Editor's note: This story has been revised to include updated information.
Ontario will provide $1,614,137 to York University for initiatives that strengthen research infrastructure, including upgrades to equipment and facilities.
Through the Ontario Research Fund – Research Infrastructure (ORF-RI) program, 14 York University projects will enhance research on campus.
The new and upgraded infrastructure will advance across disciplines while bolstering York’s research capacity and collaborative environments.
“These approved projects highlight the depth and diversity of research excellence at York across health, neuroscience, engineering, law, environmental research, artificial intelligence and inclusive design,” says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. “We are grateful to the Province of Ontario for this important investment through the Ontario Research Fund. By supporting critical infrastructure, the province is strengthening our capacity to advance discovery, deepen community partnerships and deliver meaningful benefits to communities in Ontario and beyond.”
The projects funded in 2025 fall under the Small Infrastructure category, which helps with costs for acquiring and renewing research equipment. Recipient projects are based in the Faculty of Health, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, Faculty of Science, Lassonde School of Engineering and Osgoode Hall Law School.
Ontario Research Fund – Research Infrastructure
Aimi Hamraie, associate professor, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Critical Lab Design: Establish a dedicated research space at York that centres disabled people as designers and makers of technology through research‑creation focused on disability culture and community.
$75,000
John (Doug) Crawford, Faculty of Health
Cortical Networks for Natural Sensorimotor Behaviours: Enables the study of brain function during everyday activities rather than artificial lab tasks, improving the relevance of findings for health care and other applications.
$200,000
Anthony Scime, Faculty of Health
Integrated platform for high resolution analyses of stem cells and tissues in response to metabolic pre-conditioning: Provide advanced equipment to study muscle disease and aging, supporting new strategies to restore muscle function in older adults.
$100,000
Sean Rehaag, Osgoode Hall Law School
Refugee Law Lab: Algorithmic Justice for People on the Move: Support legal analytics and open‑source technology to increase transparency and fairness in refugee decision‑making through algorithmic justice research.
$23,963
Michael Paris, Faculty of Health
A novel laboratory to study sarcopenia and the neuromuscular control of movement across the aging spectrum: Establish infrastructure to measure neuromuscular function across the aging spectrum and advance applied motor function research.
$80,000
Lara Pierce and Heather Prime, Faculty of Health
Neurodevelopmental-intervention testing suite to identify and prevent transdiagnostic risk for mental health challenges: Integrate EEG and video feedback in a family‑friendly setting to study early neurodevelopment and mental health risk.
$120,000
Stephanie Gora, Lassonde School of Engingeering
Research Infrastructure to Initiate the York University Community Water Hub: Support high‑impact water quality research across rural, remote and urban communities, enabling collaboration with communities and industry.
$140,000
Cuiying Jian, Lassonde School of Engineering
Molecular Interactions and Structures at Solid/Liquid Interfaces for Environmental Applications: Advance understanding and control of molecular interactions at solid‑liquid interfaces to support environmental applications and cleantech growth.
$149,000
Elham Dolatabadi, Faculty of Health
Establishment of Health Equity and AI Lab (HEAL): Use AI to reduce health disparities by promoting health equity and embedding fairness into AI models.
$96,000
Manar Jammal, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Futuristic Infrastructures for AI Framework: Pioneering Self-Healing Cloud and Smart Cities: Establish a high‑performance AI lab to advance self‑healing cloud systems and smart city research.
$75,120
George Mochizuki, Faculty of Health
Walking while talking: assessing the interplay between age, distraction, and mobility: Examine how distraction affects mobility and brain activity in mid‑life to better understand and prevent fall risk later in life.
$72,422
Ryan Orszulik, Lassonde School of Engineering
Additive Manufacturing for Next Generation Space Systems and Robotics: Build advanced manufacturing infrastructure to support next‑generation space systems and robotics research in Ontario.
$144,632
Devin Phillips, Faculty of Health
A novel laboratory to investigate cardiorespiratory function and perceived dyspnea during physiological stress in humans: Enable precise measurement of heart and lung function during physiological stress to advance applied cardiorespiratory research.
$138,000
Georg Zoidl, Faculties of Health and Science
Interrogating plasticity of electro-chemical synapses using multiphoton imaging microscopy: Use advanced microscopy in zebrafish models to study electrical and chemical communication between nerve cells during development and disease.
$200,000