New Investigator Awards

Each year since 1992, CAHR has given out New Investigator awards to recognize promising new researchers from each of the association’s four tracks (basic, clinical, epidemiology and public health, and social sciences). Since 2018, an additional award has been given to a presenter in the Key Populations category.

To learn more about the awards and how to submit an application, visit: https://www.cahr-acrv.ca/conference/scholarships-awards/.

Winners:

2026
  • Basic Sciences: Teresa Bennett, University of Toronto
  • Clinical Sciences: Tetiana Povshedna, University of British Columbia
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Aki Gormezano, University of Northern British Columbia
  • Social Sciences: Asya Gunduz, York University
  • Key Populations: Rhiannon Owen, University of British Columbia
2025
  • Basic Sciences: Celene Titus, University of Toronto
  • Clinical Sciences: Monika M. Kowatsch, University of British Columbia
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Tanya Lazor, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health / CTN+
  • Social Sciences: Maureen Owino, York University
  • Key Populations: Candace Neumann, University of Manitoba
2024
  • Basic Sciences: Aniqa Shahid, Simon Fraser University
  • Clinical Sciences: Lane Buchanan, Western University
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Mariam El Sheikh, McGill University
  • Social Sciences: Alexander McClelland, Carleton University
  • Key Populations: Shira Taylor, York University
2023
  • Basic Sciences: Jonathan Dias, Université de Montréal / CR-CHUM
  • Clinical Sciences: Kelly Mathews, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Megan Sorokopud-Jones, University of Manitoba
  • Social Sciences: Tyrone Curtis, University of Victoria
  • Key Populations: Nance Cunningham, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
2022
  • Basic Sciences: Julien Clain, Université Laval
  • Clinical Sciences: Marie-Soleil Smith, University of British Columbia
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Catharine Chambers, University of Toronto
  • Social Sciences: Allison Kirschbaum, Ryerson University
  • Key Populations: Gillian Kolla, University of Victoria
2021
  • Basic Sciences: Jaspreet Jain, Montreal Clinical Research Institute
  • Clinical Sciences: Melissa Perri, University of Toronto
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Leigh McClarty, University of Manitoba
  • Social Sciences: Apondi Judith Odhiambo, St. Michael’s Hospital
2020
  • COVID-19 – no awards offered
2019
  • Basic Sciences: Teslin Sandstrom, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
  • Clinical Sciences: Abhinav Ajaykumar, University of British Columbia
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Denise Lambert, Kimamow Atoskanow Foundation
  • Social Sciences: Ji Hyun Choi, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
  • Key Populations: Sarah Khan, McMaster University
2018
  • Basic Sciences: Jocelyn Wessels, McMaster University
  • Clinical Sciences: Kate Salters, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Nasheed Moqueet, University of Toronto
  • Social Sciences: Rusty Souleymanov, University of Manitoba
  • Key Populations: Ayden Scheim, Western University
2017
  • Basic Sciences: Marion Pardons, Centre de recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM)
  • Clinical Sciences: Anthony Hseih, The University of British Columbia
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Nathan Lachowsky, University of Northern British Columbia
  • Social Sciences: Lori Chambers, Lakehead University
2016
  • Basic Sciences: Aida Sivro, University of Manitoba
  • Clinical Sciences: Matthew Budd, University of British Columbia
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Beth Rachlis, University of Toronto
  • Social Sciences: Elena Argento, The University of British Columbia
2015
  • Basic Sciences: Ahalya Balachandran, University of Toronto
  • Clinical Sciences: Connie Kim, University Health Network
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Carmine Rossi, McGill University and Souradet Shaw, University of Manitoba
  • Social Sciences: Sophie Patterson, Lancaster University
2014
  • Basic Sciences: Allison Land, University of Minnesota
  • Clinical Sciences: Lousie-Helene Gagnon, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Anita Benoit, University of Toronto
  • Social Sciences: Allison Carter, University of New South Wales, Sydney
2013
  • Basic Sciences: Aurelie Cleret-Buhot, CHUM – Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal
  • Clinical Sciences: Daljeet Mahal, University of British Columbia
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Carmen Logie, University of Toronto
  • Social Sciences: Tara Lyons, BC Centre for Excellence for HIV/AIDS
2012
  • Basic Sciences: Laura Ajamian, McGill University
  • Clinical Sciences: Laurence Brunet, McGill University Health Centre
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Sheetal Patel, The University of British Columbia
  • Social Sciences: Surita Parashar, St. Paul’s Hospital
2011
  • Basic Sciences: Brad Jones, Weill Cornell Medicine Graduate School of Medical Sciences and Olena Kis, University of Toronto
  • Clinical Sciences: Yoav Keynan, University of Manitoba NCCID
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Hasina Samji, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
  • Social Sciences: Eli Manning, Dalhousie University
2010
  • Basic Sciences: Alexandre Iannello, Université de Montréal
  • Clinical Sciences: Jaameeta Kruiji, University of Ottawa
