and enable it to adapt as we develop and age. But changes to immune cell biology, from acute or chronic perturbations, can alter homeostasis and lead to disease. To understand how and why these changes occur to our stable state, we must apply an interdisciplinary approach that combines physiology and immunology to decipher the complex immune pathways involved in cancer, infection and chronic disease.

Dr. Paul Kubes’ research program is at the forefront of real-time imaging of the immune system. As the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Immunophysiology and Immunotherapy, he will provide leadership and build synergies among clinician scientists, physiologists, cancer biologists, and immunologists to adopt advanced technologies for understanding immune mechanisms of homeostasis and new disease treatments. By leveraging existing institutional strengths in immunology, cancer research, and precision medicine, this work will position Canada as a global hub for translational research on immune-based therapies.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Laureys

Steven Laureys
Université LavalCIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neuroplasticity

As the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neuroplasticity, neurologist and brain scientist Dr. Steven Laureys will use the latest neurotechnology to understand how neuromodulation and lifestyle interventions, like improvements in quality of sleep, physical activity, and mind-body practices such as meditation and hypnosis, can enhance cognition, mental health, and well-being.

Building on his earlier groundbreaking research, and together with the team at CERVO Brain Research Centre, he proposes to use advanced brain imaging techniques to explore how these complementary interventions work in the brain, documenting their relative usefulness and, ultimately, improving their effectiveness in health and disease. This involves collaboration between experts in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, neurobiology, engineering and informatics, as well as clinicians, health care and social workers, and patient groups.

The goal is to validate the mechanisms underlying integrative medicine, conduct ecologically controlled clinical studies, and understand the impact on neuroplasticity—that is, the caused changes on the brain’s wiring. This timely and innovative initiative seeks to empower Canada’s citizens and bridge the gap between “traditional” and “alternative” health care, both preventive and curative, for better integrated and sustainable mental care.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

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Le Roux

Frédérique Le Roux
Université de MontréalCIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Eco-Evo-Patho of Microbes in Nature

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health. Bacteriophages, which are the natural predators of bacteria, are being seriously considered as alternative therapies to antibiotics. The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Eco-Evo-Patho of Microbes in Nature, led by Dr. Frédérique Le Roux, aims to explore antibiotic resistance in marine bacteria, and interaction between these bacteria and their bacteriophages. Vibrios, which encompass human and animal bacterial pathogens, will be used as model systems, relying on translational research as part of the One Health priority area (the interdependence of human, animal and environmental health). Based on a unique collection of environmental isolates, Le Roux and her team will explore the diversity, mechanisms and evolution of antimicrobial resistance (antibiotic and heavy metal). They will seek to understand genome size heterogeneity in natural populations of vibrio and test the hypothesis that shellfish function as a hot spot for horizontal gene transfer. They will also explore the mechanisms involved in the co-evolution of bacteriophages and bacteria in nature, and how co-evolution affects the specificity of the bacteriophages and the pathogenicity of the bacteria. This work will shed light on innovative approaches to overcome antibiotic resistance.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

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MacGillivray

Leonard MacGillivray
Université de SherbrookeNSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Crystal Engineering for Green Chemistry and Sustainable Materials

Crystal engineering offers an ability to tailor properties of molecular solids by gaining control of the three-dimensional arrangement that atoms and molecules adopt in space with atomic precision. The field of knowledge can equip scientists with powerful tools to help sustain and support our planet. The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Crystal Engineering for Green Chemistry and Sustainable Materials involves developing organic crystalline solids as green chemical laboratories, media for future organic semiconductors and solar energy storage, and materials to improve properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicine. Transformative and long-lasting impacts of the CERC program can be realized in vital sectors of the Canadian economy, including chemical manufacturing, electronics, energy use and pharmaceutical industries.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

McCarthy

David McCarthy
University of Guelph | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Waterborne Pathogens: Surveillance, Prediction and Mitigation

