CIHR Archives - News@91��ɫ

91��ɫ to receive $1.4M in Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards

sandramc — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:30:06 +0000

91��ɫ is poised to welcome 11 doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers through the first wave of the federal (CIRTA) initiative, reflecting the University’s strong research excellence and ability to attract top international research talent.

In total the CIRTA are worth $1.4 million in funding – $40,000 per year for three years for seven doctoral students and $70,000 for two years for four postdoctoral researchers at 91��ɫ – to address critical national and global challenges in some of Canada’s priority areas. Altogether, the CIRTA will go towards funding 600 doctoral students and 400 postdoctoral researchers at universities across Canada.

Lisa Philipps

"We are thrilled to welcome these 11 exceptional doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers to 91��ɫ. They will bring an array of international experiences and perspectives to their work alongside some of our most accomplished faculty, researchers whose expertise spans multiple disciplines, methodologies, and questions. It is the strength of these mentors and the vibrancy of our research community that draws top talent from around the world to 91��ɫ,” says Lisa Philipps, 91��ɫ interim president and vice-chancellor.

The recently CIRTA results are part of the a $1.7 billion strategy to strengthen the country’s position as a go-to-place for the world’s top scientists and innovators. They are jointly administered by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

91��ɫ received a large number of highly qualified candidates for the positions, which will receive funding from all three funding agencies. In addition, two of the four postdoctoral researchers are coming from the social sciences and humanities.

“We are equally grateful to the Government of Canada and to CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC, whose Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards make these opportunities possible. This kind of bold public investment in emerging academic talent is exactly what strengthens our research culture and allows ambitious ideas to take root. Together, the vision of our funders and the dedication of our scholars and supervisors will help tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time, from removing forever chemicals from our water to strengthening our preparedness against emerging diseases. I could not be prouder of what this community will achieve,” says Philipps.

The CIRTA research awards target specific high priority research needs identified by the federal government across disciplines.

Alice MacLachlan

At 91��ɫ the doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers and their supervisors will embark on a vast array of research, including a climate-sensitive disease early-warning system, advanced functional materials for low-energy carbon capture, AI forecasting tools to improve outbreak prediction and public-health decision-making, methods to remove forever chemical contamination from wastewater sludge, and a better understanding of new drivers of aging and development of new personalized therapies to improve health span.

“Research thrives when talented people are given the opportunity, support and freedom to pursue ambitious ideas. These scholars are asking important questions and bringing fresh perspectives to issues that matter deeply to society. Their arrival enriches our academic community, and we look forward to the contributions they will make during their time at 91��ɫ and throughout their careers,” says Alice MacLachlan, vice-provost and dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at 91��ɫ.

The following 91��ɫ faculty members welcome doctoral students funded by the program:

Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Global Health and Humanitarianism Godfred Boateng, School of Global Health, Faculty of Health (supported by SSHRC)

Boateng’s research interests lie in resource insecurity, health and sustainable livelihoods; environmental pollution, climate change and health effects; the socio-ecological determinants of cardiometabolic conditions in aging adults; health equity and health systems research; and implementation and scale-up science in low- and middle-income countries. The research of his doctoral student will focus on the development a climate-sensitive disease early-warning system for informal settlements in Accra, using satellite data, health records, and machine learning to predict emerging disease hotspots. By co-designing tools with local health workers and communities, the project aims to enable earlier public-health interventions and create a scalable model for climate-health resilience in rapidly urbanizing cities.

Associate Professor , Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Freire-Gormaly’s research focuses on the development of stand-alone solar powered reverse osmosis water treatment systems and energy recovery systems for remote communities that lack access to grid electricity. She also is interested in machine learning applications for smart design of innovative energy and water systems. The research of her doctoral student will foster the development advanced functional materials for low-energy carbon capture and drinking water treatment, with a focus on modular, affordable systems that can operate in remote and resource-constrained settings. By combining materials innovation, computational modelling, and life-cycle assessment, the project aims to deliver scalable clean technologies that support climate mitigation, water security, and community resilience.

Associate Professor , Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Ghafar-Zadeh’s research focuses on microelectronic and biosensing technologies for clinical diagnostics and environmental monitoring to address critical challenges in health care, environmental monitoring and scientific research through his Biologically Inspired Sensor and Actuator Laboratory. The research with the doctoral student will develop a new version of DePerio, an AI-powered saliva screening tool that uses deep learning to detect oral neutrophils as biomarkers of periodontal disease and potential neurological disorders, enabling earlier, non-invasive diagnosis. Building on proof-of-concept results achieving 88 per cent precision and 94.7 per cent mAP, the project aims to validate a clinically deployable system that links oral inflammation to disease progression and improves preventive care for both oral and brain health.