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Margo Pearce, The University of British Columbia
  • Social Sciences: Tamil Kendall, The University of British Columbia
2009
  • Basic Sciences: Elliot Faller, University of Ottawa
  • Clinical Sciences: Darrell Tan, St. Michael’s Hospital
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Angela Kaida, Simon Fraser University
  • Social Sciences: Danya Fast, BC Centre on Substance Use
2008
  • Basic Sciences: Maryam Ehteshami, McGill University and Jean-Philippe Belzile, Université de Montréal
  • Clinical Sciences: Alexandra de Pokomandy, McGill University Health Centre and Travis Hottes
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Mélissa Généreu, Université de Sherbrooke and Brandon Marshall, Brown University
  • Social Sciences: not awarded
2006
  • Basic Sciences: Julius Oyugi, University of Manitoba
  • Clinical Sciences: Jason Grebely, University of British Columbia
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Mireille Plamondon, University of Sherbrooke
  • Social Sciences: Kelly O’Brien, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto
2005
  • Basic Sciences: Zhujun Ao, University of Montreal
  • Clinical Sciences: David Moore, B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Penny Tam and Tara Lohmann, Queen’s University
  • Social Sciences: Dan Allman, University of Toronto
2004
  • Basic Sciences: Rodney Russell, McGill University
  • Clinical Sciences: Jesse Raffa, University of British Columbia
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Sylvia Adebajo, University of Toronto
  • Social Sciences: Sarah Fielden, University of British Columbia
2003
  • Basic Sciences: Shehzad Iqbal, University of Manitoba
  • Clinical Sciences: Paula Braitstein, B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Cari Miller, B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and Magdalena Piaseczna, B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
  • Social Sciences: no award given
2002
  • Basic Sciences: Kelley Chambers, Ottawa Health Research Institute and Galit Alter, McGill University Health Centre
  • Clinical Sciences: Mona Loutfy, University of Toronto
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Amy Weber, B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
  • Social Sciences: Lynne Leonard, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa and Thomas Kerr, University of Victoria
2001
  • Basic Sciences: Jason Ho, University of Toronto
  • Clinical Sciences: Salima Nathoo, University of Toronto
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Nancy Risebrough, Sunnybrook and Women’s College, Toronto
  • Social Sciences: Dale De Matteo, University of Toronto
2000
  • Basic Sciences: Mohammed Hrimech, University of Montreal and Patrick Champagne, McGill University
  • Clinical Sciences: Evan Wood, B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Alisa Scalera, University of Toronto and Ann Burchell, HIV Social, Behavioural and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Toronto
  • Social Sciences: Stephanie Nixon, University of Toronto
1999
  • Basic Sciences: Benoit Barbeau, CHUL, Ste-Foy, Quebec
  • Clinical Sciences: Deborah Harris, University of Toronto
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Susan Brogly, St. Luc, Quebec
  • Social Sciences: Jacqueline Gahagan, AIDS Committee, Windsor Ont.
1998
  • Basic Sciences: Jean-Francois Fortin, Laval University
  • Clinical Sciences: Sean Rourke, Wellesley Central Hospital, Toronto
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Annie Du Four, Omega Cohort Study Group, Montreal
  • Social Sciences: Carol Strike, University of Toronto and Diane Belanger, Laval University
1997
  • Basic Sciences: Carmela de Luca, McGill AIDS Centre
  • Clinical Sciences: Steven Kravcik, Ottawa General Hospital
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Kate Heath, B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
  • Social Sciences: Karen Metcalfe, University of Windsor
1996
  • Basic Sciences: Hugo Soudeyns, Laboratoire d’Immunologie, l’Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal
  • Clinical Sciences: Shurjeel Choidhri, St. Boniface General Hospital
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Peter Cornelisse, Vancouver
  • Social Sciences: Sandra Bullock, University of Toronto
1995
  • Basic Sciences: Karen Copeland, McMaster University
  • Clinical Sciences: Marina Salvadori, University of Manitoba
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Elizabeth Rea, University of Toronto
  • Social Sciences: Dawn Mewhinney, University of Guelph
1994
  • Basic Sciences: Dorothy Bienzle, McMaster University
  • Clinical Sciences: Pierrot Harvie, Centre de recherche du centre hospitalier de l’Université Laval
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Steffanie Strathdee, B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
  • Social Sciences: Ralf Jürgens, McGill Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law
1993
  • Basic Sciences: Jacques Friborg, University of Montreal
  • Clinical Sciences: Jason Szabo, Montreal General Hospital
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Marie-Claude Boily, Laval University
  • Social Sciences: Andréa Riesch Toepell, John Howard Society of Metropolitan Toronto
1992
  • Basic Sciences: Michael Grant, University of British Columbia
  • Clinical Sciences: Brian Conway, University of Ottawa
  • Epidemiology-Public Health: Robert Hogg, B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
  • Social Sciences: Sylvie Gendron, Montreal General Hospital