The University of Ottawa has received an unprecedented number of Early Researcher Awards, presented by the Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science. Fourteen professors out of 25 submitted for consideration by the University were chosen, a success rate of 56%.
The Early Researcher Awards aims to attract the brightest and best researchers to Ontario by providing funding to help new professors build a research team.
The Faculty of Medicine chatted with its winners for the exciting details of what they have planned for their teams.
Meet researcher Dr. Yannick Benoît
Dr. Benoît is an assistant professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and is a holder of a Next Generation of Scientists award from the Cancer Research Society. His work involves identifying new bioactive molecules that selectively alter the DNA pattern in human cancer stem cells.
Q: How does it feel to be acknowledged with an Early Researcher Award?
A: At every step of my career, I have always felt a bit like the "underdog" or the one who has to try harder to succeed. Thus, securing such a prestigious award on my very first year of eligibility makes me extremely proud of the accomplishment.
Q: What are your priorities for this new funding?
A: This funding will help alleviate the portion of our operating budget committed to salaries. It will indirectly allow us to benefit from more resources available to conduct cutting-edge research in the lab.
Q: What would you tell those who might be interested in joining your research team?
A: Recruitment is key for a new investigator since it is the quality of the people in the lab that makes the quality of the lab. Right now, our group is made up of passionate, creative, dedicated, and hardworking fellows and we will continue to aspire to these standards for future additions.
Meet researcher Dr. Kin Chan
Dr. Chan is an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, and was recently awarded a Canada Research Chair in Molecular Basis of Cancer Mutagenesis. Dr. Chan is investigating the origins of DNA damage in cancers to develop better cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Q: How does it feel to be acknowledged with an Early Researcher Award?
A: First, thank you to the Ontario Government for continuing to invest in research. There were many strong candidates from many fields in this competition, so I feel very grateful and fortunate to be an ERA recipient.
Q: What are your priorities for this new funding?
A: The ERA funds will support graduate students in my group who are working on multiple aspects of DNA damage. We’re hopeful that our discoveries will have significant impacts for the province, the nation, and indeed, the entire world. My students and I also look forward to leading outreach events at local high schools, which are made possible by the ERA.
Q: What would you tell those who might be interested in joining your research team?
A: I’m always on the lookout for students who are strongly motivated to investigate why and how DNA damage is happening in our cells, and how we can leverage that knowledge for health and economic benefit. Check out our website at kchan-lab.org. If interested, email me your transcript, CV, and statement of interest describing your motivation for wanting to join our group.
Main photo credit: Kjpargeter – Freepik.com
