June 27, 2025 – Winnipeg, Manitoba
Research Manitoba is proud to announce an investment of $2,425,239 in Strategic Partnerships for the 2024–2025 fiscal year. These investments support innovative collaborations that strengthen Manitoba’s research capacity, improve health and social outcomes, foster economic development, and position the province as a leader in key research areas.
Through the Strategic Partnerships Program, Research Manitoba provides funding to high-impact projects across three streams:
- Stream 1: Innovative Strategic Partnerships – supporting unique, applied research collaborations that benefit communities and build future-ready skills and knowledge;
- Stream 2: Matching Funds – enabling Manitoba-based researchers to participate in national-scale projects and initiatives by providing matching or complementary funding;
- Stream 3: External Competition Awards – co-funding Manitoba recipients of national awards and training platforms to strengthen their research programs and elevate provincial expertise.
“Investing in Manitoba’s research community is an investment in our future. Through these strategic partnerships, we’re supporting the ideas, technologies, and collaborations that will drive innovation, improve health outcomes, and create new opportunities for Manitobans.” Hon. Mike Moroz, Minister of Innovation and New Technology
- Stream 1: Innovative Strategic Partnerships
Science Experiential Aerial Research (SEAR) Program
Led by Volatus Aerospace, the SEAR Program engages high school students in scientific research using drone technologies to address environmental and sustainability challenges in their communities. Students are trained in drone operation and machine learning data analysis to assess plant and crop health, with projects focused on Dutch Elm Disease and crop disease surveillance.
Throughout this year-long, hands-on learning experience, students participate in data collection field days, learn to analyze aerial imagery, and work toward obtaining their Basic and Advanced RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) pilot certifications. The program provides early access to advanced technologies and professional skills, helping prepare students for careers in aerospace, remote sensing, and data science.
Manitoba Tomorrow Project
The Manitoba Tomorrow Project (MTP) is a long-term, prospective cohort study contributing to the national Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (CanPath). It is designed to provide researchers with access to detailed biological, environmental, and lifestyle data from Manitobans, enabling deeper insight into the root causes of cancer and other chronic diseases.
With support from the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC) and in-kind contributions from CancerCare Manitoba, this initiative empowers researchers to investigate how genetic, behavioral, and environmental risk factors intersect and evolve over time. MTP helps put Manitoba at the forefront of population health research and precision medicine.
Reducing Dietary Acid in Chronic Kidney Disease (ReDACKD)
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) significantly impacts the health system in Manitoba, with the province reporting the highest rates of end-stage renal disease in Canada. The ReDACKD project investigates the use of base-producing fruits and vegetables as a non-pharmaceutical intervention to reduce dietary acid load and improve outcomes for people living with metabolic acidosis and CKD.
This Manitoba-led feasibility trial was co-developed with patients and aims to inform the national RAVe-DKD (Reducing Dietary Acid with Fruit and Vegetables in individuals with Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease) multi-centre trial across 14 nephrology sites in Canada. Outcomes from this work could lead to safer, more accessible dietary treatments that also address food security and nutrition quality
- Stream 2: Matching Funds
SysQuan-MB: Human Proteome Quantification Through Cell Line Standards
Building on the Genome Canada-funded SysQuan initiative, SysQuan-MB is developing CellQuan—a pioneering approach that uses stable isotope-labeled human cell lines to generate accurate, scalable standards for absolute protein quantification. These standards overcome longstanding challenges in proteomics by allowing researchers to directly compare protein measurements across different labs and platforms.
SysQuan-MB will make high-quality proteomic analysis more accessible and affordable by reducing costs and increasing reproducibility. The technology will benefit researchers studying chronic diseases, cancer, and immune responses, and has potential applications in diagnostics, drug discovery, and personalized medicine.
Digital Research Alliance of Canada
The Research Computing Support Site Team at the University of Manitoba plays a vital role in enabling researchers to access and utilize national high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud-based platforms through the Digital Research Alliance of Canada. The Team provides technical support, user training, and access to local infrastructure, including a supercomputing cluster with over 10,000 CPU cores and 2 Petabytes of storage.
As part of the Prairies Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) group, the Team supports over 350 researchers across Manitoba and contributes to national DRAC initiatives. This investment ensures continued access to digital tools and computing power essential for advancing research in fields such as genomics, AI, climate modeling, and more.
CIHR Indigenous Research Chair in Nursing
In partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canadian Nurses Foundation, this Research Chair focuses on advancing Indigenous-led nursing research. Dr. Wanda Phillips-Beck is based at the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba, where she leads projects aimed at improving care models, patient continuity, and health outcomes for Indigenous peoples.
Her research is grounded in community priorities and Indigenous knowledge systems and directly supports reconciliation through evidence-informed policy and practice that reflects the realities and needs of First Nations communities.
Canadian Excellence Research Chair in Arctic Research
As part of a $10 million, seven-year commitment, Research Manitoba is co-funding this prestigious Canadian Excellence Research Chair (CERC) held by internationally recognized Arctic scientist Dr. Dorthe Dahl-Jensen at the University of Manitoba. Her research investigates Arctic ice, freshwater–marine systems, and climate change, helping advance global understanding of the Arctic’s role in Earth’s climate system.
This Chair enhances Canada’s capacity to lead in polar science and climate modeling, while contributing to northern knowledge, education, and environmental stewardship.
Heart & Stroke and Research Manitoba Chair in Clinical Stroke Research
This partnership with the University of Manitoba and the Heart & Stroke Foundation supports a dedicated Research Chair in clinical stroke research. Dr. Nishita Singh leads innovation in stroke treatment and care delivery, including improved diagnosis, treatment pathways, and recovery outcomes for patients in Manitoba and beyond.
Her work contributes to evidence-based advances in neurological health and strengthens Manitoba’s capacity to provide world-class stroke care.
Stream 3: External Competition Awards
Alzheimer Society Research Program
Through its ongoing partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Canada, Research Manitoba is co-funding two awards:
- Dr. Heather Campbell-Enns (Canadian Mennonite University) received a New Investigator Grant under the Care category for her project exploring ethnocultural approaches to family-provided dementia care.
- Ms. Parisa Tabeshmehr (University of Manitoba) received a Doctoral Award under the Treatment category for her research into the role of TRPM2 ion channels in Alzheimer’s disease.
These national awards support promising Manitoba researchers who are contributing to the next generation of discovery in dementia prevention, care, and treatment.
Increasing Capacity for Maternal and Pediatric Clinical Trials (IMPaCT)
The IMPaCT initiative, funded by CIHR, is designed to build national capacity for clinical trials in maternal and child health. Research Manitoba is proud to co-fund a one-year Early Career Researcher Award for Dr. Taylor Morriseau, whose project explores culturally grounded interventions and innovative clinical trial designs to support wellness among Indigenous children.
Dr. Morrisseau’s work reflects the importance of equity, inclusion, and culturally relevant care in pediatric research and contributes to the broader development of a skilled national clinical trial workforce.
“These projects demonstrate the power of collaboration—between researchers, communities, and industry partners. By working together, we’re tackling real-world challenges and strengthening the province’s capacity to deliver research that matters to people across Manitoba.”
For more information about Research Manitoba’s Strategic Partnerships and how we support research excellence and collaboration across the province, please visit:
www.researchmanitoba.ca
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.