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Research Programs

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OUR APPROACH

We convene extraordinary minds to address the most important questions facing science and humanity.

CIFAR's research programs bring together international, interdisciplinary researchers who work together for five-year terms. Programs are led by a director or two co-directors, engage approximately 20-40 fellows and advisors from around the world, and include two or three CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars for two-year terms.

CIFAR research programs create impact beyond academia through a highly collaborative strategy. Target areas for impact emerge from the program’s core research agenda, and the strategy is informed by long-term, iterative exchange of ideas and perspectives between program members and non-academic stakeholders.

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THEME AREAS

Our portfolio of research programs spans four broad theme areas.

Life & Health

Individuals & Society

Information & Matter

Earth & Space

Life & Health

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities illustration

2019

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities

What might we uncover in an unknown biosphere?

Humans & the Microbiome illustration

2014, 2020

Humans & the Microbiome

How do microbes that live in and on us affect our health, development and even behaviour?

Individuals & Society

Boundaries, Membership & Belonging illustration

2019

Boundaries, Membership & Belonging

Is it possible to have a world without “us” and “them”?

Graphic of a scientist opening blinds in the shape of a head

2014, 2020

Brain, Mind & Consciousness

What are the origins and mechanisms of consciousness?

Child & Brain Development illustration

2003, 2007, 2012, 2019

Child & Brain Development

How do childhood experiences affect lifelong health?

Innovation, Equity & The Future of Prosperity illustration

2019

Innovation, Equity & The Future of Prosperity

How can innovation be beneficial to all?

Information & Matter

Bio-inspired Solar Energy illustration

2014, 2020

Bio-inspired Solar Energy

How can we learn from nature to harvest energy from the sun?

Learning in Machines & Brains illustration

2004, 2008, 2014, 2019

Learning in Machines & Brains

How do we understand intelligence and build intelligent machines?

Graphic of atoms at the end of computer network path lines

2002, 2007, 2012, 2019

Quantum Information Science

How do we harness the power of quantum mechanics to improve information processing?

Quantum Materials illustration

1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2019

Quantum Materials

How could quantum materials transform our society?

Earth & Space

Earth 4D: Subsurface Science & Exploration illustration

2019

Earth 4D: Subsurface Science & Exploration

How do we understand the life, groundwater and environment deep below the surface of a planet?

Gravity & the Extreme Universe illustration

1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016

Gravity & the Extreme Universe

What is extreme gravity, and how can it help us understand the origin of the universe?

The following are completing their work as CIFAR programs:

Genetic Networks illustration

2005, 2010, 2016

Genetic Networks

How do the interactions among genes influence health and development?

Institutions, Organizations & Growth illustration

2004, 2008, 2014

Institutions, Organizations & Growth

Why are some countries rich and others poor?

Molecular Architecture of Life illustration

2014

Molecular Architecture of Life

How does life originate and what are the processes that make life possible?

Successful Societies Illustrations

2002, 2008, 2012

Successful Societies

Why are some societies more successful than others?

Anil Seth portrait
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OUR FELLOWS

CIFAR fellows are collaborative researchers at the top of their fields.

Our community of fellows, advisors, CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars, and Canada CIFAR AI Chairs includes more than 400 researchers from 18 countries. They regularly contribute to papers in the top 1% of most-cited papers worldwide. Fellows are selected for academic and communication excellence, and for how their expertise fits into the goals of a program.

Meet our Fellows
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CATALYST FUND

We encourage our community of researchers to work across programs and disciplines.

Through Catalyst Funds, we facilitate and support high-risk ideas and projects within and across CIFAR’s portfolio of research programs. The time-limited grants provide flexibility for early-stage projects, encourage interdisciplinary collaborations, and address emerging and exploratory themes within or between research programs.

FIND OUT MORE

Research News

Discover the latest advances from our community.

 
Adeel Razi, looking off into the distance, posing at a round window in a tan suit.

Advances

Believe the Impossible: The future of… human consciousness

From making neurons play Pong, to studying how psychedelics alter states of consciousness, Adeel Razi is taking non-trad...

February 09, 2023

Advances

Behind the headlines: Will the nuclear fusion breakthrough save the planet?

Curtis Berlinguette, clean-energy researcher and program co-director of the Bio-Inspired Solar Energy program at CIFAR,...

January 10, 2023
Leah Cowen

Advances

Believe the Impossible: The Future of…Treating Infectious Fungal Diseases

Leah Cowen, co-director of CIFAR’s Fungal Kingdom program, discusses the often overlooked fungi, from new opportunitie...

November 03, 2022
Dhanya Sridhar

Advances

Believe the Impossible: The Future of… Fairness in AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is extremely prevalent, but is it fair? Dhanya Sridhar, Canada CIFAR AI Chair, d...

September 12, 2022
Carolina Tropini

Advances

Believe the Impossible: The Future of… human gut health

Carolina Tropini, a fellow in CIFAR’s Humans & the Microbiome program, gives insights in studying the human microbiota...

August 11, 2022

Advances

Believe the Impossible: The Future of… Mars Exploration

From designing instruments to detect water on Mars, to mapping the architecture of planets in 3D, CIFAR researcher John...

June 30, 2022

Advances

Year in Review: Top 10 CIFAR stories of 2021

Can we measure global happiness? Does using sanitation tools during COVID-19 pose longer-term threats to human health? T...

December 22, 2021
Adam-white

Advances

Artificial intelligence provides sustainable solutions for clean drinking water in rural community

"This project is about using AI to provide safe, fresh drinking water for rural communities."

November 29, 2021
Candice-odgers

Advances

CIFAR researchers among key members of new Connecting the EdTech Research Ecosystem funded by Jacobs Foundation

CIFAR fellow Candice Odgers co-leads newly created research network dedicated to improving educational technologies for...

November 11, 2021
banner david tami

Advances

Equity, diversity and inclusion in AI climate change research

David Rolnick and Tami Vasanthakumaran share their insights on equity, diversity and inclusion.

October 15, 2021

Support Us

CIFAR is a registered charitable organization supported by the governments of Canada, Alberta and Quebec, as well as foundations, individuals, corporations and Canadian and international partner organizations.

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