Researchers Naglaa Shoukry and Sarah Kimmins have both received funding from the John R. Evans Leaders Fund of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Quebec government to carry out their university research projects.

They are among 16 researchers funded by Université de Montréal and its affiliated research centres.

These funds are intended to help universities attract and retain the world’s best researchers, and will be used to acquire equipment and infrastructure for promising research projects.

Eighty percent of the funds are allocated in equal shares by the CFI and the Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie du Québec (research funding program). The remaining 20% comes from various other partners.

Naglaa Shoukry (Immunopathology Research Theme)—total amount: $1,590,213

High-resolution characterization of immune system response to acute and chronic liver disease

Her research project aims to define a detailed “identity map” of the main cells and immune pathways involved in the immune response to hepatitis C virus (HCV) and in chronic liver disease.

Her goals are to develop:

1. the next generation of HCV vaccines that will enable Canada to reach the global elimination targets set by the World Health Organization;
2. new immune-targeted therapeutic strategies for chronic liver diseases; and
3. new strategies for managing patients affected by these diseases.

Sarah Kimmins (Immunopathology Research Theme)—total amount: $400,502

The role of the sperm epigenome in embryonic development and intergenerational disease transmission

The researcher will focus on epigenetic transmission mechanisms. Her aim will be to determine the impact of the environment (diet, obesity and toxic substances) on the sperm epigenome, and how this information transmitted to the embryo affects its development and, later in life, leads to the development of diseases.

Using translational epigenomics, she will study how lifestyle and environment affect men’s reproductive health (fertility), and how these exposures influence clinical outcomes.