Five core BME faculty members receive NSERC support for discovery research and research infrastructure

Five core faculty members at the University of Toronto's Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) have received funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's (NSERC) latest Discovery Research Program competition, announced as part of a federal investment of more than $630 million in Canadian research. The national funding announcement was made on July 7 by the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry, and supports researchers across Canada working to advance fundamental discovery and innovation.

The awards recognize research excellence across a wide range of disciplines and provide long-term support for investigator-driven research programs, while also helping train the next generation of scientists and engineers. According to NSERC, the 2026 funding round includes support for more than 3,100 new research awards nationwide through the Discovery Grants and Research Tools and Instruments programs.

Among the BME recipients is Craig Simmons, who received an NSERC Research Tools and Instruments Grant for Custom high-frequency ultrasound system for assessment of microphysiological systems. The specialized equipment will support advanced imaging and characterization of engineered biological models used to study human physiology and disease.

Four BME faculty members received NSERC Discovery Grants:

• Paul Yoo for Towards closed-loop neuromodulation of autonomic function
• Molly Shoichet for Designer Material Formulations
• Michael Sefton for Regenerative biomaterials
• Freeman Lan for Ultrahigh-throughput Single-Cell Genomics of Microbes and Microbiomes

These projects span a broad spectrum of biomedical engineering research, from neural interfaces and regenerative medicine to biomaterials and genomic technologies. Together, they reflect BME's strengths in developing engineering-based approaches to improve human health and advance fundamental biological understanding.

NSERC Discovery Grants are among Canada's most prestigious research funding programs, providing stable, long-term support that allows researchers to pursue new ideas, explore emerging directions, and train highly qualified personnel. The Research Tools and Instruments program complements this work by supporting the acquisition of essential research equipment that enables scientific discovery and innovation.