NSERC laureates help save people — and the planet

The Pandemic Preparedness Team at McMaster University has created a powerful new approach to pandemic response by converting DNA aptamers — programmable molecules that can recognize viruses with extraordinary precision — into rapidly deployable tools for detecting and preventing disease. By combining expertise in biosensing, chemistry, biochemistry and molecular evolution, the team has established a seamless pipeline that converts laboratory discoveries into practical technologies to address emerging infectious diseases.

The development of traditional diagnostic tools and treatments often takes months or even years, making it hard to effectively fight against new, rapidly evolving pathogens. To address this challenge, the team pioneered new methods of engineering DNA aptamers. It then translated these advances into a rapid diagnostic platform that can detect viruses in saliva and wastewater with laboratory-grade accuracy, thus enabling real-time monitoring of viral threats. This was made possible largely through collaboration with a regional microbiology laboratory that validated the results from the platform against those obtained through molecular diagnostic techniques, using samples from patients with viral infections. The collaboration has also expanded beyond diagnostics to include therapeutic applications, demonstrating that inhaled aptamers can act as potent antiviral agents capable of protecting against multiple variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

By integrating molecular design, advanced materials, and AI-enabled sensing technologies, the team has established a versatile platform that is reshaping how societies detect, monitor and respond to emerging infectious diseases.

Paul Hebert, a Distinguished Professor of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Guelph, has vastly increased humanity’s ability to understand and protect life on Earth. He is widely recognized as the inventor of DNA barcoding — a simple but powerful method for distinguishing species using short genetic sequences that overcomes a longstanding challenge in identifying species.

At a time when most species remained undocumented and expertise in identifying species was scarce, Dr. Hebert’s innovation provided a scalable alternative to traditional methods. He subsequently helped drive a thousand-fold reduction in sequencing costs and pioneered new approaches, including metabarcoding and environmental DNA analysis, that enable biodiversity to be monitored at unprecedented speed and scale. Through his leadership at the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics and the International Barcode of Life Consortium, he has built the global infrastructure that supports these advances.

Today, DNA-based tools developed under Hebert’s leadership are used worldwide to detect invasive species, combat wildlife trafficking, reduce food fraud, guide environmental assessments, and inform conservation policy. By making biodiversity visible, measurable and actionable, his work has fundamentally changed how society manages and protects the natural world.

Elizabeth Gillies, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at Western University, has transformed polymer science by developing self-immolative polymers (SIPs), a breakthrough class of materials that can be programmed to rapidly and completely disassemble in response to specific triggers. By enabling precise control over when and how polymers degrade, her work has established a new paradigm for designing smart and sustainable materials.

Conventional plastics are valued for their durability, but that persistence can create significant environmental and technological challenges. Dr. Gillies and her research team addressed this problem by pioneering SIPs that remain stable until they are activated by certain stimuli, such as light, heat, enzymes or changes in chemical conditions. Once triggered, these materials undergo a domino-like depolymerization process, which allows complete breakdown and, in many cases, recovery of their original molecular building blocks for chemical recycling. Her innovations have also enabled advances in targeted drug delivery, medical imaging and agriculture, including fertilizer coatings that improve nutrient use while reducing environmental runoff.

Today, Dr. Gillies’ innovations related to self-immolative polymers are influencing researchers and industries worldwide, helping to redefine how materials are designed, used and ultimately returned to the environment.