WE-SPARK’s latest report confirms its role as a regional leader in health research Dr. Dora Cavallo-Medved, interim director of WE-Spark Health Institute, speaks at a signing ceremony in June 2025 celebrating the renewal of a five-year partnership among Windsor-Essex health and academic institutions. [Photo by UWindsor] For six years WE-SPARK Health Institute has consistently delivered outcomes that positively impact the health of our community, and it shows in their 2024-2025 Impact Report. Forming in 2019, WE-SPARK quickly became a leader in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, driving innovation, and improving health outcomes through research. The report spotlights how the institute has become the epitome of a thriving health research ecosystem for Windsor-Essex through partnerships with local hospitals, academic institutions, and community organizations, as well as aligning with the University of Windsor’s strategic priorities of research excellence, community engagement, and regional impact. Celebrating a renewed partnership in the WE-Spark Health…
WE-SPARK Igniting Discovery Grant to champion mental well-being in health research Dr. Dora Cavallo-Medved, Dr. Isabelle Barrette-Ng and Dr. Stephanie De Franceschi pose for a photo at the WE-Spark Grant Awards night on Aug. 27, 2025 In a significant boost to mental health and professional development in the research community, WE-SPARK Igniting Discovery Grant launches Program LEAD: How Can a Program Focused on Professional and Lifelong Learning Support the Mental Well-Being of Highly Qualified Personnel Engaged in Health Science Research? The grant, set to launch this fall, supports an innovative collaboration led by Dr. Isabelle Barrette-Ng, principal investigator, Integrative Biology, Faculty of Science at the University of Windsor, in partnership with leading educators and researchers from across Canada, including St. Clair College. A Timely and Transformative Initiative In today’s fast-paced research environment, the mental health and well-being of highly qualified personnel (HQP)—including college students, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and…
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…
UWindsor researchers climb to new heights in high-altitude health study UWindsor research participants (left to right): Jessica Kenney, Ibrahim Wafai, Professor Anthony Bain, Brooke Shepley and Lana Yacoub. (Photo courtesy of Anthony Bain) What happens to the human body when oxygen is scarce? That was the central question driving kinesiology professor Anthony Bain and fellow researchers who recently returned from a landmark research expedition to White Mountain in California. “I’ve always been amazed by the limits of human physiology,” says Dr. Bain. “How can someone climb Everest without supplemental oxygen? How do freedivers push beyond what seems possible? These questions drive my curiosity, and altitude research is a natural extension.” The trip, co-organized by Bain with colleagues Mike Tymko of the University of Guelph and Kurt Smith of the University of Victoria, brought together nearly 30 researchers, physicians and students to study the effects of hypoxia. Hypoxia is caused by low levels of oxygen availability and typically experienced…
St. Clair Nursing professor secures WE-SPARK grant for research to support student EDI training Naty Ramirez Reyes of Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and St. Clair College Nursing faculty member Dr. Linda MacDougall at the WE-SPARK grant event on Aug. 27, 2025. (Linda MacDougall/St. Clair College) A St. Clair College Nursing professor at the Chatham Campus has landed a grant from WE-SPARK Health Institute which aims to promote education and training on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles. Dr. Linda MacDougall has received $3,000 from the WE-SPARK IDEA Grants program, which focuses on innovative proposals which are low-cost, small-scale pilot studies involving preliminary research projects to drive quality improvement in the healthcare sector. Dr. MacDougall’s proposal notes an education gap within curricula for Personal Support Worker and Practical Nursing students related to the care of gender and sexually diverse populations, especially those who identify as part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The project aims to introduce educational interventions, including…
UWindsor and GreenShield Partner to Advance Mental Health and Wellness The University of Windsor and GreenShield marked the naming of GreenShield Hall and announced a new partnership to expand access to mental health care, improve health equity, and support community-informed models of care in Windsor-Essex and beyond. (MIKE WILKINS/University of Windsor) The University of Windsor and GreenShield, Canada’s only national non-profit health and benefits organization, are joining forces to expand access to mental health care and improve health equity – driven by a shared and long-standing commitment to the University community, Windsor-Essex, and beyond. This collaboration brings together expertise from both organizations to address mental health needs in the region – particularly for underserved populations – leveraging GreenShield’s digital-first approach to expand access to care. The University of Windsor’s expertise and GreenShield’s capabilities as Canada’s first fully integrated payer-provider, combining health and benefits with coverage…
WE-SPARK Health Institute Marks Sixth Year of Collaboration and Innovation WE-SPARK Health Institute is celebrating a year of groundbreaking research, strengthened partnerships, and expanded community outreach with the release of our Year 6 Impact Report. The report highlights major achievements in research funding, innovative health projects, and continued progress in advancing health outcomes for Windsor-Essex and beyond. From May 2024 to April 2025, WE-SPARK core members secured $15.9 million in new funding, bringing active project funding to $31.5 million. Researchers launched 73 new projects, published 180 peer-reviewed articles, and engaged more than 6,200 community members through 49 events and outreach initiatives. The WE-SPARK Grants Program awarded over $412,000 to local research teams. Key achievements include: Renewal of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding between partner institutions: Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, the University of Windsor, and Windsor Regional Hospital. Ontario’s first Assertive Community…
Engage with Health Research at WE-SPARK After Dark – August 7 WE-SPARK Health Institute invites you to attend the upcoming WE-SPARK After Dark monthly networking event on Thursday August 7th, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Bourbon Tap & Grill (1199 Ottawa Street). This monthly series is designed to foster meaningful connections among researchers, students, professionals, and community members with an interest in health research. The evening will begin with informal networking, followed by opportunities for more structured dialogue and engagement. Whether you are directly involved in health research or are looking to explore new areas of interest, WE-SPARK After Dark offers a welcoming space to exchange ideas and expand your professional network. Registration is encouraged but not required. Guests are welcome to bring a friend or colleague. Click here to register.
'Innovation that listens first': Research and Innovation storytelling – with and for the community A photo collage of the Café at New Song Church and the pantry, kitchen and office spaces at Feeding Windsor Essex. (Sonja Popovski/St. Clair College) "Collaboration is a powerful force that can drive innovation, enhance productivity and create meaningful change." -Sonja Popovski "People just want to be seen. That's it." That's how Rodger Fordham began. No preamble. No framing. Just the truth, plain and full of gravity. Dr. Karamjeet Dhillon, the Director of Research and Innovation at St. Clair College and Fordham, the executive director of Feeding Windsor Essex, were seated in a café, a modest space tucked inside a converted church in Ford City, the kind of place built more on presence than design. He waved gently at the tables, the corners, the kettle, the chairs. "You can't decompress in a coffee shop where strangers are twelve inches from your grief. People come here to breathe," he said. Rodger leads Feeding Windsor-Essex, a faith-based,…
