An investment of $2.1 million, , will fund transformative work examining history, human behaviour, digital technologies and critical infrastructure to better understand and improve well-being, equity and resilience across Canada.

The CRC program bolster research excellence and advances the development of knowledge that benefits society, the economy and the environment.

"Canada Research Chairs drive new knowledge that strengthens Canada鈥檚 global competitiveness and addresses real-world challenges," says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. "Across 91亚色, this research reflects a commitment to tackling complex issues 鈥� from advancing Indigenous knowledge and addressing addiction, to shaping the future of AI and strengthening critical infrastructure 鈥� in ways that deliver tangible benefits for communities in Canada and beyond."

Alan Corbiere 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Indigenous History of North America (Tier 2, renewal)
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

An assistant professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of History, Corbiere鈥檚 research focuses on Anishinaabe language, oral traditions and material culture.

Corbiere uses approaches such as the study of treaty negotiations and wampum belts to challenge and reshape historical narratives while supporting the revitalization of Indigenous knowledge and culture.

Matthew Keough 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Addiction Vulnerability (Tier 2)
Faculty of Health

Keough is an associate professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Psychology, a clinical psychologist and a senior scientist with Homewood Research Institute. He studies the causes of addictive behaviours and develops evidence鈥慴ased treatments with a focus on heavy drinking, cannabis use, concurrent disorders and digital interventions for young adults.

Keough also received $100,000 through the Canada Foundation for Innovation鈥檚 which supports research infrastructure projects through its partnership with the CRC program.

Jennifer Pybus 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Data, Empowerment and Artificial Intelligence (Tier 2, renewal)
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

Associate professor in the Department of Politics and director of the Centre for Public AI, Pybus studies how social media, mobile platforms and AI use personal data.

Her focus is on strengthening data literacy, supporting informed public debate and examining issues of digital sovereignty and data governance in Canada.

Pirathayini Srikantha 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Reliable and Secure Power Grid Systems (Tier 2, renewal)

Srikantha, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, develops AI鈥慸riven and transactive energy solutions.

The aim of her research is to improve the reliability, security and resilience of electrical power grids and support the design of trustworthy energy systems.

The post Four 91亚色 U scholars among new, renewed Canada Research Chairs appeared first on YFile.

The initiative, led by Stephanie Gora, assistant professor at the , received $250,000 from the Government of Canada鈥檚 New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) . The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) program supports bold, interdisciplinary research that tests new ideas and aims for real鈥憌orld impact.

Gora鈥檚 project focuses on drinking water quality in multi鈥憉nit rental housing, where water safety is impacted by the actions of water utilities, tenants, landlords/building owners and regulators.

鈥淭his funding gives us the freedom to step back and take a 鈥榩roblem-first鈥� approach to understanding and improving water safety in rental housing that prioritizes the lived experiences of tenants, as well as building owners and management,鈥� says Gora. 鈥淭he goal is to co-develop technologies and frameworks that address the real barriers to safe water in rental housing."

While Canada has invested heavily in protecting drinking water, quality of water from the tap 鈥� particularly in rental buildings 鈥� remains difficult to assess and address, she adds.

Expertise in engineering, housing and urban planning will come together to examine both the technical and social dimensions of water quality. Gora is joined by co鈥憄rincipal investigator Katherine Perrott (University of Waterloo) and co鈥慳pplicants Judy Duncan (ACORN Canada), Liam Butler and Razieh Salahandish (91亚色), along with Brian Doucet (University of Waterloo) for the project, titled 鈥溾�楥an I drink the tap water?鈥� An interdisciplinary action framework for water quality assurance in multi鈥憉nit rental housing.鈥�

According to Gora, research and policy following the 2000 Walkerton water crisis focused primarily on protecting municipal sources, treatment plants and distribution systems. However, conditions within buildings are a separate risk where aging plumbing, construction materials and maintenance practices can significantly affect water quality by the time it reaches residents鈥� taps.

These challenges are particularly pronounced in rental housing, where tenants have limited control over infrastructure and limited access to information.

Multi鈥憉nit buildings constructed before 1960 are more likely to contain lead-bearing plumbing components and lead solder, but water quality issues are not limited to older housing stock. Newer and high鈥憆ise buildings can also experience problems related to water stagnation and interactions between the water and materials used for plumbing.