Associate Professor , Department of Social Science, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (supported by SSHRC)

Hamraie’s doctoral student will be part of 91��ɫ’s Science and Technology Studies graduate program. His research will address the tensions between approaches to accessibility based in mass standardization and those that are rooted in disability activism. In particular, he is interested in how disability activists and technologists have shared information, theories and concepts, and how accessible computing, in particular, has influenced architectural practice. As a graduate student, he will also continue to work in Hamraie’s , a collective of disabled artists, designers and researchers who approach accessibility through disability cultural frameworks.

Professor , Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Hu’s research focuses on developing scalable and interpretable AI approaches for forest characterization, carbon estimation, biodiversity assessment and environmental monitoring using multi-source remote sensing data. Her doctoral student’s research will develop multimodal AI techniques that combine LiDAR, multispectral imagery and forest inventory data to identify individual tree species in Ontario’s mixed and transitional forests. By enabling scalable species-level forest monitoring, the project will improve biodiversity assessment, forest carbon quantification, and evidence-based forest management to support nature-based climate solutions in Canada.

Professor and 91��ɫ Research Chair in Mechanisms of Cardiometabolic Disease Gary Sweeney, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science (supported by CHIR)

Sweeney’s doctoral student’s research will build on evidence that high adiponectin levels are linked to exceptional longevity and protection against age-related diseases, while low levels are associated with poorer health outcomes. It proposes combining adiponectin biology with extracellular vesicle science to identify new drivers of aging and develop personalized therapies to improve health span in individuals with low adiponectin.

Associate Professor , Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Tabassum’s research focuses on developing trustworthy AI for wireless sensing, localization, spectrum intelligence, and next-generation communications. Her work combines optimization, machine learning, large language models, and multimodal AI to advance intelligent resource management, integrated sensing and communications, wireless forecasting, and energy-efficient 5G/6G networks, with applications in digital health, smart infrastructure, and connected and autonomous systems. The research of her doctoral student will develop multimodal AI techniques for wireless localization and spectrum intelligence by combining radio-frequency measurements with complementary sensing modalities to enable accurate positioning and automated understanding of complex wireless environments. By integrating trustworthy AI, deep learning, and large language models, the project aims to improve spectrum awareness, network intelligence, and wireless resilience, supporting the deployment of next generation 5G/6G systems for smart infrastructure, public safety, and autonomous applications.

The following faculty members will welcome postdoctoral researchers funded by the program:

Professor and James and Joanne Love Chair in Environmental Engineering and Director of the One WATER Institute , Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Brar is a globally recognized researcher with expertise in value-added waste processing through the development of bioproducts from wastewaters and sludge using fermentation technologies and the removal of emerging contaminants, such as microplastics and pharmaceuticals. She also works on innovative treatment technologies for environmental remediation. The postdoctoral researcher’s work will address the wastewater sludge contamination of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of 4,700 man-made “forever chemicals” found in non-stick cookware, cosmetics and waterproof textiles, and everywhere from groundwater to human blood. Current wastewater treatment plants were not designed to primarily remove PFAS, however, if they are not properly treated prior to discharge, it can lead to contamination of soil and groundwater. Conventional PFAS removal methods like sludge pyrolysis, incineration, electrochemical oxidation are energy and cost intensive and cannot be easily integrated into existing plants. Through their research, Brar and her postdoctoral researcher will develop a circular-economy pretreatment approach using ultrasonication and biochar to reduce “forever chemicals” while enhancing biogas production. Through lab and pilot-scale testing on anaerobic digester sludge, the research aims to optimize conditions for PFAS removal in a way that is compatible with existing treatment infrastructure.

Associate Professor , Department of Sociology, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (supported by SSHRC)

Jean-Pierre’s research in the sociology of education, sociology of race and ethnicity, youth studies, and research methodology. She focuses on school and postsecondary trajectories, policies and interventions, and qualitative research. The research of her postdoctoral researcher will redefine democracy as every day, community-based practice by examining how Black women in Brazil, Argentina, and Canada build collective infrastructures of care, mutual aid, and political organizing amid systemic exclusion and democratic crisis. Through comparative ethnography, it shows how these grassroots practices sustain and reimagine democratic life beyond formal state institutions, challenging dominant models shaped by anti-Blackness and inequality.

