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On June 16 2025, SCN was pleased to allocate $13.5M to support 36 research projects and clinical trials across the country, with 63 partner organizations committing $19.5M of in kind or cash support.
This investment is the result of SCN’s first of two funding competitions for the 2025-2029 period to support world-class regenerative medicine research and clinical trials. The projects and clinical trials cover 14 different disease areas and illnesses such as, brain disorders, diabetes, heart and lung disease, cancer and much more.
As part of this funding competition, which opened in September 2024, 111 applications were received for consideration. These applications were assessed through an international peer review for scientific merit, and then considered for strategic fit by SCN’s Research Management Committee. To read more about SCN’s Research Funding Program and Peer Review Process, click here.
SCN 2025-2029 Round 1 Funding Results:
Accelerating Clinical Translation Awards
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guy Sauvageau, Université de Montréal, Québec | Benjamin Haley (Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont), Jean-Sébastien Delisle (Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont), Kelly McNagny (University of British Columbia), Bernhard Lehnertz (ExCellThera), Edouardo Rego (University of São Paulo), Etienne Gagnon (Université de Montréal), Guillaume Richard-Carpentier (University of Toronto - University Health Network), Lorena Lobo de Figueiredo-Pontes (University of São Paulo) | Accelerating clinical translation of UM171 expanded and epitope-engineered HSC grafts | $650,000 |
| Bernard Thebaud, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ontario | Jennifer Quizi (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute), Sarah Wootton (University of Guelph) | AAVenger-B: Adeno-Associated Virus Engineered Epithelial progenitor cell Regeneration for surfactant protein B deficiency | $649,333 |
| Molly Shoichet, University of Toronto, Ontario | Cindi Morshead (University of Toronto), Douglas Cook (Queen's University) | Sustained, Local Delivery of Re-engineered Chondroitinase ABC to the Central Nervous System after Traumatic Injury | $649,964 |
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |
Clinical Trials Awards
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bernard Thebaud, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ontario | Amit Mukerji (McMaster Children's Hospital - Hamilton Health Sciences), Anne Monique Nuyt (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine), David Courtman (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute), Dean Fergusson (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute), Elizabeth Asztalos (Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre), Emanuela Ferretti (The Ottawa Hospital), Georg Schmolzer (Stollery Children's Hospital, Alberta Health Services), Laurent Renesme (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario), Maher Shahroor (Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre), Marc Beltempo (Montreal Children's Hospital), Mario Ruediger (Technische Universität Dresden), Mireille Guillot (Le Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval), Prakesh Shah (Mount Sinai Hospital) | Helping Underdeveloped Lungs with Cells (HULC-2): A randomized controlled trial of MSCs to cut lung injury in preterm infants | $1,099,882 |
| Lucie Germain, Université Laval, Québec, Québec | Elena Pope (The Hospital for Sick Children), Jason Guertin (Université Laval, Québec), Julie Fradette (Université Laval, Québec), Ma'n Zawati (McGill University), Mélissa Saber (Université de Montréal), Véronique Moulin (Université Laval, Québec), Manuel Caruso (Université Laval, Québec) | Clinical trial for dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (EB) using GMEB-SASS, a genetically modified EB skin substitute | $662,470 |
| Sandra Cohen, CIUSSS de l'Est de l’Ile de Montréal, Québec | Denis-Claude Roy (CIUSSS de l'Est de l’Ile de Montréal), Guy Sauvageau (Université de Montréal), Imran Ahmad (CIUSSS de l'Est de l’Ile de Montréal), Jean Roy (Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont), Jean-Sébastien Delisle (Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont), Jonathan Bramson (McMaster University), Silvy Lachance (CIUSSS de l'Est de l’Ile de Montréal) | Expanding Balanced-Hematopoietic Stem Cells With Optimized Dose of UM171 to Improve Engraftment | $1,100,000 |
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |
Early Career Researcher Jump Start Awards