In January 2024, more than 200 tenants were evacuated from a newly built student apartment building in Hamilton, Ont., due to poor water quality, highlighting the scope of the issue.

The 91亚色鈥憀ed project responds to these gaps by integrating scientific testing with lived experience.

Researchers will begin by testing water samples and interviewing tenants, building owners or managers to understand how water quality issues arise and how they are handled in real-world settings. The team will test how point-of-use and distributed water quality sensors monitor water safety in real time.

The findings will help the team develop a data-driven water safety framework for multi-unit rental buildings using an approach that considers social, environmental and economic impacts while encouraging collaboration among sector partners to clarify shared responsibilities.

The post Federal funds flow to 91亚色 U for tap water safety research appeared first on YFile.

Announced March 27 at 91亚色鈥檚 Markham Campus, Natural Resources Canada will invest $28.9 million in 12 projects across the country to build and deploy clean energy technologies through its Energy Innovation Program.

These investments support efforts to reduce emissions and modernize Canada鈥檚 energy systems as clean technologies advance.

91亚色's project, led by Associate Professor Marina Freire鈥慓ormaly at Lassonde, is one of four initiatives funded in the Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage stream which supports early research on capturing, moving, story and reusing carbon dioxide.

Freire-Gormaly will focus on developing a carbon capture technology that replaces heat鈥慽ntensive systems with electrochemical and light鈥慸riven processes. By using advanced materials, the technology aims to cut energy use, reduce operating costs and improve performance.

鈥淭his funding allows us to move promising carbon capture ideas from the lab and scale them up, closer to real鈥憌orld use,鈥� says Freire鈥慓ormaly. 鈥淚t supports 91亚色鈥檚 role in developing practical, low鈥慹nergy solutions that can help reduce emissions.鈥�

The project, titled 鈥淒evelopment and scale-up of novel solid C02 capture photoelectrochemical active sorbents,鈥� began in 2023 and will continue until March 2027 with a focus on creating and testing new solid materials that absorb carbon dioxide when exposed to light and electricity, instead of through thermal processes.

Freire鈥慓ormaly and her team of researchers 鈥� including co-applicant Assistant Professor Solomon Boakye-Yiadom and other collaborators at 91亚色's Faculty of Science 鈥� have developed new electrode materials using copper, aerogels and specialized coatings to improve performance.

Researchers are using a small, custom-built lab to accurately measure how much carbon dioxide is captured. Findings will help evaluate costs, environmental impacts and carbon emissions, and help determine how sustainable and practical the innovative solvent-based pathway would be at an industrial scale.

鈥淭hese innovations are crucial towards a net-zero energy transition for all Canadians,鈥� says Friere-Gormaly.

Tim Hodgson, minister of energy and natural resources, says the project reflects Canada鈥檚 goal to scale up clean energy and responsibly grow the nation鈥檚 conventional energy industry.

鈥淲e are investing to provide reliable, affordable and clean power across the country that will propel our economic growth, protect affordability for Canadian families and make Canada a low-risk, low-cost, low-carbon energy superpower.鈥�

The post Federal investment backs Lassonde clean energy research appeared first on YFile.

The GSL is a pivotal research centre aligned with 91亚色鈥檚 commitment to addressing complex global health challenges. It鈥檚 done so by bringing together students, faculty and professionals from multiple disciplines and institutions to work on applied research projects that focus on global antimicrobial resistance, public health institutions and global legal epidemiology.

Its goal is to offer critical insights for researchers and policymakers on evidence-informed, equitable approaches to global health governance.

The new program, says Mathieu Poirier, GSL director, expands upon the lab's leadership by enlisting the research efforts of 91亚色 faculty and students, as well as external partnerships.

鈥淎t the Global Strategy Lab, we advise governments and public health organizations on how to design laws, policies and institutions that make the world healthier for everyone,鈥� he says. 鈥淥ur new will build on this mission by consolidating our leadership in this newly emerging field to inform more equitable and effective legal systems that respond to health threats that transcend borders.鈥�

The program emerged in part from the lessons of COVID-19 鈥� which underscored the critical need for stronger legal frameworks to guide both national and international responses to health emergencies. It is the first program of its kind in Canada, says inaugural Research Director Roojin Habibi.

