Connaught Innovation Awards highlight Temerty Medicine research
By Sarah McMahon
From biobanks to post-operative care to agriculture, this year’s Connaught Innovation Award recipients reflect the many ways basic science research can shape health outcomes.
From the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, this year’s recipients include Gary Bader, Justin Nodwell, Beverley Orser and Amy Ramsey.
“One of the most exciting things about basic science research is that you don’t always know where it will lead,” said Nodwell, professor of biochemistry and vice dean, Research and Health Science Education.
“Discovery can move in unexpected directions, with impacts that reach far beyond traditional clinical settings.”
The Connaught Innovation Awards, supported by the Connaught Fund, provide seed funding to researchers to develop and commercialize technologies with strong potential for societal and economic impact. Projects are evaluated based on scientific and technical merit, market potential and demonstrated commitment to principles of equity, diversity and inclusion.
While translational research in medicine is often associated with direct improvements in patient care, its impact can extend far beyond the clinic—sometimes in surprising and interdisciplinary ways.
At one end of the spectrum, Orser, professor of physiology and chair of anesthesiology and pain medicine, is working to mitigate cognitive decline following surgery. As a clinician-scientist and anesthesiologist, her research is highly translational, with the potential to directly improve patient recovery and long-term health outcomes at both the individual and population levels.
Ramsey, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology, is also conducting research that has the potential to directly improve patient outcomes in clinical settings. She is exploring ways to deliver healthy genetic material into brain cells to treat neurodevelopmental conditions. Her work could also help advance new methods of treating neurological or genetic disorders.
Taking a broader perspective, Bader, professor of molecular genetics and computer science, is leveraging large-scale biobank data to accelerate drug discovery and deepen our understanding of complex diseases. Bader, who is also a faculty member at the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Molecular Research, an associate member of the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute and an affiliate scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, exemplifies how computational and genetic research can drive system-wide advances in health through new therapeutics.
On the far end of the translational spectrum, Nodwell has made a serendipitous discovery with implications beyond medicine. His lab has developed a novel, low-cost method for producing a high-value amino disaccharide believed to enhance crop growth. Historically, widespread use of the compound has been impractical because of its prohibitive cost and limited availability. Making this compound more accessible could transform agricultural practices, with downstream implications for food security, nutrition and ultimately, human health.
Although their work spans different disciplines, this year’s Temerty Medicine Connaught Innovation Award recipients demonstrate the far-reaching potential of basic science research to shape health and well-being—from direct patient care to global systems and beyond.
Their achievements underscore the faculty’s continued commitment to bridge the gap between discovery and real-world application.
“Our projects are very different,” Nodwell said. “But in the end, we’re all trying to turn what we discover into something that has real impact.”
To learn more about the Connaught Innovation Awards and to view a complete list of recipients, visit the original story posted on U of T Celebrates.