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marie-Claude Sincennes, National Institute of Scientific Research (Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, INRS - Canada), Québec | Nicolas Dumont (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine), Carole Kretz-Remy (Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1), Cynthia Gagnon (Université de Sherbrooke), Elise Duchesne (Université Laval, Québec), Francois Bachand (Université de Sherbrooke), Jean-philippe Leduc-Gaudet (University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres), Karine Choquet (Université de Sherbrooke) | Role of PABPN1 in muscle stem and progenitor cells to understand oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy | $350,000 |
| Anthony Flamier, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Québec | Regenerative Approaches to Rett Syndrome by Targeting Primary Cilia Dysfunction. | $210,000 (jointly funded by Azrieli Foundation at this amount) | |
| Nika Shakiba, University of British Columbia, British Columbia | Carl de Boer (University of British Columbia), Ivana Barbaric (University of Sheffield) | Expanding the quality control toolbox: a machine-learning approach to detecting genetically aberrant pluripotent stem cells | $350,000 |
| Yasaman Aghazadeh, Montreal Clinical Research Institute (Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, IRCM), Québec | Darcy Wagner (McGill University), Mohan Malleshaiah (Montreal Clinical Research Institute), Nathalie Labrecque (Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont) | Developing stem cell-derived vasculature with immunomodulatory features to enhance beta cell therapies for type 1 diabetes | $350,000 |
| Bowen Li, University of Toronto, Ontario | Jim Hu (The Hospital for Sick Children) | Nonviral Delivery of Prime Editors for Gene Therapy of Cystic Fibrosis | $350,000 |
| Jessica Esseltine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador | Kathleen Hodgkinson (Memorial University of Newfoundland) | Two serious cardiac mutations together result in no disease phenotype: serendipitous modifiers? | $350,000 |
| Houman Savoji, Université de Montréal, Québec | Gregor Andelfinger (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine) | From Stem Cells to Function: 3D Bioprinted Living Pulmonary Valves for Pediatric Patients | $350,000 |
| Stephan Ong Tone, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Ontario | Carol Schuurmans (Sunnybrook Research Institute), Chao Wang (Sunnybrook Research Institute), David Andrews (Sunnybrook Research Institute), Gary Hin-Fai Yam (University of Pittsburgh) | Investigating the innate regenerative potential of the corneal endothelium as a treatment for Fuchs dystrophy | $350,000 |
| Stephanie Protze, University Health Network, Ontario | Michael Laflamme (University Health Network), Robert Hamilton (The Hospital for Sick Children), Christoph Haller (The Hospital for Sick Children), Gary Bader (University of Toronto), Sara Vasconcelos (University Health Network) | Developing a stem cell-based conduction bridge for patients with atrioventricular block | $349,621 |
| Anastassia Voronova, University of Alberta, Alberta | Ayman El-Kadi (University of Alberta), Frederick West (University of Alberta), Khaled Barakat (University of Alberta), Afsaneh Lavasanifar (University of Alberta), Fabrizio Giuliani (University of Alberta) | CX3CR1 agonists for neurodegeneration | $350,000 |
| Tara MacDonald, University of Toronto, Ontario | Michael Garton (University of Toronto), Susan Bonner-Weir (Harvard University) | Finetuning metabolic pathways to optimize stem cell-derived islet function in vitro and in vivo | $349,920 |
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |
Fueling Biotechnology Partnerships Awards
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amy Wong, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario | Bowen Li (University of Toronto), Brent Stead (Specific Biologics Inc.) | Dualase Gene Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease | $430,000 |
| Massimiliano Paganelli, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Québec | Julien Baruteau (University College London) | Treating acute decompensation of urea cycle disorders by transient implantation of an Encapsulated Liver Tissue | $200,000 (jointly funded by CQDM at this amount) |
| Timothy Kieffer, University of British Columbia, British Columbia | James Shapiro (University of Alberta), Takanori Takebe (University of Cincinnati) | Vascularized, Stem Cell-Derived Islet Organoids for the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes | $258,000 (jointly funded by Breakthrough T1D at this amount) |
| Craig Simmons, University of Toronto, Ontario | Julie Audet (University of Toronto), Michael Laflamme (University Health Network), Milica Radisic (University Health Network), Yimu Zhao (University of Toronto) | Algorithm-directed optimization of defined media to mature iPSC-derived cardiac organoids for cell therapy | $421,000 |
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |
Impact Awards
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natasha Chang, McGill University, Québec | Benoit Gentil (McGill University), Michel Tremblay (McGill University), Thomas Durcan (McGill University) | Restoring muscle stem cell differentiation to enhance regeneration in muscular dystrophy | $270,000 |