As an example, Habibi points to her collaboration with former GSL director Steven Hoffman on the 2019 Stellenbosch Consensus Statement, which outlines when states can legally impose travel restrictions consistent with the World Health Organization鈥檚 (WHO) International Health Regulations.

That work proved to be prescient. When the pandemic struck, the statement served as a key reference for policymakers and scholars assessing whether government travel bans aligned with international law. It demonstrated how global health law can provide clarity and accountability during crises.

Building on those insights, Habibi hopes the new program will continue to advance understanding of how international, regional, national and non-state actors can use law to shape health responses and build stronger systems. A central focus is developing long-term, grant-funded research projects that explore how law influences public health systems.

One of the first projects is studying how amendments to WHO鈥檚 International Health Regulations, introduced after COVID-19, are translated into Canada鈥檚 public health system. This work draws directly on GSL鈥檚 interdisciplinary expertise in law and epidemiology to assess how legal reforms affect national preparedness and health equity. 鈥淲e have the opportunity to engage our legal and epidemiological tools to analyze that in a systematic, systems-level way,鈥� says Habibi.

Beyond research, the program is designed to enhance training and education of the next generation of global health scholars. Habibi plans to expand experiential learning opportunities for 91亚色 undergraduate and graduate students through research assistantships 鈥� something she says is critical, given the growing post-pandemic interest in global health law careers.

鈥淪tudents understand they have a role to play in strengthening institutions like the World Health Organization or the Public Health Agency of Canada. I see a lot of students who are ready to pick up the tools at their disposal and forge ahead in building healthier communities,鈥� says Habibi.

鈥淚鈥檇 love to see this program have policy impact through interface with governments and international organizations, and make Canada a hub for global health law research.鈥�

For more details, email Habibi at roojin.habibi@globalstrategylab.org.

The post Global Strategy Lab deepens 91亚色鈥檚 leadership in shaping health policy appeared first on YFile.

The new investment is delivered through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), which delivers financial support and business services to help entrepreneurs and organizations grow, create jobs and diversify the region鈥檚 economy.

Announced by Judy Sgro, member of parliament for Humber River鈥揃lack Creek, the funding underscores the vital role Black entrepreneurs play in shaping Canada鈥檚 economy and the importance of supporting their growth.

鈥淥ver the last few years, we鈥檝e seen just how much Black entrepreneurs can achieve when the right support is in place,鈥� says Olusegun Villasa, program manager of the BEA. 鈥淭his new investment means we can build on that progress, deepen our impact and continue creating a community where innovation is accessible to all.鈥�

Since its launch in 2021, BEA has supported 136 ventures, helping them generate more than $46 million in revenue, raise $7.3 million in funding, and create 989 jobs. The BEA has also invested more than $525,000 in upskilling and professional development for Black entrepreneurs and professionals.

Its programming has ranged from bootcamps that help Black entrepreneurs validate food and beverage products or prepare startups for investment, to a leadership certificate program delivered with Schulich ExecEd. Specialized streams also support growth in the consumer-packaged goods and technology sectors through accelerators and mentorship that connect founders with industry experts and networks.

With this new investment, BEA will bolster its impact by expanding programs in business process improvement and export readiness, in addition to hosting an annual forum to connect Black founders with ecosystem leaders. That impact extends to community partners such as the TD Community Engagement Centre at 91亚色, located in the Black Creek Community.

鈥淭he TD Community Engagement Centre has always been about building connections and supporting people right here in Black Creek,鈥� says Byron Gray, manager of the centre. 鈥淭his investment means more entrepreneurs in our community will have access to the mentorship and networks they need to grow stronger businesses where it matters most.鈥�

For the BEA, the investment represents more than funding. It is a step toward creating lasting impact, building stronger communities and ensuring Black entrepreneurs have opportunities to thrive for generations to come.

鈥淢omentum is everything for entrepreneurs, and this funding helps us keep building on it,鈥� says David Kwok, director of entrepreneurship and innovation at YSpace. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to see more Black founders turn ideas into thriving businesses that create jobs, spark innovation and inspire the next generation.鈥�

Learn more about the and its programs.

The post 91亚色's BEA receives $2.4M investment to empower Black founders appeared first on YFile.

Six research initiatives led or co-led by 91亚色 faculty members have received funding through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), supporting projects that mobilize knowledge and spark change. 