Access to safe water and sanitation is a global concern. Contaminated water and poor sanitation transmit disease and expose individuals to preventable health risks. The challenge of managing waterborne risks will only intensify as water supply and quality are impacted by population growth, human-driven development and climate change. As the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Waterborne Pathogens, Dr. David McCarthy and his team at the University of Guelph will spearhead the development of much-needed solutions to safeguard water supply in Canada and around the world, developing innovative technologies to detect pathogens and their sources in near real-time, model how humans interact with sources of contamination, and reduce pathogen loads in the environment. Their work will emphasize solutions that are easy to use, low-cost, open source and open hardware, to encourage and enable their use in diverse communities across the globe.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

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McGregor

Deborah McGregor
University of Calgary | SSHRC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Indigenous Ways of Climate and Water Sustainability for Planetary Health and Well-being

The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Indigenous Ways of Climate and Water Sustainability for Planetary Health and Well-being will generate understanding of, and build support for, Indigenous leadership in Earth-based reconciliation and justice, focusing on climate change as the overriding symptom of the planetary health crisis. The program seeks to inform humanity of how it can reconcile its relationships with the Earth to support life by learning from Indigenous Peoples and acting on their knowledge and advice. The research will strive to identify what it means to “live well” with the Earth in the face of a rapidly evolving climate and ecological crisis, and will include the creation of unique, co-developed and co-generated knowledge aimed at identifying solutions that promote planetary well-being and justice, for people and for all life.  Indigenous research methods, knowledge-sharing, and strengths-based approaches will be applied in the process of creating a program that is a world leader in supporting Indigenous-led climate and planetary health research.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Miller

Renée Miller
University of Waterloo | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Data Intelligence

Data intelligence is the theory and practice of how to automate and scale the intelligent, reliable and trustworthy use of big data for data science and AI. As Canada Excellence Research Chair in Data Intelligence, Dr. Renée Miller will develop: 1) new mathematical foundations and methods for understanding when data preparation or curation solutions are correct; 2) preparation and curation methods that are correct, explainable and reproducible; and 3) frameworks for data curation that help data scientists document, share and reproduce complex data preparation and curation processes.

This research is critical to ensuring the insights gained from data are valid and unbiased, by revealing possible inequity in the data rather than blindly building models that learn to repeat past errors. Additionally, this CERC will use the research agenda to motivate and expand the number of data science trainees from underrepresented groups.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Myers-Smith

Isla Myers-Smith
The University of British Columbia | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Global Change Ecology of Northern Ecosystems

The rapidly warming climate is reshaping the planet’s biodiversity. At northern latitudes, change is four times greater than the global average and impacts are particularly pronounced. The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Global Change Ecology of Northern Ecosystems will capture the transformation of tundra and boreal forest ecosystems in response to warming temperatures and shifting seasonality. The research will explore how vegetation change is altering wildlife habitats, movement of species and the collective impact of these changes on livelihoods of Indigenous communities in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Dr. Isla Myers-Smith and the CERC team will integrate field research, remote sensing, data synthesis and community engagement to address critical research questions about northern ecosystems experiencing rapid and accelerating climate change, and the resulting implications for northern communities. The program will establish a Climate Change Ecology Research Hub in the western Canadian North to bring together experts from Indigenous communities and government agencies and academic researchers to establish common infrastructure and data collection to facilitate ecological and drone monitoring capabilities in this region.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Nakagawa

Shinichi Nakagawa
University of Alberta | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Open Science and Synthesis in Ecology and Evolution

Discoveries in ecology and evolution hold the key to addressing many of today’s most pressing issues. Advancing knowledge to meet these challenges requires that research be conducted efficiently and that it be replicable. This Canada Excellence Research Chair program will revolutionize the way research is conducted in ecology and evolution, and address the challenge of replication through open and team science. The program will build inclusive team science communities to quantify and improve the robustness and replicability of ecological and evolutionary evidence. This process is facilitated by developing innovative statistical and AI-assisted tools. Furthermore, to disseminate the results and tools to wider communities, the program will orchestrate online resources, in-person workshops, and outreach activities, including school visits. The program will establish the University of Alberta as a research and educational nexus for a global network of scientists working to make methods, data and inferences in ecology and evolution more accessible, transparent, reliable and rigorous. Ultimately, the program will increase the trustworthiness and influence of these sciences in society.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Reo

