$1M in federal funding for top professors
Two Concordia University professors have received new funding to advance their research in preventative healthcare. Jean-Philippe Gouin and Sylvia Santosa have been awarded Canada Research Chairs (CRC) on the recommendation of an international committee of researchers.
In total, this represents $1 million in funding for research at Concordia; for each chair, the university receives $100,000 annually for five years. The funding provides Gouin and Santosa with the resources to carry out research into chronic stress and nutrition, respectively.
For Gouin, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and member of the Centre for Clinical Research in Health, the chair will support the investigation of the impact of chronic stress and interpersonal relationships on health and well-being. Through his work, he hopes to unearth the psychological and physiological processes that link chronic caregiving stress to immune problems and poor health.
Santosa joined the Department of Exercise Science in 2011 following a fellowship at the renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. She will use the CRC funding to advance her research into nutrition and body weight. As the principal investigator of the Nutrition, Obesity and Metabolism lab at Concordia’s PERFORM Centre, Santosa is concerned with the impact of body weight on health. Her recent research focuses on exploring why some people who are overweight develop such illnesses as cardiovascular disease and diabetes while others do not.
The Hon. Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, announced the new chairs on October 12. “By investing in talented people through programs such as the Canada Research Chairs, our government is supporting cutting-edge research in Canadian post-secondary institutions,” he said. “This fosters innovation by helping researchers bring their ideas to the marketplace, where they can touch the lives of Canadians.”
A committee of experts from around the world assesses each nomination before selecting the recipients of CRCs. Both Gouin and Santosa received Tier 2 Chairs, awarded to exceptional emerging researchers who are acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their fields.
In total, $121.6 million is being invested to support 155 newly awarded or renewed CRCs. This Government of Canada investment allows Canadian post-secondary institutions such as Concordia to strengthen their position as global leaders in research and development, bringing positive health implications for Canadians. Gouin and Santosa join chair holders who will conduct research in diverse fields, with potential benefits for policy-makers, businesses, practitioners and Canadians.
Related links:
• Concordia’s PERFORM Centre
• Concordia’s Department of Exercise Science
• Concordia’s Department of Psychology
• Canada Research Chairs
• Canada Research Chairs at Concordia
• Jean-Philippe Gouin - Research@Concordia profile
• Sylvia Santosa - Research@Concordia profile