Four projects were awarded Connection Grants, which fund short-term events and outreach activities that connect researchers with communities to share knowledge and foster collaboration. Another two projects were awarded Partnership Engage Grants, which support research undertaken in partnership with a single organization from the public, private or not-for-profit sectors. 

鈥淭hese SSHRC-funded initiatives exemplify how 91亚色 researchers are working in partnership with communities to address complex societal challenges,鈥� says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. 鈥淔rom exploring how cycling can advance gender equity, to examining artists鈥� responses to political backlash, to supporting inclusive education, digital storytelling, gender inclusion in STEM, and educators鈥� digital rights, these projects demonstrate how  mobilizing knowledge through inclusive and collaborative approaches can create meaningful change at local, national and global levels.鈥� 

The Connection Grant projects are part of the February 2025 competition and are valued between $7,000 and $50,000, provided over one year.  

Cycling Towards Change: Advancing Mobility Justice, Gender Equity, and Sustainable Development through Bicycles is led by Lyndsay Hayhurst, professor in the . The initiative received $24,596 to bring together researchers and community partners from Canada, Uganda and beyond to explore how cycling can promote gender equity and sustainable development. 91亚色 researcher Jessica Nachman is also a collaborator. 

Facing Backlash: Performance in the Age of Reactionary Politics is led by faculty members in the : Marlis Schweitzer, Courtney Lancaster, Jamie Robinson, Keira Loughran and Laura Levin. The project received $19,692 to examine how artists and performers respond to rising reactionary political movements through creative expression. 

No for now: Building educator capacity to simultaneously support transgender students and parent-child relationships is led by Jake Pyne in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. The project received $23,498 and aims to equip educators with tools to support both transgender students and their families, addressing a critical gap in inclusive education.听The project is a collaboration with Lee Airton of Queen's University.听

The Electronic Literature Organization @25 International Conference is co-led by Caitlin Fisher, director of 91亚色鈥檚 Augmented Reality Lab and professor in AMPD. The project, led by Lai-Tze Fan from the University of Waterloo, received $25,000. The event will mark the 25th anniversary of the Electronic Literature Organization and explore the future of digital storytelling. 

The Partnership Engage projects are part of the March 2025 competition and are valued between $7,000 and $25,000, provided over one year. 

Gender and Microinclusion in STEM Workgroups is led by Kelly Thomson in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) with co-applicant Marcela Porporato,. Partnering with Santex in Argentina, the project received $24,988 to investigate gender inclusion in STEM work environments. 

Strengthening Educators' Collective Capacity to Bargain for Digital Rights is co-led by Hannah Johnston (LA&PS) and sava saheli singh (Faculty of Education) from 91亚色, with applicant Vera Khovanskaya from the University of Toronto. Partnering with the Canadian Teachers鈥� Federation, the project received $24,750 to examine how educators can advocate for digital rights in the procurement and use of educational technologies. 

To see the full list of recipients, visit . 

The post SSHRC funding supports 91亚色 research connecting communities, driving change 聽聽 appeared first on YFile.

Seven faculty members from 91亚色 have been awarded Partnership Development Grants by the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), securing a combined total of $1,397,010 in funding. The grants support one- to three-year initiatives that foster new or existing research partnerships with the goal of advancing knowledge and mobilizing outcomes that benefit academic and non-academic communities.

鈥淭his remarkable success in the SSHRC Partnership Development Grants competition highlights 91亚色鈥檚 strength in building meaningful research collaborations that span disciplines and sectors,鈥� says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. 鈥淭hese projects demonstrate how our researchers are partnering with communities to co-create knowledge that informs policy, advances equity and addresses complex global challenges. They reflect 91亚色鈥檚 ongoing commitment to research with real-world impact.鈥�

These grants build in a wave of other recent funding announcements by SSHRC, including an聽additional $1.7 million funding 91亚色 researchers recently received聽through Insight Development Grants, and $5.7 million from Insight Grants.

Faculty leading the projects represent the聽, the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and the .