Nicholas Reo
Simon Fraser University | SSHRC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Coastal Relationalities and Regeneration

Dr. Nicholas Reo, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Coastal Relationalities and Regeneration, will work with a constellation of partners to promote Indigenous collective continuance. This award enables an international Indigenous research family to support land-based healing, language learning, Indigenous foodways and other community-based practices tied to Indigenous resurgence. At the Indigenous nation scale, this multisite CERC will amplify Indigenous leadership in coastal tenure and contribute research relevant to Indigenous land repossession. Regenerative work at the family, community and Indigenous nation scales will be elevated through Indigenous international knowledge exchange and relationship-building.

Indigenous methodologies will be enacted in multiple regions: with the Anishinaabek of the greater Baawiting / Sault Ste. Marie region of Turtle Island; Kanaka Maoli on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi; Māori from Whāingaroa and Te Matau-a-Māui regions of Aotearoa; and with the Nuchatlaht First Nation on Vancouver Island. Simon Fraser University is creating new faculty positions focused on community-driven Indigenous research. These roles will be situated off-campus within three of the four partner communities to honour the unique needs and challenges facing Indigenous researchers doing place-based work within Indigenous contexts.


Award amount: $500,000 per year for eight years

Romero-Lankao

Patricia Romero-Lankao
University of Toronto | SSHRC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Sustainability Transitions

While climate change is already threatening humanity, its disastrous cascading effects are falling most heavily on those least able to absorb their devastating results. Dr. Patricia Romero-Lankao, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Sustainability Transitions, will work with a range of neighbourhoods and cities, emphasizing partnerships with underrepresented communities, to catalyze the development of community-engaged and context-relevant approaches to just and equitable sustainability transitions. The CERC will use a transdisciplinary and community-engaged approach to understand the significance of past and current inequities in investments, lending and planning practices, and regulations (recognition justice). She will explore the role communities can play through full participation in decision-making about programs, investment services and other energy transition policies and innovations (procedural justice). By advancing the development of community-engaged and context-specific understandings of urban energy transitions, the CERC will create the knowledge needed to foster equity in the distribution of benefits and burdens (distributional justice). Through this approach it will be possible to realize urban energy transitions that facilitate both a good life for all and the achievement of net-zero carbon by 2050.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

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Silva Acuna

Carlos Silva Acuna
Université de MontréalNSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Light-Matter Interactions

Quantum photonics harnesses the unique properties of light in a precise quantum state for cutting-edge technologies like quantum computing, cryptography and teleportation. These applications involve generating, manipulating and detecting photons. Understanding how particles interact with their environment is vital to develop scalable quantum-photonics materials and determine the emitted light’s quantum state. The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Light-Matter Interactions in Photonic Materials aims to comprehend and control the quantum dynamics of light-induced excited states in condensed matter, influencing whether light emission occurs in a quantum or classical regime. Specifically, it will implement a two-fold approach. It will use laser bursts that are as short as a millionth of a billionth of a second to probe the way in which quantum information is lost by interactions between the light-prepared states and their environment. Secondly, it will implement light in a well-defined, so-called entangled quantum state, and the change of the quantum state of light as a result of light-matter interactions will be measured. These two parallel approaches will enable a complete comprehension of the quantum dynamics necessary for the development of quantum photonics technologies.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Sinha

Urbasi Sinha
University of Calgary | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Photonic Quantum Science and Technologies

Quantum technologies could revolutionize our lives by disrupting the foundation of information science, namely the processing of strings of bits (zeroes and ones), by allowing these strings to be processed and manipulated as superpositions of strings of quantum bits (qubits). However, current quantum technologies limit the length of these strings. Extending the logic beyond base-2, to qudits, circumvents this limitation. The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Photonic Quantum Science and Technologies will establish reliable and scalable qudit systems using the spatial degree of freedom of single photons and create a testbed for applications of qudits to quantum computing and communication. The research will advance quantum interfaces by merging qudit quantum information processing and solid-state quantum memories for creating research in quantum memory architectures for quantum repeaters and quantum computing.

