NMHI-Affiliated Researchers Secure Over $4.5 Million in Spring 2026 CIHR Funding
Four researchers affiliated with the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute (NMHI) have been awarded a combined total of more than $0 through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's (CIHR) Spring 2026 Project Grant competition.
Among the successful NMHI-affiliated projects:
The role of axonal GABA in facilitating proprioception, movement and recovery from spinal cord injury
Dave Bennett (Co-applicant: Monica Gorassini)
$0
Circadian transcription synchrony and the molecular basis of behaviour regulation and behavioural disorders
Deniz Top
$0
The "ins" and "outs" of ventilation during sleep: empowering active expiration to counteract loss of inspiratory activity in sleep disordered breathing
Silvia Pagliardini (Co-applicants: Greg Funk and Clay Dickson)
$0
Development and optimization of DG9-peptide-conjugated morpholino oligomers for the systemic treatment of spinal muscular atrophy
Toshifumi Yokota
$0
"This result reflects the depth and rigour of the neuroscience and mental health research happening across our institute. In a competition where fewer than one in seven applications succeeded, having four of our researchers funded speaks to both the strength of their science and the collaborative environment we've built at NMHI."
– Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Wilcox, NMHI Director
In addition, Dr. Joanne Lemieux, Vice Dean of Research, was also awarded $0 in CIHR funding in this competition for her project "Protease targeted therapeutics to address the global AMR threat associated with pathogenic E. coli."
While outside NMHI's core neuroscience mandate, her success further reflects the strength of research leadership across the Faculty.
These awards will support work spanning spinal cord injury recovery, circadian biology, respiratory control during sleep, and neuromuscular disease therapeutics — underscoring the breadth of NMHI's research portfolio.