Funding announcement at the U of R with (l to r) the Honourable Jamie Martens, Provincial Secretary with the Government of Saskatchewan; Dr. Kelvin Tsun Wai Ng, U of R Professor and Canada Research Chair in Environmental Sustainability; Dr. Chris Yost, University of Regina Vice-President (Research); Dr. Omar El-Halfawy, U of R Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Chemogenomics and Antimicrobial Research; Kari Harvey, CEO of Innovation Saskatchewan. (Photo by Trevor Hopkin)
Water security, waste management, and antimicrobial resistance are three of the world’s top problems that need solving. Now, new provincial funding is accelerating research at the University of Regina to support projects focused on solutions to these world-wide challenges.
Innovation Saskatchewan is investing $459,095 through its Innovation and Science Fund, with matching support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund effectively doubling the impact.
“The U of R is leading research that’s making a real impact and helping shape a stronger, more sustainable future for our province,” says Warren Kaeding, Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan. “These investments help ensure Saskatchewan stays at the forefront of innovation and is ready to tackle challenges with solutions developed right here at home.”
The funding backs three projects that build on the University’s strengths in climate science and population health.
A Canada Research Chair in Chemogenomics and Antimicrobial Research, Dr. Omar El-Halfawy’s funding will help with research that shows how bacteria behave in the body, rather than in standard lab conditions. His team will use imaging and advanced bacterial genomics to better understand how infections develop and resist treatment, helping improve antibiotic use and support global efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Dr. Omar El-Halfawy received funding to help combat antimicrobial resistance. (Photo by Trevor Hopkin)
Dr. Kerri Finlay is a Canada Research Chair in Water in a Changing Environment. This funding will help her expand her research team’s high-precision water monitoring across more than 100 lakes in southern Saskatchewan, using new field and lab tools to track how human activity and climate change are affecting prairie lakes and wetlands and to inform practical, evidence-based strategies to protect water quality.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kelvin Tsun Wai Ng, Canada Research Chair in Environmental Sustainability, will use the support in his Waste Management System Design Lab to enhance its ability to map and analyze plastic waste under Prairie conditions, supporting data-driven, cost-effective solutions for municipalities to reduce landfill pressure, improve recycling, and advance a circular economy.
Together, the projects will help attract top researchers, train students, and deliver practical solutions for Saskatchewan communities.
“Innovation Saskatchewan's investment in research leaders at the University of Regina positions our province at the forefront in innovation, enabling bold research that addresses urgent challenges—from antimicrobial resistance to sustainable waste systems and water security,” said Dr. Chris Yost, Vice-President (Research).
In the loop
The U of R is at the heart of Saskatchewan’s nuclear future
Read More