Six researchers at the University of Waterloo have been awarded more than $7.5 million in funding to support their research.
The funding is made possible through the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Program, which invests up to $311 million annually to attract and retain some of the world's most accomplished and promising minds.
Waterloo's newest and renewing CRCs demonstrate research excellence in their respective disciplines and join a large network of established Chairholders who are working across the University's six interconnected faculties. Their research projects are poised to transform societies, economies, technologies, sustainability and health for humanity and our planet.
"Congratulations to University of Waterloo's new and renewed Canada Research Chairs," says Charmaine Dean, vice-president, Research and International. "From innovative approaches to Indigenous-led design, to regenerative medicine for engineering tissues used in transplant surgery and climate-friendly wetland management, Waterloo is leading the way across multiple, diverse research areas."
Meet Waterloo's new and renewed Canada Research Chairs:
Dr. Duane Cronin | Faculty of Engineering
Tier 1 NSERC CRC in Trauma Biomechanics and Injury Prevention
$1,400,000
Accidental, preventable injury is a leading cause of hospitalization and fatality in Canada and throughout the world. Computational human body models (HBMs), capable of predicting injury and providing vital data on biomechanics of crash induced injuries, have been identified as a crucial tool for improving safety and reducing preventable injuries. The trauma biomechanics and injury prevention program led by Dr. Duane Cronin is developing biofidelic and frangible HBMs to interpret experimental and epidemiological data, investigate impact response and injury pathways in crash scenarios, and generate new approaches to mitigate injury. This modeling will advance a global effort to develop and validate HBMs to address urgent safety challenges.
Dr. David Fortin | Faculty of Engineering
Tier 1 SSHRC in CRC Title: CRC in Critical Relationalism and Design
$1,400,000
Spatial intelligence has long been considered central to architectural thinking. Indigenous epistemologies, however, highlight how spiritual, emotional and ecological intelligence can elevate the way we design to help architects and designers respond to the challenges we currently face. Dr. David Fortin's research introduces Indigenous-defined critical relationalism to architectural design discourse through the conceptualization of a first-of-its-kind Design Lodge - an innovative, Indigenous-led design environment founded on the complex relationships between humans, more-than-humans and technology. The impact of this research is aligned with Waterloo's Strategic Research Plan to foster connection and commonality through the promotion of scholarship in Indigenous culture.
Dr. Lora Giangregorio | Faculty of Health
Tier 1 CIHR in CRC in Bone Health and Exercise Science
$1,400,000
In Canada, fractures in women are more common than heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined. Dr. Laura Giangregorio's research aims to develop and evaluate interventions to reduce fracture risk and improve physical functioning in middle-aged and older adults. She will also develop and evaluate knowledge mobilization and implementation strategies to effectively translate exercise and rehabilitation research into practice. Giangregorio will lead randomized controlled trials at multiple sites in Canada to test the safety and effectiveness of moderate or high-intensity progressive resistance training to increase bone mineral density in people with low bone mineral density. Her work will shape research and clinical practice internationally, reducing the costs and disability associated with osteoporotic fractures.
Giangregorio also received $75,050 as part of the John R. Evans Leaders Fund to support her research in the Bone Health and Exercise Science Lab.
Dr. Mahla Poudineh | Faculty of Engineering
Tier 2 NSERC in CRC in Health Monitoring BioNano Devices
$500,000 + $100,000 Federal Research Fund
Despite progress in biosensors for sensitive and rapid biomolecule detection over the past decade, the full potential of personalized medicine remains unaddressed due to limitations in existing sensors. Dr. Mahla Poudineh's research focuses on creating first-of-its-kind platforms for non-invasive, personalized monitoring and treatment solutions for both inpatient and outpatient settings. Together with her team at IDEATION Lab, they are working to create technologies for the future of closed-loop health monitoring. The lab will utilize advancements in engineering and nanoscience to develop tools for continuous tracking of multiple disease agents and controlled delivery of the right drug at the right time.
Dr. Maria Strack | Faculty of Environment
Tier 1 NSERC in CRC in Wetland Climate Solutions
$1,400,000
Canada is home to 20 per cent of the world's wetlands. These wetland ecosystems store a significant amount of carbon in their sediment and soils to exchange greenhouse gases (GHGs) with the atmosphere. Dr. Maria Strack's research in air in wetland climate solutions seeks to quantify the potential GHG emissions reductions from improved wetland management. Building on her multisectoral research network, Strack and her team will improve estimates of GHG emissions arising from agricultural and industrial impact to wetlands to determine potential emission reductions from avoiding future wetland disturbance. Her team will also assess best management practices to reduce GHG emissions during wetland disturbance and quantify the benefits of wetland restoration.
Dr. Evelyn Yim | Faculty of Engineering
Tier 1 NSERC in CRC in Nanomaterials for Regenerative Medicine
$1,400,000
As degenerative diseases and other health problems become more prevalent in the aging population, there are growing concerns both in Canada and globally for regenerative medicine solutions. Dr. Evelyn Yim's research in nanomaterials for regenerative medicine is aimed at understanding and optimizing the microenvironment, with a specific focus on controlling cell-nanostructure interactions for regenerative medicine applications. Specifically, her research investigates the modulation of cell behaviors in response to biomaterials, focusing on translational applications of nanostructures in 2D and 3D systems. The long-term goal is to enable the translation of nanopatterning technology in tissue engineering platforms and develop a new understanding of cell signaling to improve the success of potential interventions.
These projects are made possible by the Canada Research Chair program.
