Meet the U of A’s 2019 Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) — Cycle Two

This summer, the government of Canada announced the second cycle of Canada Research Chairs. Ten University of Alberta researchers receive…

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This summer, the government of Canada announced the second cycle of Canada Research Chairs. Ten University of Alberta researchers receive a total of $6,800,000 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

Congratulations to all of the new and renewed CRCs! Find the list of cycle one CRC recipients here.

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Bourque’s research focuses on understanding how pregnancy
complications affect fetal growth and development, and the
connection to chronic diseases later in life. His focus is iron
deficiency, the most common nutritional deficiency globally,
which largely affects expectant mothers. Bourque’s ongoing research will lead to new methods to diagnose pregnancy complications and new treatments to improve long-term health. His research has the potential to prevent chronic disease and help millions of women around the world have healthier children.

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Brigandt’s work combines the history and philosophy of biology with epistemology and the philosophy of mind and language by attempting to understand scientific practice and concept use from an epistemological and semantic point of view. Brigandt is looking to understand how values guide the practice of individual scientists, the interdisciplinary relationships among scientist,s and the growth of scientific knowledge. Insights gained will also help scientists be more reflective about the scientific values they use and can be applied to improve science education.

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If a cell’s response to environmental stimuli is disrupted, it can lead to various conditions and diseases such
as autism, neurological disorders, and cancer. These conditions are still not understood at the molecular level. Tan’s work examines the Ras-MAPK signalling pathway and how the loss of an
important protein causes neurodevelopmental disorders
and leukemia. Understanding molecular mechanisms of human diseases will help researchers develop more effective and better targeted therapies.

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Stachel works to find new diamond mines through geochemical fingerprinting
and a greater understanding of the conditions that cause
diamonds to form and be preserved. Diamond mining is a key economic driver in Canada’s North, but with many Canadian mines nearing the end of their lifespan, Stachel’s research is critical to keeping Canada competitive on the global geology stage.

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Voronova is working to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate neural stem cells in early childhood brain development, and determine whether similar paths
exist for adult cells. The goal of the research is to identify opportunities for new drug treatments to improve brain function and repair. This research could revolutionize the
way we treat brain injury, neurodevelopmental disorders, degenerative diseases, and neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

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Kassiri discovered that the extracellular matrix — the
non-cellular part of tissues and organs that surrounds cells — may play an important role in treating and preventing heart disease. Now she is focused on better understanding exactly how the matrix affects heart and vascular diseases. This research will help develop new approaches to preserve
extracellular matrix integrity, potentially slowing or reversing the progress of cardiovascular disease.

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LeBlanc mimics quantum mechanical systems using a flexible and adaptable ultracold gas to explore the optimal conditions for collective quantum behaviour in an effort to find novel and efficient ways to engineer electronic devices. By exploring the fundamental rules governing matter at the atomic scale, this research will guide the development of next-generation quantum technologies.

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Using physical interpretations of space and time, Favero is looking to help develop surprising and unique results about geometric shapes by relating them to phase transitions in high-energy physics. Using derived categories, a form of mathematical data, this research offers a new interpretation of the universe’s physical properties.

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Using mathematical modeling to understand novel quantum phases of matter, Maciejko’s
research focuses on understanding this phenomenon and examining the potential applications for low-power
electronics and high-speed information transfer. This research will lead to a deeper understanding of quantum phases of matter, and how they could be used in developing innovative electronic devices and drive a new era of technology.

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Styler is working to build an understanding of pollutants and urban air quality. This research will provide new insights on how wildfire particulate matter and non-exhaust vehicular emissions affect urban air quality, to gain insight into the air quality, climate, and health challenges future atmospheric chemistry poses. Styler is keen on building the environmental chemistry community at the U of A via the Prairie Environmental Chemistry Colloquium.