McMaster celebrates seven Canada Research Chair appointments

Seven McMaster researchers from two faculties have been named Canada Research Chairs (CRCs). Their work addresses pressing matters such as Indigenous maternal health, cancer genetics, racial inequities in artificial intelligence algorithms, infectious disease and more.

Four of the researchers are newly named CRCs: Maryam Ghasemaghaei from the DeGroote School of Business, and Kathleen Houlahan, Karen Lawford and Imran Satia from the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Gregory Steinberg, Richard Whitlock and John Whitney from Health Sciences have had their chairs renewed.

The federal government announced more than $153 million in funding to support 179 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs across Canada.

There are two tiers of CRCs, which recognize accomplished and emerging research leaders: Tier 1 chairs are held for seven years with an investment of $200,000 a year; Tier 2 chairs are held for five years, with an investment of $100,000 annually, with an additional $20,000 annual stipend for first-term chairs. Each tier of chairs can be renewed once.

These are the new CRCs:

Maryam Ghasemaghaei | Canada Research Chair in EDI Issues in Artificial Intelligence

Ghasemaghaei is an associate professor and area chair of Information Systems at the DeGroote School of Business, in addition to being a University Scholar.

Her research addresses the critical issue of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in Artificial Intelligence (AI), focusing on biases in AI algorithms that can lead to discriminatory decisions in a variety of contexts.

Her work has growing significance with a steadily increasing reliance on AI technologies across sectors and the ethical risks posed by their algorithms, such as gender bias in hiring practices.

Ghasemaghaei’s research seeks to explore the phenomenon of AI bias and its impacts on organizations, individuals and society, aiming to develop effective strategies to mitigate these biases and promote EDI.

Kathleen Houlahan | Canada Research Chair in Computational Oncology

Houlahan is an assistant professor in the department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences at McMaster. Her research focuses on using advanced statistical methods to study extensive sets of cancer genetics data.

She aims to understand how inherited genetic differences affect cancer development and growth. By looking at these links, her work seeks to explain why tumours vary so much between people and to create novel blood tests that can improve cancer screening and early detection.

Karen Lawford | Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Midwifery

Lawford is an associate professor in the department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Her research focuses on comprehensive, gender-inclusive sexual and reproductive health care for Indigenous Peoples, with a particular focus on the provision of maternity care for those who live on reserve. She seeks to identify the barriers to achieving equitable health services for Indigenous Peoples.

Imran Satia | Canada Research Chair in Chronic Cough

Satia is an assistant professor in the department of Medicine.

He consults on patients with chronic cough, asthma, complex airways diseases and has a broad research interest in understanding the mechanisms, developing tools to measure cough and treatments for these troublesome conditions.

Gregory Steinberg | Canada Research Chair in Metabolism and Obesity

Steinberg is a professor in the department of Medicine. His research focuses on understanding molecular pathways controlling the metabolism of fat and sugars, and how endocrine factors regulate these effects.

His translational research program has revealed novel mechanisms by which exercise, nutrition and therapeutics impact health, with a major focus on inflammation and lipid metabolism.

This information has been used to develop new preventative strategies and treatments for metabolic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Richard Whitlock | Canada Research Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery

Whitlock is a professor in the department of Surgery. His research seeks to determine the major causes of stroke and develop new methods to prevent them.

Whitlock and his research team are establishing the best approach for treating young adults with this disease and looking for ways to make blood thinners safer for those receiving mechanical valves.

John Whitney | Canada Research Chair in Molecular Microbiology

Whitney is an associate professor in the department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences. His research focuses on better understanding how, during infection, some disease-causing bacteria triumph over “good” bacteria that fight for the same nutrients.

Whitney and his research team aim to discover and characterize the pathways that enable pathogenic bacteria to spread by killing other bacterial species.