News

The CFI awards more than $1.1 million to McGill in support of seven research projects

Published: 8 April 2009

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) has announced it has awarded $1,147,175 to McGill University to support seven research projects in areas as diverse as hybrid nanostructures, photonic systems, chronic pain and cancer, among others. These projects are led by Drs. Amy Blum (Chemistry), Russell Jones (Physiology), Maia Kokoeva (Medicine), Odile Liboiron-Ladouceur (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Brent Richards (Medicine), Petra Schweinhardt (Dentistry; Neurology & Neurosurgery) and Kai-Florian Storch (Psychiatry).

“The investments announced at McGill University will further enhance our country’s reputation as a destination of choice for outstanding researchers,” said Dr. Eliot Phillipson, President and CEO of the CFI. “They will make our universities even more competitive when it comes to attracting the best and brightest researchers from around the world.”

The CFI continues to support cutting-edge research infrastructure that helps stimulate various sectors of our economy associated with such capital projects. It is estimated that every dollar invested directly in research yields more than $7 in economic benefits including spin-off jobs.

“The CFI’s sustained support for McGill projects underscores our researchers’ important role in cutting-edge fields,” said Denis Thérien, Vice-Principal (Research and International Relations) at McGill. “We welcome this announcement, and wish to highlight the CFI’s crucial role in the launch and development of research projects.”

The CFI announced yesterday a total of $26,712,283 in new funds to support 117 projects at 29 institutions across Canada. The investment was approved by the CFI’s Board of Directors in March, following a rigorous merit-review process. A total of $20,559,448 was awarded under the Leaders Opportunity Fund, which provides infrastructure support to Canadian institutions so they can attract and retain the very best of today and tomorrow’s leading researchers at a time of intense international competition for knowledge workers. The remaining $6,152,835 was awarded under the Infrastructure Operating Fund, a complementary program that assists research institutions with the incremental operating and maintenance costs associated with new infrastructure projects.

For a complete list of the projects awarded, please visit http://www.innovation.ca/en/news/2009/04/7/126

McGill University, founded in Montreal, Que., in 1821, is Canada’s leading post-secondary institution. It has two campuses, 11 faculties, 10 professional schools, 300 programs of study and more than 34,000 students. McGill attracts students from more than 160 countries around the world. Almost half of McGill students claim a first language other than English – including 6,000 francophones – with more than 6,400 international students making up almost 20 per cent of the student body.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI’s mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians. Since its creation in 1997, the CFI has committed almost $4.5 billion in support of more than 6,000 projects at 129 institutions in 64 municipalities across Canada.

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