This interdisciplinary program includes developing novel payload platforms for satellite-based quantum communications, and exploring various photon sources and integrated photonics-based approaches for the development of new quantum technology protocols. This is expected to lead to breakthrough science, innovative technologies, and applications of quantum for economic and societal impact.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Small

Dana Small
McGill University | CIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Metabolism and the Brain

In Canada, obesity is the leading cause of diabetes and heart disease and a strong risk factor for depression, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease and all-cause mortality. Dr. Dana Small, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Metabolism and the Brain, leads pioneering work that combines human neuroimaging and metabolic measures with animal models to reveal new insights into the mechanisms linking obesity and brain disorders. The CERC plans to develop a paradigm-shifting approach to combat the obesity and diabetes pandemics. As the founder and director of the Modern Diet and Physiology Research Center, an international consortium that supports science in gut-brain health, Small will also bring new capacity to research at McGill University, and synergize with its world-class neuroscience and metabolism research and training programs to benefit the university, Quebec and Canada.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Soldatic

Karen Soldatić
Toronto Metropolitan University | CIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Health Equity and Community Well-being

As the COVID-19 pandemic revealed, advances in medicine cannot improve population health if vast segments within that population cannot access them. As the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Health Equity and Community Well-being, Dr. Karen Soldatić will lead health system transformation by positioning health equity as a strategic imperative—one that must be at the heart of systemic change.

The research program will use a critical disability lens to place specific communities—those facing exclusions, marginalization and adversities—at the centre of their interactions with health and social systems. It will also examine the potential of digitalization for transformative, accessible and equitable health communications and engagement within communities.

The CERC will collaborate with communities, civil society and formal health-care providers to co-create new knowledge frameworks. Outcomes on core questions of health inequity and community well-being, in turn, will lead to broad policy change and social innovation. Such health system transformation not only improves health equity for all, but, ultimately, provides important building blocks for sustainable public health, innovative and resilient communities, and increased preparedness for future health emergencies.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Stephenson

Corey Stephenson
The University of British Columbia | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Innovative Synthetic Methods for Translational Chemistry

Advances in pharmaceuticals, agrochemistry and energy are made possible by the development of new chemistry, specifically, new and enabling synthetic methods. Dr. Corey Stephenson, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Innovative Synthetic Methods for Translational Chemistry, is pursuing the development and application of new and enabling photo- and electrocatalytic methods for chemical synthesis and biomass upgrading. These approaches provide strategic advantages in applications due to broad functional group compatibility, mild reaction conditions, scalability and operational simplicity; and enable fundamental and translational research that impacts human health and contributes to new manufacturing approaches that focus on sustainability. Stephenson and his team will design new photo- and electrocatalysts for use in pharmaceutical and agrochemical synthesis and biomass upgrading, employing modern data science tools as a mechanism for optimization and refinement; develop new high throughput tools for the implementation of photo- and electrocatalysis in discovery and process chemistry; and design modular syntheses of important building blocks for medicinal chemistry to provide new avenues in drug development.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Subbarao

Kanta Subbarao
Université LavalCIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Biology and Control of Zoonotic and Pandemic Respiratory Viruses

The COVID-19 pandemic led to truly remarkable scientific achievements, but it took a massive toll on health and economies globally, and exposed knowledge gaps that must be addressed to better prepare for future pandemics. Animal viruses pose a pandemic threat if they cross the species barrier to infect humans and spread efficiently from person to person in a susceptible population. Prevention and control of future respiratory virus pandemics can be enhanced by understanding the determinants of cross-species transfer and efficient person-to-person spread of the virus(es). As Canada Excellence Research Chair in Biology and Control of Zoonotic and Pandemic Respiratory Viruses, Dr. Kanta Subbarao will bring her expertise and experience as a physician scientist to focus on virus biology, virus-host interactions, and immune responses to infection by influenza A viruses and coronaviruses. The CERC will build cross-disciplinary links between virology, engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, aerosol biology, and clinical research. The program will train the next generation of scientists and will strengthen public health efforts to anticipate and prepare for emerging public health threats, supporting Canada’s readiness for health emergencies.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Vergniory

