Local health research receives $499K injection from WE-SPARK and partners

2025 recipients of the IDEA Grants, Igniting Discovery Grants and Incentive Grants [KYLE ARCHIBALD/University of Windsor]

The Igniting Discovery Grants fund early-stage, innovative research and education projects aimed at addressing healthcare gaps, sparking new ideas and fostering collaborations. 

Projects included cancer and disease detection, mental health and well-being, brain and neuroscience research, aging and rehabilitation, artificial intelligence and technology and community health and education. 

Incentive Grants are awarded to researchers whose proposals to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) received high rankings but were not selected for funding.  

These grants provide targeted support to strengthen and refine research proposals, enabling investigators to address identified gaps and resubmit to the national competition within one year. This year, two cancer-related projects received Incentive Grant funding, advancing critical work in oncology research.

New this year are IDEA Grants.  

These smaller grants support pilot projects, preliminary studies and quality improvement initiatives that lay the groundwork for future research. This year’s projects focus on inclusive and community programs, mental health and patient and healthcare improvement. 

All of these projects bring together researchers, students, community members and volunteers across WE-SPARK’s five supporting institutions: Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, the University of Windsor and Windsor Regional Hospital. 

A long list of community organizations, unions and university partners together helped fund the projects.  

This list includes the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation, Cancer Research Collaboration Fund/Play for a Cure supported by the Windsor Essex Community Foundation, the Tayfour-Emara Excellence in Research and Education Fund, In Honour of the Ones We Love, ChildCan, Connecting for a Cause, GreenShield Canada, Katelyn Beddard Bone Marrow Association, Unifor Locals 2458 and 444, and the University of Windsor’s Office of Research & Innovation Services and academic faculties and institutes. 

Projects start in September.  

For a full listing of projects, click here.

Courtesy: https://www.uwindsor.ca/news/2025-09-02/local-health-research-receives-499k-injection-we-spark-and-partners