| Nika Shakiba, University of British Columbia, British Columbia | Michael Kallos (University of Calgary), Sidhartha Goyal (University of Toronto), Li-Fang (Jack), Chu (University of Calgary), Nava Leibovich (National Research Council Canada) | Bioreactor bottlenecks: selection for aberrant cells in pluripotent stem cell expansion | $270,000 |
| Michael Laflamme, University Health Network, Ontario | Bowen Li (University of Toronto), Terrence Yau (University of Toronto) | RNA-based strategies to promote the engraftment of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes | $269,677 |
| Marya Ahmed, University of Alberta | James Shapiro (University of Alberta), Gregory Korbutt (University of Alberta), Nerea Cuesta Gomez (University of Alberta) | Stem Cell Cryopreservation Efficacies of Polymeric Nanogels | $162,000 (jointly funded by Breakthrough T1D at this amount) |
| Kelly McNagny, University of British Columbia, British Columbia | Peter Zandstra (University of British Columbia), Calvin Roskelley (University of British Columbia), Laura Evgin (BC Cancer) | Harnessing Stem Cell-Derived Tissue-Resident Innate Lymphoid Cells to Target and Eliminate Solid Tumors | $270,000 |
| Megan Levings, University of British Columbia, British Columbia | Bruce Verchere (University of British Columbia), Francis Lynn (University of British Columbia), Peter Zandstra (University of British Columbia) | Leveraging stem cells to create an engineered model of type 1 diabetes | $162,000 (jointly funded by Breakthrough T1D at this amount) |
| Lucie Germain, Université Laval, Québec, Québec | Jason Guertin (Université Laval, Québec), Julie Fradette (Université Laval, Québec), Ma'n Zawati (McGill University), Véronique Moulin (Université Laval, Québec), Elena Pope (The Hospital for Sick Children), Manuel Caruso (Université Laval, Québec), Mélissa Saber (Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal) | Toward a combined gene therapy and tissue engineering novel treatment for junctional epidermolysis bullosa | $270,000 |
| Christian Beausejour, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Québec | Anna Jezierski (National Institute of Scientific Research, INRS - Canada), Gerardo Ferbeyre (Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal), Noël Raynal (Université de Montréal) | Development of improved NK cell therapies for the elimination of senescent cancer cells | $270,000 |
| Elie Haddad, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Québec | Hélène Decaluwe (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine), Fabien Touzot (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine) | Harnessing Synthetic Specific Promoters for Targeted Gene Therapy in Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) | $270,000 |
| May Griffith, CIUSSS de l'Est de l’Ile de Montréal, Québec | Christos Boutopoulos (CIUSSS de l'Est de l’Ile de Montréal), Denis-Claude Roy (CIUSSS de l'Est de l’Ile de Montréal), Marie-Claude Robert (Université de Montréal) | Direct Bioprinting for Regenerating the Cornea with Inflammation-Suppressing Bioink | $269,034 |
| Peter Zandstra, University of British Columbia, British Columbia | Automating Systems Biology and Machine Learning for Multiscale Regulatory Network Discovery in Stem Cell Differentiation | $270,000 | |
| Corinne Hoesli, McGill University, Québec | Andras Nagy (Mount Sinai Hospital), André Bégin-Drolet (Université Laval, Québec), Richard Leask (McGill University), Steven Paraskevas (The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre), Jean Ruel (Université Laval, Québec), Timothy Kieffer (University of British Columbia) | Vascular lattice bioartificial pancreas for diabetes cellular therapy | $162,000 (jointly funded by Breakthrough T1D at this amount) |
| Fabio Rossi, University of British Columbia, British Columbia | Engineering hPS derived myogenic progenitors to deliver anti-fibrotic molecules | $270,000 | |
| Cheryle Seguin, Western University, Ontario | Brian Amsden (Queen's University), Lauren Flynn (Western University), Dmitriy Sheyn (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center) | Delivery of induced pluripotent stem cells in cell-instructive composite hydrogels for nucleus pulposus regeneration | $270,000 |
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |
Impact Awards: ELSI Stream
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Caulfield, University of Alberta, Alberta | Cheryl Peters (BC Center of Disease Control), Heidi Tworek (University of British Columbia), Jeremy Snyder (Simon Fraser University), Magda Byma (ScienceUpFirst), Mariah Wellman (Michigan State University), Nora Kenworthy (University of Washington), Zubin Master (Wake Forest University) | Regenerative Medicine, Wellness Influencers, and Scienceploitation | $214,930 |
| Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators and Collaborators | Project Title | SCN Funds Allocated |