McMaster researchers named Canada Research Chairs

Two researchers in the Faculty of Health Sciences have been named new Canada Research Chairs, while a third has been renewed. 

Andrea Gonzalez, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioural neurosciences, is the new Canada Research Chair in Family Health and Preventive Interventions (Tier 2). Her work focuses on how different biological, social and other factors affect parenting, and the subsequent effect on childhood development.

Richard Whitlock, professor of surgery, is the Canada Research Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery. He is a practising cardiovascular surgeon whose clinical focus is on aortic valve intervention and aortic surgery.

Sarah McDonald, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology has been renewed as the Canada Research Chair in Maternal and Infant Health Promotion (Tier 2). Her research focuses on improving the physical and mental well-being of women and their children through appropriate pregnancy weight gain.

Gonzalez and Whitlock join two other new Canada Research Chairs at McMaster, including Alexander Klein (Humanities) who has been named the Canada Research Chair in Bertrand Russell and Crosscurrents of Early Analytic Philosophy (Tier 1), and Marisa Young (Social Sciences) who is the the new Canada Research Chair in Mental Health and Work-Life Transitions.

Graham Scott (Science) has been renewed as the Canada Research Chair in Comparative and Environmental Physiology (Tier 2).

“While these researchers are already recognized as leaders in their fields, the investment by the Canada Research Chair program will go a long way to help them build their teams to further advance their work,” said Karen Mossman, vice-president, research at McMaster. “Congratulations to our chairholders and a huge thanks to the Government of Canada for its continued investment in research excellence.”

Currently, McMaster has 88 Canada Research Chairs in total.