Twenty research projects aimed at tackling local health challenges have been awarded a total of $412,714 from the WE-Spark Health Institute and its partners.

Lead investigators received their grants Wednesday at the University of Windsor’s Centre of Research Excellence (CORe).

“We absolutely need research to keep us moving forward, to make advances in our society and to better the lives of the people around us,” Dora Cavallo-Medved, interim director of WE-Spark, said.

The grants are designed to support early-stage health research and education projects in Windsor-Essex. The initiatives aim to address healthcare gaps and spark new ideas across the sector, involving more than 140 researchers, trainees, and thousands of participants.

Collaborators include WE-Spark’s five supporting institutions: the University of Windsor, St. Clair College, Windsor Regional Hospital, Erie Shores HealthCare, and Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, along with community members, students, and volunteers.

“People are seeing the impact of the investment and are eager to make use of this opportunity,” Dr. Cavallo-Medved said. “These grants not only create jobs, but also address pressing issues and position Windsor-Essex as a strong competitor in national funding competitions. The growing number of applications reflects the community’s recognition of the importance of these grants in driving meaningful change.”

The grants are funded by contributions from the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation, ChildCan, Katelyn Bedard Bone Marrow Association, Tayfour-Emara Excellence in Research and Education Fund, Connecting for a Cause, the University of Windsor’s Office of Research and Innovation Services, and the faculties of business, science, nursing, and human kinetics.

Since the grant program’s launch in April 2020, WE-Spark says, more than $1.8 million has been awarded for local projects.

For more information on the 20 new projects, visit wesparkhealth.com/projects.