Three York University researchers who are advancing public health by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of drug and vaccine development are being honoured with the Synergy Award for Innovation by the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
The Synergy Award, which recognizes partnerships in natural sciences and engineering research and development between universities and industry in Canada, was given to professors Jianhong Wu, Sergey Krylov and Derek Wilson.
Each is a leader in their field. Wu is a research professor and York Research Chair in Industrial and Applied Mathematics as well as a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and the Fields Institute. Krylov is a Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry and a professor of chemistry. Lastly, Wilson is a York Research Chair in Chemistry, as well as an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry within the Faculty of Science, in the research stream.
The three professors received the Synergy Award in recognition of their pursuit of work addressing challenges in early-stage drug development by providing the health economic data needed for informed decision-making in pharmaceutical markets. In its award announcement, NSERC described their work as being at the forefront of efforts to revolutionize drug and vaccine development and distribution.
“Through innovative bioanalytical technologies and mathematical models, the team’s research has significantly accelerated the drug development process, offering new insights into vaccine risks, deployment strategies and uptake patterns,” stated an NSERC news story. “This pioneering approach not only supports Canada's biomanufacturing sector but has also influenced strategies for industrial partners internationally.”
The story also noted that the researchers’ collaboration with industry partners, including Sanofi Canada, underscores the value of interdisciplinary partnerships in advancing public health.
Each researcher will receive a $200,000 NSERC research grant to continue their work. In future, the team intends to help meet global health challenges by streamlining pharmaceutical innovation through faster, more cost-effective development of vaccines and therapeutics.
“We congratulate the York U team for their extraordinary contributions to public health,” said Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. “York U is committed to new discoveries that advance the public good, and this innovative approach to getting drugs and vaccines to the world faster is a perfect example of how our research is creating positive change at a global scale.”
The NSERC awards were part of six national prizes announced. To learn more about the other prizes, visit the NSERC website.