The following 91亚色 researchers were awarded funding as part of the 2024 competition:

Charles Cho, Schulich School of Business
Project: Bridging worlds: Collaborative solutions for global biodiversity accounting and reporting
Funding: $199,976

Amrita Daftary, Faculty of Health
Project: Developing a global framework to address gender-based violence in women affected by TB
Funding: $200,000

Ester E. Amanda De Lisio, Faculty of Health
Project: Unidivercidade Nem Davida: Insurgent Geographies of Puta/Trans Activisms in Rio de Janeiro
Funding: $200,000

Lyndsay Hayhurst, Faculty of Health
Project: Partnering for the Planet: Co-Creating Gender-Just Climate Solutions through Sport for Development and Peace
Funding: $199,961

Johanne Jean-Pierre, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Project: Inspiring adolescents to become first-generation university students through bilingual short films
Funding: $199,384

Joan Judge, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Project: Vernacular medicine and modes of knowing in China: historical and global contexts
Funding: $199,329

Yvonne Su, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Project: Sanctuaries of Hope: Co-Creating Knowledge, Policies, Workshops and Participatory Films on South-South Queer Migration with Bogot谩鈥檚 LGBTQ+ Houses
Funding: $198,360

These awards reflect 91亚色鈥檚 continued leadership in collaborative, equity-focused and community-engaged research across global contexts.

The post SSHRC awards $1.3M in聽Partnership Development Grants to 91亚色 researchers appeared first on YFile.

Building on an additional $1.7 funding 91亚色 researchers recently received through SSHRC Insight Development Grants, the now announced  Insight Grants provide long-term funding for projects lasting two to six years, enabling emerging and established scholars to pursue innovative research in the social sciences and humanities. 

91亚色鈥檚 funded projects reflect the University鈥檚 commitment to interdisciplinary research and social impact. 

鈥淭his outstanding result in the SSHRC Insight Grants competition reflects the depth and diversity of research excellence at 91亚色,鈥� says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. 鈥淥ur researchers are leading critical work that addresses some of the most pressing challenges facing society today 鈥� from refugee education and immigrant career pathways to digital culture and equity in the workplace. These projects exemplify 91亚色鈥檚 commitment to purposeful research that drives positive change in Canada and around the world.鈥� 

91亚色 researchers received SSHRC Insight Grants for a diverse range of projects. Several focus on refugee education and immigrant integration, exploring governance in refugee schooling and sustainable career paths for newcomers.

Themes of equity, diversity and inclusion are prominent, with studies examining workplace barriers and inclusive practices. Others investigate digital culture and technology, including platform-based work, AI in education as well as children鈥檚 media environments.

Additional projects address business ethics, refugee law, urban infrastructure and climate risk, reflecting the University鈥檚 broad commitment to tackling social, technological and cultural challenges through interdisciplinary research. 

In addition to LA&PS, faculty leading the projects also represent Glendon College, the聽Faculty of Education, the聽, the聽, the聽Faculty of Science,听 and the聽.听

Below is a list of 91亚色 recipients of the

Daniel Adler, School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design
Project: Arguing for Assemblage: Diasporic Identities in Sculpture from a Pan-Pacific Perspective 
Funding: $86,939 

Alison L. Bain, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change
Project: Queer cultural infrastructure and the remaking of inclusive cities: within and beyond Rainbow Cities Network recognition 
Funding: $282,004 

Kelly Bergstrom, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Platforming Leisure: Navigating worker experiences of labour and leisure in the digital platform economy 
Funding: $228,512 

Marie-Helene Budworth, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Diversity at work: Beyond a monoracial framework 
Funding: $85,155 

Natalie Coulter, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Understanding Our Digital Futures: KidTech, AdTech and Branded Content in the DigiVerse 
Funding: $291,354 

Andrew C. Dawson, Glendon College
Project: Trust and Democratic Stability 
Funding: $251,427 

John R. Greyson, School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design 
Project: Vital Transgressions: Activism, Risk and Queer/Trans Cinemas Today 
Funding: $314,525 

John Ippolito, Faculty of Education 
Project: The languages of everyday citizenship: Migrant views on naturalization in a host country 
Funding: $99,800 

Benjamin Kelly, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: The Politics of Repression in Ancient Rome: Discourses and Practices 
Funding: $82,358 

Kiridaran Kanagaretnam, Schulich School of Business
Project: Are Firms Reactive or Proactive to Climate Change Risk? 
Funding: $78,500 

Anja Krstic, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Increasing gender equality: An examination of why and how gender roles influence men's parental leave-taking decisions 
Funding: $112,174 