Professor and Scientific Director of the Artificial Intelligence for Public Health Advancement Seyed Moghadas, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science (supported by NSERC)

Moghadas’s research involves advanced theoretical and computational methods for modelling and analysis of infectious disease dynamics, evaluating public health interventions and policies, and health economics of healthcare programs. The postdoctoral researcher will develop transparent, uncertainty-aware AI forecasting tools that combine machine learning with mechanistic disease-transmission models to improve outbreak prediction and public-health decision-making. By integrating diverse data sources and explicitly quantifying uncertainty, the project aims to strengthen preparedness, resource allocation, and health system resilience against emerging infectious disease threats.

Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Social Reasoning , Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (supported by SSHRC)

Rini is an internationally recognized expert in the philosophical disciplines of ethics and epistemology. In ethics, she specifically examines structural injustice and the complexities of moral disagreement, while in epistemology, she has studied the effects of online misinformation on public debate and the erosion of digital recording as a regulator of testimony. Rini will supervise a postdoctoral researcher examining how testimonial narratives in the Colombian and Canadian truth commissions contribute to reparative justice by helping survivors reclaim agency, foster collective understanding and rebuild social trust after systemic violence. Through a comparative philosophical analysis, the project develops a framework for understanding narrative as a tool for epistemic repair and reconciliation while exploring its limitations in addressing ongoing structural inequalities. The research will look at the following three questions: The guiding questions are: What is the relationship between testimonial narrative and reparative justice; How does narrative support individual healing, collective recognition and the rebuilding of social trust; and What tensions arise between individualized testimonies and structural accounts of systemic injustice?

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Combined alcohol and cannabis use linked to adverse consequences in young adults, 91��ɫ U led study finds

egamulin — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 14:01:47 +0000

Research found users more likely to combine substances in times of high stress and challenging emotions in order to achieve a greater high

TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2025 – A new longitudinal study led by 91��ɫ’s Department of Psychology finds that young adults experiencing periods of high stress, anxiety and depressed mood more frequently combined binge drinking with cannabis use in order to get more high and drunk, and were also likely to report more adverse life consequences when combining these substances. Lead author , associate professor in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Health, says that since cannabis use among young adults has increased after Canada legalized the drug, understanding why people combine the drug and outcomes when they do is important.

Lead author, Associate Professor Jeffrey Wardell

“Studies suggest that human brains are still developing into their 20s and alcohol and cannabis dependencies are more prevalent in this age group than any other,” says Wardell, also director of the at 91��ɫ. “While occasional combined use may not be a cause for concern, the study clearly shows increased risk when combining these substances. Understanding combined use can help young adults mitigate the risk, understand when they might have an issue and seek support to develop healthier coping mechanisms.”

For the paper, published in the journal Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research and funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Wardell and his research team recruited 151 young adults, ages 19 - 25, in Ontario who already used cannabis and alcohol. The participants were asked to complete daily surveys on their cannabis and alcohol use and any negative consequences they experienced as a result on their phones for three 21-day periods spaced 6 months apart. Participants also filled out surveys about their stress, anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as their motives for co-using alcohol and cannabis.

The results showed a clear link between mental health symptoms and motivation to combine alcohol and cannabis use.

“When they were feeling depressed or anxious, the participants were motivated to double things up because the thought was that it would make them feel better,” says Wardell. “They also reported that they were combining cannabis with binge drinking more frequently during these times.”

Wardell says that while studies show that over the short term, using substances can give people temporary relief from feelings they are seeking to escape, they can often lead to more adverse outcomes over the long term, both in terms of mental health and negative life consequences.

Other coping mechanisms that can be more helpful include breathing exercises, meditation, physical activity, talking to a friend and seeking out help from a peer-support hotline or medical professional. Wardell says there are a number of questionnaires young adults can access online that can help them determine if their use of a substance might be problematic, with one big clue being a reliance on substances to cope with stress and unwanted feelings.

While young adults are the most likely age group to develop an alcohol or cannabis use disorder, Wardell says it is also the age where early interventions can be helpful.

“While they are not immune to effects on the developing brain, they're also at a stage where most of the time these behaviours are just getting started, or the patterns are just getting laid. It's a good time to give people feedback, give them advice, give them the information so they can make changes before their substance use habits become too ingrained.”

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91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact: Emina Gamulin, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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91��ɫ profs to advance health research with more than $3.5M in federal CIHR funding

egamulin — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 14:21:49 +0000

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) more than $3.5 million dollars combined, money that will go towards research that aims to help parents and neonatal infants, addresses equity and political barriers to global public health concerns and helps further our understanding of the role of an important hormone in heart health.

