Six Canada Research Chairs named

Part of a larger federal government plan to foster innovation, the CRC program helps attract some of the world's best minds to Canadian institutions - two of the six new chairs were recruited from the University of Edinburgh and Harvard University. Of the 71 CRCs allotted to Western, 59 positions have been filled.

As Tier Two chairholders, each researcher receives $100,000 annually for five years in recognition as exceptional and emerging researchers in their field.

It was also announced Wednesday that Western Microbiology and Immunology professor J. (Quim) Madrenas, a current Tier Two chairholder, has been upgraded to a Tier One chairholder, and will receive $200,000 annually for seven years.

Madrenas is working on the regulation of signaling in T cells, and its role in generating transplant rejection and other immune system responses.

"Prestigious programs like the Canada Research Chairs provide not only opportunities and incentive for researchers to continue to pursue excellence in this country, they acknowledge world-leading contributions made by our researchers that are felt locally, nationally and around the world," says Western President Paul Davenport.

Western's CRC recipients are:
Daniel Ansari
Psychology professor Daniel Ansari is developing a better understanding of how children acquire math skills.

"This unique opportunity to concentrate on research gives me unparalleled flexibility and freedom, which will positively affect the research productivity of my laboratory." Says Ansari.

Ansari is examining how children's abilities in school are influenced by number concepts they learn prior to entering a formal classroom. Results from the studies will be used to design remediation programs for children having troubles with mathematics.

Ansari says he's excited about the opportunity to outfit his lab with the latest, cutting-edge research infrastructure.

"This will enable me to train students using the latest technology to collect their data and will also help to attract top students into Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience," he says.

Jason Gerhard
Recruited from the United Kingdom, engineering professor Jason Gerhard is developing technologies to restore sites contaminated by toxic industrial pollutants.

Gerhard, currently at the University of Edinburgh, says it's rewarding to be recognized with this award and he looks forward to joining the Geotechnical Research Centre at Western.

"My research focuses on innovative approaches in science and technology for restoring these sites for the benefit of present and future generations," says Gerhard. "In conjunction with the other members of the geo-environmental engineering group at Western, I plan to create a centre of excellence in the development of novel remediation approaches for the most polluted sites."

Gerhard says his work will enable cost-efficient redevelopment of Ontario brownfield sites and restore groundwater for consumption, energy and agriculture.

The Canadian-born Gerhard also looks forward to returning home.

"My time spent outside of Canada has reinforced for me the strength and excellence of Canadian research and education," he says. "I am pleased to be joining the excellent the geo-evironmental engineering team at Western to help grow our numbers in this important field, and support Canadian engineers as leaders on the world stage for geo-environmental restoration."

Charles McKenzie
Recruited from Harvard University, Charles McKenzie's program in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry will help reduce healthcare costs by improving the diagnosis of diseases at early stages through improved magnetic resonance imaging techniques.

McKenzie, who received his PhD from Western in 1999, is returning to Canada after spending eight years in the United States.

His research is focused on the development and clinical application of Parallel Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

"Parallel MRI is an exciting new advance in MRI that has the potential to dramatically shorten the time needed to take an MRI scan," says McKenzie. "The support that comes with the CRC is going to allow me to establish a research group in parallel MRI that will have access to world-class equipment."

The goal is to develop techniques that will make scans up to 20 times faster, potentially leading to shorter waiting lists.

Isaac Luginaah
Building a better understanding of how the environment affects health is the focus of geography professor Isaac Luginaah.

With his department anticipating growth in the area of Health Geography, Luginaah is excited about what lies ahead.

"The CRC has given our research group a great opportunity to grow and create new and exciting collaborative projects in the areas of environmental health and pandemics, such as HIV/AIDS, between the different faculties and departments at Western, and also in the rest of Canada and internationally," he says .

Luginaah hopes to focus on problem solving related to environmental exposure, epidemics and inequities in health.

"CFI funds will be used to acquire equipment which will be used to, among other things, study community health impacts of environmental exposure," adds Luginaah. "They will be developed collaboratively with researchers at Western, Western's affiliated research institutes, and other institutions.

Nusha Keyghobadi
Just finishing her first year at Western, biology professor Nusha Keyghobadi leads studies in the emerging field of 'landscape genetics', which examines how genetic diversity is affected by altered geographical landscapes and destruction of natural habitats.

"Both the recognition that comes with a CRC as well as the finances (infrastructure funding) will be a huge boost to my lab's research program," says Keyghobadi. "What I hope to accomplish is to build a strong and unique research program in the field of 'landscape genetics', in particular focusing on the development of a new empirical model system in the field using the insect inhabitants of the pitcher plant."

Keyghobadi hopes her work will provide insight into how human activities are affecting plants and animals, and influencing their genetics.

Éric Schost
Computer Science professor Éric Schost looks to make computers work even faster by developing algorithms that will increase the scope of high-performance computations in computer algebra.

Schost's work ranges from number theory, cryptology or coding theory to robotics, computer aided design and computer vision.