Geoffrey P.J. Lawrence, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Examining Generative Artificial Intelligence in Post-Secondary English for Academic Purpose (EAP) Programs 
Funding: $89,678 

Matthew A. Leisinger, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Ralph Cudworth's Freewill Manuscripts 
Funding: $77,009 

Bernard V. Lightman, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies  
Project: The collected letters of John Tyndall (1820鈥�1893), influential Victorian scientist: editing and publishing volumes 18 to 21 
Funding: $88,785 

Muyang Li, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Shaping the Future of AI: Artificial Intelligence Governance in Global Dynamics 
Funding: $93,966 

Marcel Martel, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Un nouveau spiritueux: le cognac, la mondialisation et la temp茅rance au Canada et aux 脡tats-Unis, 1870鈥�1933 
Funding: $61,204 

Gillian A. McGillivray, Glendon College
Project: From Paternalism to Precarity: Land, Labour, and Politics under a French Enterprise in Brazil 
Funding: $79,715 

Yuzhi Joel Ong, School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design 
Project: Memory Machines: emerging practices in environmental sensing and ecopoetics 
Funding: $369,281 

Poonam Puri, Osgoode Hall Law School 
Project: Empowering the shareholder voice as a means to stakeholder democracy: a comparative analysis of shareholder proposals in Canada and the United States 
Funding: $251,478 

Jennine S. Rawana, Faculty of Health 
Project: Enhancing real-time emotion regulation skills among emerging adults in a digital era 
Funding: $67,258 

Sean Rehaag, Osgoode Hall Law School 
Project: The Refugee Law Lab at the Canada-US Border 
Funding: $253,975 

Antulio Rosales, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Crypto-bans versus crypto expansions: explaining variation in cryptocurrency mining prohibitions across global north and global south contexts 
Funding: $279,986 

Anoosheh Rostamkalaei, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Entrepreneurial outcomes and liability of poorness 
Funding: $73,299 

Shirin Shahrokni, Glendon College
Project: Not a Single Story: Impacts of Race, Gender, and Geographical Provenance on the Employment Trajectories of Highly Skilled Francophone Immigrants in Ontario 
Funding: $86,192 

Winny Shen, Schulich School of Business
Project: What will people say? How image risks impede equity, diversity, and inclusion involvement at work 
Funding: $195,084 

Rachel E. Silver, Faculty of Education 
Project: Refugee Education Governance and Alternative Futures in Kenya 
Funding: $266,953 

Jane Tingley, School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design 
Project: Being in Relation 
Funding: $277,120 

Kurt F. Thumlert, Faculty of Education 
Project: Embodied, tacit, and multimodal learning: Re-situating pedagogies of skilled practice in the age of AI and artifice 
Funding: $96,386 

Maggie E. Toplak, Faculty of Health 
Project: Investigating the relationship between actively open-minded thinking and myside bias in adolescents and adults 
Funding: $274,402 

Fuminori Toyasaki, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Collaboration between Competitors in Product Innovation 
Funding: $179,390 

Antonella Valeo, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Context Matters: A Study of Corrective Feedback in Adult Language Teaching and Learning 
Funding: $199,630 

Alexandra E. Widmer, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Disability Matters: Kinship Networks, Integration and the Social Consequences of Medical Diagnoses in Vanuatu 
Funding: $121,317 

David Weitzner, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Humanistic Stakeholder Theory and a Minimalist Ethics Litmus Test for Firm Purpose 
Funding: $190,790 

Jelena Zikic, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies 
Project: Are alternative careers sustainable? Towards health and well-being of immigrants across Canada 
Funding: $201,095 

The post $5.7M in SSHRC funding for 91亚色's transformative social impact research聽 appeared first on YFile.

Funding, provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research鈥檚 (CIHR) Spring 2025 Project Grant competition, is part of a national investment to support health research across Canada. 

鈥�91亚色鈥檚 success in this highly competitive program highlights the University鈥檚 growing leadership in interdisciplinary health research that addresses complex medical and social challenges,鈥� says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. 

In the Faculty of Science, Gary Sweeney was awarded $998,326 for a five-year study examining how iron and lipid imbalances contribute to heart failure. His project, titled 鈥�,鈥� will explore how excess iron and unhealthy fats trigger cellular changes that impair heart function, particularly in individuals with obesity or diabetes. 