Helping preterm babies and parents have better outcomes

Prof. Rebecca Pillai Riddell

Faculty of Health Professor , who heads up the Ouch Lab, and is also the 91��ɫ Research Chair in Pain and Mental Health, received nearly $1.4 million for work that will look at very preterm infants and how medical interventions and maternal stressors may impact the ability of skin-to-skin contact to help regulate pain in the infant. The project, , will be carried out at the neonatal intensive care unit at Mount Sinai Hospital.

"Preterm infants are one of the most vulnerable populations on this planet and are exposed to numerous painful procedures everyday of their young lives. Their parental context is a critical factor to better understand and improve their quality of life. Our lab is so grateful to CIHR for their funding to better understand how maternal factors impact their child's pain responses during skin-to-skin care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,” says Pillai Riddell.

Making international health agreements more equitable

Asst. Prof. Mathieu Poirier

Professor was awarded more than $1.13 million that will go towards work being done by himself and other investigators at the 91��ɫ-based Global Strategy Lab, including Faculty of Health Assistant Professor , for .

“The Global Strategy Lab is pleased to have been awarded CIHR funding to continue our research on designing more impactful and equitable international agreements for health.

"Through a world-leading global legal epidemiology approach, we are advancing global health law, tobacco control, and planetary health in support of 91��ɫ’s contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” says Poirier, also co-director of the Global Strategy Lab and 91��ɫ Research Chair in Global Health Equity.

Prof. Gary Sweeney

Understanding heart failure better, especially for those with diabetes

Faculty of Science Professor Gary Sweeney will be looking at a hormone that is often compromised in people with diabetes and obesity and is involved in the body cleaning up bad cells in the heart. has received close to a million dollars in funding from CIHR.

About 91��ɫ

91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ’s fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario’s Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91��ɫ Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

The post 91��ɫ profs to advance health research with more than $3.5M in federal CIHR funding appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

91��ɫ researchers receive $1.1 million in COVID-19 research funding

roshanp — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 16:43:35 +0000

TORONTO, March 6, 2020 (UPDATED) – Three 91��ɫ researchers will receive more than $1.1 million in COVID-19 rapid research funding over two years to explore issues of trust, stigmatization and social perceptions of risk, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) announced today.

The results from these Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies research projects could affect the response to and management of COVID-19 now and similar outbreaks of disease in the future. The funding for the 91��ɫ projects will come from both the CIHR and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Assistant Professor , coordinator of the Disaster and Emergency Management (DEM) Program at 91��ɫ, will receive $499,121 from CIHR to examine how Chinese diaspora communities in globalized urban centres are coping with COVID-19. Assistant Professor of the DEM program will receive $428,816 from SSHRC to track how Canadians understand and perceive the outbreak, while Assistant Professor of Sociology will receive $176,256 from CIHR to study issues of trust and how it hampers prevention and control measures.

“91��ɫ is delighted to learn of CIHR’s support for three timely projects from the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies,” said Interim Vice-President Research & Innovation Rui Wang. “This exemplifies 91��ɫ’s leadership in public health response to COVID-19 and its impact. With this funding, 91��ɫ will provide essential insights in the rapid research response to contribute to the global effort to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.”

As the frequency of disease outbreaks increases in a connected world with rapid urbanization, there is a need to understand how public fears, stigmatization and attitudes, along with misinformation, affects public health efforts.

“LA&PS has always been about producing research that has real and immediate impact in the world, and we are incredibly proud of the work of our DEM and sociology researchers in their respective fields – especially as it concerns public issues as timely as the recent COVID-19 outbreak,” said the Dean of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies J.J. McMurtry.

More about the projects:

Mamuji’s project aims to understand the consequences of COVID-19 as experienced by Chinese communities in Toronto and Nairobi, including the social impacts of discrimination and Sinophobia on personal well-being and livelihoods. Her team, which includes Associate Professor of the DEM program, plans to work with emergency management professionals in both locations to develop a culturally specific public education campaign and knowledge-sharing events to counter misinformation, disinformation, stigma and fear, and to promote community cohesion.

Kennedy’s project, which will include Associate Professor of 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Health and Associate Professor of the University of Guelph, will mount a large-scale, two-year coast-to-coast survey to document how Canadians understand the outbreak. It will explore who Canadians trust for information on COVID-19, how they’re adapting their behaviours, and how their perceptions of risk changes throughout the next couple of years.

Cary’s research will bring frontline researchers from China together with experts in trust and public health in Canada and Sweden to explore people’s trust in government, health agencies, and in other people and groups during a time of crisis. He will look at how their level of trust shapes public responses to COVID-19, such as compliance with control policies and methods of prevention, but also, how disease outbreaks affect those levels of trust and can lead to a rise in xenophobia.

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91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni. 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 2097 or 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca