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.

Low buildings and homes along a flat shoreline with water in the foreground.

Biskaabiiyang: Rebuilding power and authority for sovereign Indigenous Nations

Research into traditional forms of Indigenous governance will explore the resurgence of roles held by Indigenous youth, women, Two Spirit and trans folx

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A row of zebra finches with bright orange beaks perch in a tight huddle along a long branch.

article

May 16, 2023 Québec

Why (and how) the songbird sings

Listening to what finches can teach us about our own neurobiology and how we acquire language

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A person wearing a coat in an empty field, posing for a photo.

podcast

May 15, 2023 Québec

Getting fired up about the Arctic

Alexandre Langlois is passionate about all aspects of his job. As a researcher in Northern Canada, he studies the fastest-warming place on the planet and the problems that arise as the climate changes.

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Image of various cellphones on a wooden table displaying photos of researchers.

video

Oct 7, 2022

A promising future, now: 25 years of investing in ideas that change our world

The Canada Foundation for Innovation has supported cutting-edge research in Canada for 25 years. In these videos, researchers reflect on how CFI funding has advanced their work and how future generations will benefit. They tell passionate stories of curiosity, commitment and innovation.

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article

Nov 10, 2020 Québec

Taking the fear out of touch with antiviral inks

Montreal researchers aim to develop inks with anti-pathogenic nanoparticles to make printed surfaces safer

A person puts a hand to their forehead while sitting on the floor and looking at a laptop

article

Nov 10, 2020 British Columbia

Virtual reality offers students mental health support

Researchers at the College of New Caledonia study how virtual reality can help students build resilience and learn coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety

Dark liquid flows through a concrete pipe with a river and cityscape visible through the end of the pipe

article

Nov 10, 2020 Ontario

Testing sewage to see community infection levels

Researchers at the University of Windsor’s Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research test wastewater as a way of screening whole communities for SARS-CoV-2 and potentially a gamut of other viruses

Viewed from backstage, a group of people on a tour stand on stage looking toward the empty auditorium

article

Nov 10, 2020 Saskatchewan

People with disabilities find connection through art

How a lab at the University of Regina combines fine arts and social sciences research to help people with disabilities to express themselves through art

A graphic of lungs criss-crossed with intersecting lines

article

Nov 6, 2020 Alberta

Is COVID-19 a vascular disease?

There is mounting evidence that COVID-19 affects blood vessels. If proven, it could change the way we approach treatment. A University of Calgary research team will use specialized microscopes to test the theory

A jar of yellow liquid arranged with herbs and a bowl of peppercorns

article

Oct 2, 2020 Ontario

Booming business in bone broth

A burgeoning new food company all started with a desire to get healthier and a little help from food scientists at Niagara College

An illustration of a woman with white hair sitting up in a hospital bed gazing toward a window

article

Sep 28, 2020 Nova Scotia

Understanding the challenges in how we care for our elderly

As COVID-19 magnifies problems in Canada’s long-term care centres, researchers at Mount Saint Vincent University are informing policies to make improvements

Image de Fabien Durif dans le GreenUXlab superposée à une image floue d'une allée de supermarché avec un caddie net au premier plan

article

Sep 23, 2020 Québec

Adapting to changing consumer behaviours

Using a mock retail environment to predict the impact of the pandemic on buying behaviour and the future of consumption

Smartphone screen emitting points of light and appearing to float over an sound wave

article

Sep 15, 2020 British Columbia

Diagnosing COVID-19 instantly with artificial intelligence

A Vancouver company’s handheld ultrasound devices are becoming an indispensable tool for quick diagnosis of COVID-19 in remote areas

An illustration of a teacher speaking to several monitors set up on school desks to demonstrate the idea of e-learning

article

Sep 15, 2020 Ontario

Education’s next act

A researcher in e-learning and expert in digital literacy is on the front lines for a school system struggling to transition to a new way of teaching.