Research stories

Our investments support research that benefits Canadians

In CFI-funded labs and facilities across the country, researchers in all stages of their careers are making discoveries, supporting a robust innovation ecosystem and helping solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. 

A graphic of the finger of a robot hand pressing an illuminated circular button floating in space.

Taking research to the next level with artificial intelligence

How researchers in Canada are turbo-charging their research with artificial intelligence to solve problems, from traffic jams to climate change to discovering new pharmaceuticals
Read the collection now
A graphic of a DNA strand lit up with data points.
article
British Columbia

How Canada is at the forefront of unpacking the potential of DNA data storage

Could “DNA origami” offer a way to store some of the world’s 149 trillion gigabytes of information and help solve big data’s big storage problem? At UBC Okanagan, Will Hughes is exploring the possibilities.
All articles
Portrait of a person wearing large earrings and a dark blue jacket with pale blue, rose and burgundy stripes.
podcast
Quebec

Pooneh Maghoul: Working at the forefront of geotechnical engineering

Can our critical infrastructure withstand the effects of climate change?
All podcasts
video

Transforming research instincts into a successful business (March webinar)

Part of our Future You webinar series. This webinar features a new generation of researchers who share their challenges and successes as they made the move from researcher to entrepreneur. Watch the video to gain insights and receive valuable tips on how to start your own business.
All videos

All stories

An illustration of a woman with white hair sitting up in a hospital bed gazing toward a window
article
Nova Scotia

Understanding the challenges in how we care for our elderly

As COVID-19 magnifies problems in Canada’s long-term care centres, researchers at Mount Saint Vincent University are informing policies to make improvements
Image de Fabien Durif dans le GreenUXlab superposée à une image floue d'une allée de supermarché avec un caddie net au premier plan
article
Quebec

Adapting to changing consumer behaviours

Using a mock retail environment to predict the impact of the pandemic on buying behaviour and the future of consumption
Smartphone screen emitting points of light and appearing to float over an sound wave
article
British Columbia

Diagnosing COVID-19 instantly with artificial intelligence

A Vancouver company’s handheld ultrasound devices are becoming an indispensable tool for quick diagnosis of COVID-19 in remote areas
An illustration of a teacher speaking to several monitors set up on school desks to demonstrate the idea of e-learning
article
Ontario

Education’s next act

A researcher in e-learning and expert in digital literacy is on the front lines for a school system struggling to transition to a new way of teaching.
Three small piles of coffee beans, coffee grounds and coffee pods on a white background
article
Ontario

Trailblazing company turns chaff to caff

With help from a University of Guelph lab, a small business in southern Ontario is finding opportunity in agricultural waste
Teaghan Wellman poses in front of a blurred background
article
Manitoba

Repairing the roads

There’s booming demand for a Manitoba company’s product that transforms unpaved roads into smooth, durable surfaces
A researcher posing for a photo.
article

Repurposing the MRI

A New Brunswick company is making its mark around the world by commercializing a new technology that uses Magnetic Resonance Imaging, typically a healthcare technology, to extract oil and gas more efficiently
A crystal globe sits on the ground among ferns and grass
article
Nova Scotia

Making sensors to monitor soil emissions

Sensing an opportunity, soil scientists from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, created a company to make devices that monitor greenhouse gases from the ground
A child kicking a soccer ball toward a net
article
Ontario

Beyond the physical

Researchers at Nipissing University are recording the conversations of young athletes on and off the field to find out the impact of sport on their development
A large quantity of Monarch butterflies
article

Thinking quantitatively

Researchers at the University of British Columbia want to understand how our brains process quantity and language to inform how we teach young people about numbers, from the time they learn to count
Silhouettes of many people interacting on a reflective surface that looks like water.
article
Quebec

Lonesome no more: When virtual reality goes social

Researchers at the Université de Montréal have patented technology that allows multiple people in different locations to participate in a virtual reality environment
A person wearing a yellow construction hat leaning over a map on a wooden table.
article
Ontario

Indigenous engineering students are making a difference in their communities

Training in state-of-the-art research labs encourages Indigenous students to pursue engineering, an area of expertise critical for communities involved in natural resource management