February 5, 2024 – Winnipeg, MB 

Research Manitoba has invested $1,964,928 in provincial matching funds for nine projects supported through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

This investment supports the development of Manitoba-based projects in the fields of agrifood, autism, green energy, arthritis, genomics, biomachines, plant-based proteins, tissue imaging, and neuroscience.

 

“Our investment allows Manitoba to attract and retain the finest research talent, while supporting investigators as they mentor and train students with cutting-edge equipment to foster growth and innovation.”

Renée Cable

Minister, Advanced Education and Training

Research Manitoba is pleased to support the following researchers:

  • Maneka Malalgoda, Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Manitoba
    Project Title: Infrastructure to advance the development of healthy grain-based food products
    Total Research Manitoba Funding: $159,904
  • Fuat Balci, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Manitoba
    Project Title: NeVRo: Combining calcium imaging, optogenetics and virtual reality to investigate internal clock in autism
    Total Research Manitoba Funding: $159,530
  • Christian Kuss, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Manitoba
    Project Title: In Situ Battery Materials Characterization Suite
    Total Research Manitoba Funding: $154,054
  • Heather Armstrong, Department of Internal Medicine (Medicine), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba
    Dr. Liam O’Neil, Department of Internal Medicine (Medicine), University of Manitoba
    Project Title: From bench to bedside: uncovering molecular mechanisms of inflammation, biomarkers, and novel therapeutics in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
    Total Research Manitoba Funding: $343,158
  • Britt Drögemöller, Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics (Medicine), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba
    Dr. Kaarina Kowalec, College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba
    Dr. Galen Wright, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba
    Project Title: Precision Genomics Suite
    Total Research Manitoba Funding: $513,665
  • Professor Ute Kothe, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Manitoba  
    Project Title: RNA And Protein Integrated Discovery (RAPID) Platform 
    Total Research Manitoba Funding: $265,000 
  • Professor Chyngyz Erkinbaev, Department of Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Manitoba  
    Project Title: Smart Sensing Technologies and Data-driven Innovations: The Future of Food Processing 
    Total Research Manitoba Funding: $80,000 
  • Peter Thompson, Department of Physiology and Pathology (Medicine), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba
    Project Title: An integrated high-throughput tissue imaging and cell sorting platform
    Total Research Manitoba Funding: $159,273
  • Stephanie Bugden, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Winnipeg
    Dr. Amy Desroches, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Winnipeg
    Dr. Stephen Smith, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Winnipeg
    Project Title: The University of Winnipeg Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience
    Total Research Manitoba Funding: $130,344

“I congratulate all of the recent Research Manitoba CFI matching funds recipients on their research excellence. We are proud to continue our partnership with CFI and post-secondary institutions in Manitoba to support Manitoba researchers in creating the innovative tools needed to advance research globally.”

Pam Harrison

interim CEO, Research Manitoba

CFI was built on the ideals of thinking big and investing in areas that matter to Canadians. Since its creation in 1997, CFI has ensured Canadian researchers have the tools such as cutting-edge labs, facilities, and equipment, necessary to push the frontiers of knowledge in all disciplines and to contribute to the full spectrum of research, from discovery to technology development.

The John R. Evans Leaders Fund enables a select number of an institution’s excellent researchers to undertake leading-edge research by providing them with the foundational research infrastructure required to be or become leaders in their field.

Find out more about the CFI JELF Program here.

Contact:

Freyja Arnason, Director, Strategy and Programs, Research Manitoba
P: 204.942.1948 | E: Freyja.arnason@researchmb.ca| W: researchmanitoba.ca

Research Manitoba:

Research Manitoba promotes, supports, and coordinates the funding of research excellence and innovation in health, natural and social sciences, engineering, and the humanities in Manitoba. Research Manitoba supports local talent development by providing research support to early career researchers and graduate students, along with fostering partnerships to strengthen research innovation in Manitoba.