Ontario government announces $4.6 million investment to equip researchers

The Province of Ontario has announced an investment of nearly $5 million to support researchers at McMaster.

“We are proud of the exceptional work happening in Hamilton,” said Ted McMeekin, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, who made the announcement during a visitto McMaster’s campus, which is part of his riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale. “The contributions of our researchers are making the world a better place, starting right here with new ideas and jobs in our community.”

The investment by the Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation, through its Ontario Research Fund Research Infrastructure Program, will support 14 projects, representing a range of disciplines.

“Ontario’s economic growth starts with investing in talent and ideas,” said Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development and Innovation. “We’re proud to be partnering with the talented researchers at McMaster who are doing cutting-edge work that could lead to exciting discoveries and create new jobs and economic growth.”

Minister Ted McMeekin speaks to guests at McMaster Tuesday. McMeekin was on campus to announce nearly $5 million in research infrastructure funding.

McMaster president and vice-chancellor Patrick Deane said the investment will further enhance the University’s vibrant research environment.

“Many of the researchers awarded funding will now be able to upgrade and augment their current facilities with the latest equipment, while other researchers will be creating new laboratories and developing novel technologies on our campus,” Deane said. “This will ultimately increase our research capacity, accelerate our research results and provide an enriched research-training environment for our students."

The new provincial investment, totaling $4.6 million, matches federal awards from the Canada Foundation for Innovation over the last year.

The funding announced today will enable researchers to advance their work in such areas as:

• hybrid vehicle development
• health and disease in past societies
• nutrition and exercise
• the microscopic workings of lithium ion batteries
• influences on the severity of such diseases as dengue fever and influenza
• new methods for delivering drugs to the body
• perceptions of music
• the movement and control of the human hand
• the role of new media in race issues