Two Concordia-led research projects have secured more than $5.5 million in funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). CFI is a non-profit corporation created by the Government of Canada that invests in research infrastructure at Canadian universities.
Christian Moreau, professor in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Engineering, and Pantcho Stoyanov, associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, in partnership with Polytechnique Montréal and Cégep Édouard-Montpetit, received $3.5 million for high-performance materials fabrication, characterization and performance-testing equipment.
They will use the equipment to develop cutting-edge coatings for materials used in the transportation, aerospace, manufacturing and energy sectors.
The new coatings will enable materials to better withstand extreme environmental conditions. By improving the performance of engineering components, these coatings will help reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
The Government of Quebec matched the CFI's $3.5 million in funding. Including the suppliers' non-monetary contribution and institutional cash contributions, the total value of the project is $9.2 million.
A boost for biomanufacturing
Vincent Martin, professor in the Department of Biology, received $2 million for updated equipment and resources in Concordia's Genome Foundry and Bioprocessing Centre. These research facilities are important hubs for biomanufacturing researchers in Canada and allow scientists to take a new organism from the initial design to large-scale production.
Biomanufacturing is the use of living organisms - such as plants, bacteria or cells - as biological factories to produce a product, for example, therapeutic drugs, renewable fuels and various chemicals.
The funds will be used to acquire robotics for genome engineering and phenotyping and small- and large-scale fermentation equipment. The new infrastructure will provide innovative capabilities, speed up research and meet growing demand from both universities and businesses.
The Government of Quebec matched the CFI's $2 million in funding. Including the suppliers' non-monetary contribution and Concordia's cash contribution, the total value of the project is $5 million.
"Congratulations to our faculty who secured CFI funding," says Dominique Bérubé, vice-president of research and graduate studies. "These significant investments are crucial for the enduring success and advancement of Concordia's research infrastructure. They enable impactful research and foster skill development and innovation."
