Research stories

Our investments support research that benefits Canadians

In CFI-funded labs and facilities across the country, researchers in all stages of their careers are making discoveries, supporting a robust innovation ecosystem and helping solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. 

An outdoor scene at dusk with a stone pavilion and several tipis arranged in a circle with bleachers.

Wildlife ecology done “in a good way”

Researcher Jesse Popp works alongside Indigenous communities to understand their most pressing questions about biodiversity and the plants and animals on the Land
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An outdoor scene at dusk with a stone pavilion and several tipis arranged in a circle with bleachers.
article
Ontario

Wildlife ecology done “in a good way”

Researcher Jesse Popp works alongside Indigenous communities to understand their most pressing questions about biodiversity and the plants and animals on the Land
All articles
podcast
Nova Scotia

Jan Rainey is untangling the mysteries of spider silks

The Dalhousie University researcher is looking to create synthetic versions of spider's silk that have the potential to help heal damaged nerves and damaged hearts
All podcasts
video

Transforming research instincts into a successful business (March webinar)

Part of our Future You webinar series. This webinar features a new generation of researchers who share their challenges and successes as they made the move from researcher to entrepreneur. Watch the video to gain insights and receive valuable tips on how to start your own business.
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PhD student Sheena Gurm stands surrounded by line drawings depicting strands of DNA
podcast
Manitoba

Seeking a treatment for ALS

PhD student Sheena Gurm looks deep into brain cells for clues to a deadly disease
A robot hand holds a glowing, stylized atom
podcast
British Columbia,Ontario,Nova Scotia,Quebec

The solace of quantum

Sub-atomic research portends a second digital revolution that could solve some of our most vexing problems
A tractor riding over a barren field.
article
Saskatchewan

Cultivating better ergonomics for farmers

University of Saskatchewan researchers are learning why three quarters of Canadian farmers experience lower back pain, and proposing ways to alleviate it
A green seedling in rich brown soil.
article
Nova Scotia

Know thy soil

Dalhousie University agricultural scientist Derek Lynch is giving Canadian farmers a better understanding of the material at the very root of their businesses: soil
A woman stands in a fallow field talking on a smart phone and consulting a tablet.
article
Ontario

Digital on the farm

For University of Guelph researcher Helen Hambly Odame the future of Canadian agricultural success lies in harnessing the tools of the digital revolution
A greenhouse glows yellow at night in a snowy background.
article
Manitoba

Hothouses for cold places

University of Manitoba researcher Qiang Zhang wants to use shipping containers to provide food to northern communities — but not to ship it. To grow it.
A brown and white cow stands knee-deep in grass
article
Alberta

Helping ranchers pick the best genes

At the University of Alberta, a CFI-supported project has grown into a world-class livestock genetics research program
An aerial shot of a patchwork of green and fallow fields
article
British Columbia

Harvesting big data

For University of British Columbia researcher Navin Ramankutty the future of sustainable agriculture grows out of a mix of algorithms, big data and powerful computers
Master's student Ryan Greene posing for a photo over a blue background.
article
Newfoundland and Labrador

Preventing back injuries in the work place

Master’s student, Ryan Greene, seeks to discover whether prolonged sitting causes back pain and injuries
Photo of Trafford Simpson, professor of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Waterloo
podcast
Ontario

Sight for sore eyes

Trefford Simpson investigates how — and why — our eyes feel pain
A bottle spills out yellow tablets in the form of the letter “A.”
article
Manitoba

A vitamin to reduce Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Researchers at the University of Manitoba have produced compelling evidence that a vitamin A supplement could help prevent a disorder that affects more kids than you might expect
Image of Nathan Knapp-Blezius with hand drawn images of culinary arts swirling around him
video

Reinventing the grocery aisle

College student Nathan Knapp-Blezius mixes the culinary arts with a dash of scientific method to help food companies create scrumptious new products