York researchers are turning ideas into new knowledge with support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), securing more than $3.5 million in funding for four projects that reflect the University's growing influence in Canada's health research landscape.
Awarded through CIHR's Project Grant program, the funding supports researchers and trainees pursing projects across the health research spectrum, from foundational discovery to applied research and knowledge mobilization.
The four York-funded projects span neuroscience, mental health, autoimmune disease and Indigenous health, and position the University as a leader in research that focuses on building healthy lives, communities and environments through interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.
"This investment reflects the excellence, breadth and growing impact of health research at York and the Faculty of Health,” says Dean David Peters. These CIHR-funded projects bring together researchers, trainees and community partners to improve care, inform policy and advance the health and well-being of individuals and communities.”
Ali Abdul Sater, associate professor at the Faculty of Health, received $1,017,450 to investigate the role of a protein known as TRAF1 in rheumatoid arthritis. The research aims to identify new ways of targeting inflammation while preserving protective immune functions, with the goal of informing the development of more precise treatments for the autoimmune disease.
Kate Dunn, assistant professor at the Faculty of Health, was awarded $761,174 to work with First Nations communities on culturally grounded approaches to liver wellness and hepatitis C awareness, screening and care. Building on previous CIHR-funded research, and working with a team of co-investigators including York’s Mia Biondi, Karen Campbell, Tarama Barnett and Ashley Day, the project will co-design community-integrated pathways that combine Indigenous knowledge, creative engagement and clinical access to improve awareness and access to services.
Also at the Faculty of Health, Jonathan Weiss, a professor in the Department of Psychology, was awarded $730,576 together with co-principal investigator Yona Lunsky (The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) for a project exploring therapeutic photography as a mental health intervention for youth with intellectual disabilities. Co-designed with young people and their families, the research will test whether photography can provide an accessible means of self-expression and support mental well-being. The project includes several co-investigators, with York’s Shital Desai, Nazilla Khanlou, Georges Monette, Paul Ritvo and Kate Tilleczek among the group.
At the Faculty of Science, Jeffrey Schall, a professor in the Department of Biology, received $1,059,526 for research examining how the brain's prefrontal cortex supports attention and decision-making. The project will use advanced brain imaging and monitoring techniques to advancing understanding with potential applications for conditions that affect these functions.
Another project at University Health Network (UHN) will be co-led by York assistant professor Divya Sharma, Faculty of Science and carried out at the University. With $726,752 in funding to UHN, the team of researchers will investigate the use of AI to analyze biological differences among people with knee osteoarthritis. The work aims to better predict who is most likely to benefit from knee replacement surgery and could help guide more personalized treatments and patient outcomes.
"Addressing today's pressing health challenges requires inspired collaboration across fields, linking excellence in fundamental science to practice at the bedside," says Faculty of Science Dean Maydianne Andrade. "These federally funded projects are emblematic of the research at York University and the Faculty of Science, advancing our ability to translate complex data into innovative models and decision tools that can transform lives."