The research focuses on ferroptosis 鈥� a form of regulated cell death 鈥� and its role in cardiac remodelling, a process that can lead to heart failure following a heart attack. This innovative study aims to improve understanding and treatment of heart failure and related conditions, and uncover new therapeutic targets to prevent or reverse heart damage. 

鈥淗eart failure is a common and devastating event,鈥� Sweeney says. 鈥淥ur research contributes to understanding why this occurs and how it can be prevented or treated.鈥� 

The goal is to uncover the detailed processes behind heart failure so novel treatments and preventions can be developed, leading to better outcomes for people at high risk of heart disease.

In the Faculty of Health, Karen Campbell, along with co-investigators and 91亚色 faculty members Mia Biondi and Roya Haghiri-Vijeh, will lead the four-year study "Exploring the Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Health in Women with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).鈥� 聽

鈥淐anada has the highest rate of MS in the world and approximately one in four Canadian women have experienced partner violence,鈥� says Campbell. 鈥淭his is a public health issue that needs to be addressed urgently.鈥�  

Living with a disability can substantially increase a woman鈥檚 risk of experiencing violence, notes Cambell. Women living with MS 鈥� a chronic, often disabling neurological condition 鈥� may face unique vulnerabilities that heighten their risk and consequences of intimate partner violence. 

The study will explore how intimate partner violence affects the health and well-being of women with MS, how they manage their safety and care, and how prepared MS health practitioners are to help. The research team will use surveys and interviews with women across Canada and with health-care providers who treat MS.   

鈥淭he goal is to better understand women鈥檚 experiences and to improve care by supporting clinicians,鈥� says Campbell. 鈥淭he findings will help create more supportive, trauma- and violence-informed care for women with MS who have experienced intimate partner violence.鈥� 

The funding was July 18. 

The post $1.5M in grants support 91亚色-led research to strengthen health equity appeared first on YFile.

Divya Sharma, assistant professor in the Faculty of Science who leads the , is a co-principal investigator on two Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grants: a Team Grant of nearly $2 million and a Project Grant of close to $1 million.听

The Team Grant project, titled 鈥�,鈥� brings together experts from across disciplines to address systemic gaps in liver transplant care. 

The interdisciplinary team includes clinicians, researchers and policy experts from institutions including University Health Network, the University of Toronto and other leading transplant centres.  

The team aims to build a national framework that uses AI to identify and address disparities in access to liver transplants and in post-transplant outcomes. Sharma is leading the development of a predictive model that integrates both clinical data and social determinants of health 鈥� such as income, geography and structural barriers 鈥� to support long-term graft health and inform more equitable care. 

鈥淏y incorporating social and structural factors into our modelling, we aim to create a more holistic and equitable approach to liver transplant care,鈥� says Sharma. 

Sharma is also a co-principal investigator on a second CIHR-funded project, 鈥�,鈥� which received $933,300. This five-year study, led in partnership with researchers at the University Health Network, focuses on predicting and preventing graft fibrosis 鈥� a serious complication that affects up to 25 per cent of liver transplant recipients. 

The team is developing a multimodal AI tool that combines clinical, pathology and imaging data to identify patients at high risk of graft scarring. The tool will be integrated into hospital electronic health records to support real-time decision making in clinical settings. 

These projects build on Sharma鈥檚 recent study published in , where she and collaborators introduced GraftIQ, an AI tool that helps doctors diagnose liver graft problems without needing a biopsy. The model offers a safer and more accurate way to support care for liver transplant patients. 

鈥淭his work has the potential to inform national policy and improve outcomes for patients who have historically faced barriers to access,鈥� says Sharma. 

Liver transplantation is a life-saving procedure, but access to it 鈥� and the quality of care received after surgery 鈥� can vary significantly depending on a patient鈥檚 background and circumstances, she says. These projects are designed to close these gaps by building a data-driven framework that can be used by clinicians, health systems and policymakers to make more equitable decisions. 

鈥淭he goal is to ensure that predictive tools are not only medically accurate but also representative of Canada鈥檚 diverse transplant population,鈥� says Sharma. 

The post 91亚色 research drives national AI projects to improve liver transplant care聽 appeared first on YFile.