The CRC program supports researchers conducting high-impact work that benefits society. Appointed scholars receive dedicated funding to focus on projects that drive progress and strengthen Canada’s role in science, technology and innovation.
“Our chairs have set out to make a strong impact on our communities,” says Julie St-Pierre, interim vice-president, research and innovation. “From advances in health equity with specialized care pathways for Black women, to the development of secure quantum communications and sustainable materials for climate resilience, their research contributions represent real-world solutions that make a difference.”
New chairs
Anne Broadbent, Faculty of Science
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Quantum Communications and Cryptography
Professor Broadbent uses quantum mechanics to transform data security. Her work on the quantum internet addresses key cybersecurity challenges through applications such as quantum key distribution and unclonable encryption, benefiting sectors from finance to national defence.
Céline Castets-Renard, Faculty of Law, Civil Law Section
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in International and Comparative Law of Artificial Intelligence
Professor Castets-Renard’s research focuses on minimizing AI risks through international legal frameworks. Her goals include identifying the social risks of AI, developing regulations, testing laws and advising policymakers. This work aims to create AI legal standards that protect society and serve the public interest.
Hang Chi, Faculty of Science
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Quantum Electronic Devices and Circuits
Professor Chi studies quantum materials to improve electronic devices, focusing on energy-efficient computing and superconducting circuits with novel functions. His work aims to advance sustainable electronics, keeping Canada at the forefront of quantum technology.
Josephine Etowa, Faculty of Health Sciences
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Advancing Black Women’s Health in Canada
Professor Etowa’s research addresses the health inequities that Black women face in Canada, focusing on systemic barriers and racial discrimination. Through community-based projects, she aims to improve health-care capacity, build resources and establish best practices, to create a national health network and promote inclusive health strategies.
Mary-Ellen Harper, Faculty of Medicine
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and Metabolic Health
Professor Harper’s research elucidates how mitochondria — the cellular "powerhouses" — meet a myriad of energy demands in the body’s tissues, without causing oxidative damage. Using integrative systems biology approaches, including metabolomics, her work focuses on diabetes, obesity and heart disease to inspire new prevention and treatment strategies.
Ebrahim Karimi, Faculty of Science
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Structured Waves and Quantum Communication
Professor Karimi’s research uses structured quantum waves to enhance quantum communication and sensing, focusing on secure channels and complex system simulations. His work aims to strengthen Canada’s quantum infrastructure for advanced communication and security applications.
Thirusha Naidu, Faculty of Medicine
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Equity in Global Medical Education
Professor Naidu’s research addresses inequities in global health education by integrating Global South, Indigenous and marginalized perspectives in medical training. Through methods like research poetry and arts-based practices, it amplifies marginalized voices to promote diverse knowledge frameworks, aiming to make health education more inclusive and equitable globally.
Bernard Thébaud, Faculty of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the CHEO Research Institute
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Lung Stem Cell Biology and Regeneration
Professor Thébaud’s research looks at developing therapies for severe neonatal lung diseases, focusing on cell-based repair for premature infants, gene therapies for genetic lung disorders and clinical application. The goal is to improve respiratory health and quality of life for newborns with chronic lung conditions.
Yan Xu, Faculty of Medicine and The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Thrombosis
Professor Xu’s research addresses health disparities related to thrombosis. He seeks to improve bleeding risk prediction for under-represented ethnic and racial groups affected by thrombosis, while examining how race and language influence diagnosis. He also focuses on enhancing predictions for cancer-associated thrombosis to support equitable cardiovascular care.
Vignan Yogendrakumar, Faculty of Medicine and The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Stroke
Professor Yogendrakumar’s research aims to develop treatments for ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, focusing on new drugs, neuroimaging techniques and surgical methods. By enhancing emergency care, especially in rural settings, his work seeks to improve recovery and quality of life for stroke survivors in Canada.
Renewed chairs
Robert Boyd, Faculty of Science
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Quantum Nonlinear Optics
Professor Boyd’s research explores light at microscopic scales, to enhance secure communication and imaging technology. His work focuses on creating light-controlling materials, generating light for quantum technologies and designing compact imaging systems, aiming for faster, more secure networks and improved imaging tools across industries.
Kelly Bronson, Faculty of Social Sciences
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Science and Society
As AI and big data reshape society, challenges have emerged concerning fairness, privacy and accessibility. Professor Bronson’s research tackles the social and ethical concerns surrounding emerging technologies (particularly AI) by examining data policies, studying their impact on marginalized communities, and creating responsible AI frameworks to aid policymakers and farmers in Canada. Several of her projects focus on AI in the agri-food sector, which is an under-researched but important area for Canada and the world.
Melike Erol-Kantarci, Faculty of Engineering
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Next-Generation Wireless Networks
Professor Erol-Kantarci’s research advances AI-driven wireless networks for 5G and future 6G, with three main goals: optimizing network performance, ensuring privacy and sustainability, and integrating computing with communication systems. Her work aims to set new standards in efficient, private and reliable network design to support global digital infrastructure.
Mireille Khacho, Faculty of Medicine
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Mitochondrial Dynamics and Regenerative Medicine
Professor Khacho’s research explores how mitochondria control muscle stem cells, to foster regeneration targeting degenerative diseases and aging. Focusing on mitochondrial disruptions in conditions like muscular dystrophy, her team aims to develop therapies to improve muscle health.
Maxime Rousseaux, Faculty of Medicine
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Personalized Genomics of Neurodegeneration
Professor Rousseaux’s research studies how protein dysfunction in brain cells leads to diseases like Parkinson’s and ALS. He uses genetic tools to identify early changes, aiming to find therapies to prevent neurodegeneration.