Maia Vergniory
Université de SherbrookeNSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Topological Quantum Matter

As we navigate the 21st century, our reliance on silicon-based technology confronts intrinsic physical barriers. Notably, the size of atoms imposes a rigid constraint on device miniaturization. Moreover, the massive proliferation of devices indispensable for modern conveniences, such as cell phones, contributes substantially to heat generation. Unfortunately, this scenario is unsustainable within the pressing issues of climate change and energy demand. Addressing these challenges could demand a departure from silicon, the fundamental building block of contemporary devices. This is the challenge met by the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Topological Quantum Matter. Dr. Maia Vergniory believes the solution can be found in recently discovered topological materials. These materials exhibit fascinating properties and represent the triumph of theoretical materials science. For instance, topological insulators feature an insulating interior alongside robust metallic surfaces that remain unaffected by factors like interactions, defects and various other influences. Her pioneering work has given rise to Topological Quantum Chemistry, which accelerates the classification and prediction of the topological materials. Undoubtedly, these materials emerge as candidates for diverse applications, including energy-efficient microelectronic components, enhanced catalysts, refined thermoelectric converters, and innovative magnetic storage media that will help develop an environmentally friendly technology.


Award amount: $500,000 per year for eight years

Wagner

Darcy Wagner
McGill University | CIHR

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Lung Regenerative Medicine

Respiratory diseases afflict over 500 million persons worldwide. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, pulmonary disorders were the third most frequent cause of death. New therapeutic interventions, which can replace diseased lung tissue or accelerate its regeneration, are desperately needed. To achieve this goal, Dr. Darcy Wagner, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Lung Regenerative Medicine, aims to leverage recent advances in different disciplines such as biomaterials, stem cell biology and advanced biomanufacturing. The CERC will develop new manufacturing techniques based on 3D bioprinting approaches that incorporate novel microfluidic-based components to improve the precision at which lung tissue can be generated. In addition to moving these technologies closer to clinical reality, novel and more functionally realistic ex vivo 3D models of human lung and airway tissue will be created. These can be used by scientists and industry to better understand molecular mechanisms of lung disease, and as a new platform for both identifying and validating emerging therapies.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years

Zhang

Yanwen Zhang
Queen’s University | NSERC

Canada Excellence Research Chair in Impact of Radiation in Energy and Advanced Technologies

Nuclear reactor systems support approximately 15% of Canada’s energy production, with a substantial 60% in Ontario alone. In an evolving landscape of new energy technologies, the demand for enhanced performance of nuclear energy and the consequent stress on reactors is high. While conventional alloy development and traditional approaches have yielded notable advancements, they still fall short of meeting these escalating demands. Understanding the intricate mechanisms behind alloy performance is challenging, and the fundamental processes remain unclear, impeding the design of materials essential for the deployment of safer, longer-lasting reactors.

Through a multidisciplinary lens that incorporates experimental and computational methods, Dr. Yanwen Zhang’s research integrates both a science-driven exploration of model concentrated solid-solution alloys and experience-informed analysis of conventional dilute alloys. Her research aims to realistically predict alloy degradation, while uncovering the potential of radiation-resistant materials, structural stability, and deformation tolerance under high stress, temperature and other extreme material conditions. Through collaborative efforts with academic partners, national laboratories and the nuclear industry, this work has the potential to impact various sectors, enhance the efficiency, reliability, safety and cost-effectiveness of nuclear energy systems, and contribute to the safe disposal of spent nuclear fuel. Ultimately, this research seeks to usher in a new era of safe, resilient and high-performing nuclear energy solutions that will support Canada in its transition to a low-carbon future.


Award amount: $1 million per year for eight years