University of Manitoba Unveils 2022 Highlights, $102M in New Chairs

When University of Manitoba published its 2022 research roundup, the headlines read like a who’s‑who of Canadian science and Indigenous scholarship.

Based in Winnipeg, the public‑research university bundled more than 80 research chairs, hefty international grants, and a suite of partnerships that together signal a decisive shift toward community‑focused innovation.

Here’s the thing: the list isn’t just a brag sheet. It shows how a mid‑size institution can leverage federal dollars, private foundations, and Indigenous knowledge to punch well above its weight on the global stage.

Funding Milestones: $102 M for Canada Research Chairs and an $87 M Gates Grant

On March 14, 2022, The Honourable François‑Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced more than $102 million for new and renewed Canada Research Chairs across the country. Seven of those chairs landed at the University of Manitoba:

• Lori Wilkinson – Tier 1 (Indigenous health)
• Marcelo Urquia – Tier 2 renewal (Molecular genetics)
• Robert Lorway – Tier 2 renewal (Neuroscience)
• Jason Kindrachuk – Tier 2 renewal (Infectious diseases)
• Kristina Brown – Tier 2 (Environmental chemistry)
• Heather Armstrong – Tier 2 (Renewable energy)
• Zahra Moussavi – Tier 1 (Data science)

The chairs are slated to draw an additional $31 million in research operating funds over the next five years, a boon for graduate training and equipment upgrades.

Meanwhile, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation poured $87 million USD into a five‑year partnership to improve maternal and newborn health in India. Lead investigators from the University’s Global Public Health group will pilot digital surveillance tools and low‑cost interventions in rural clinics, aiming to cut neonatal mortality by 15 % by 2027.

Indigenous‑Led Research: NCTR‑SSHRC Collaboration and Mastercard Foundation Support

One of the most striking entries on the list was the partnership between the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Announced in July 2022, the collaboration funds Indigenous scholars to study residential‑school legacies, with NCTR providing archival access and SSHRC underwriting graduate fellowships.

Dr. Catherine Cook, vice‑president (Indigenous) at the University, described the parallel Mastercard Foundation partnership as “a game‑changer for Indigenous youth.” The $30 million, multi‑year commitment will co‑design curricula that reflect Indigenous identities, a move that had previously been limited to isolated pilot programs.

These initiatives have already yielded tangible outcomes: a pilot language‑immersion program at the University’s Faculty of Arts reported a 23 % increase in student‑reported cultural confidence, and a community‑driven oral‑history project collected over 1,200 narratives from residential‑school survivors.

Boosting the Local Innovation Ecosystem: Mitacs Internships and Tick‑Test Research

Research Manitoba’s 2021‑2022 report highlighted a three‑fold surge in Mitacs internships – more than 1,300 placements across 226 projects. The University’s share accounted for roughly $3.8 million in provincial funding, which was leveraged into $21.5 million of private‑sector investment.

Interns worked in biosciences (347 projects), advanced manufacturing (100), ICT (78), and transportation (32). A staggering 95 % of participants would recommend Mitacs, and every partner organization praised the program’s impact on product development cycles.

On the agricultural front, researchers Dr. Dergousoff and Dr. Rochon are racing to commercialise a “chute‑side rapid test” for Anaplasma marginale – a cattle blood‑borne bacterium. Fieldwork involved dragging a white flannel across pastures in Manitoba and south‑central British Columbia, a low‑tech method that could soon translate into a user‑friendly kit for farmers. The duo hopes to have a prototype in hand by 2025.

Academic Excellence and Recognition

According to the Nature Index, the University’s Clinical Sciences department led with 25 publications and a 2.90 share of the institution’s output, followed by Inorganic Chemistry and Environmental Management. Meanwhile, Maclean’s 2022 Student Satisfaction Survey placed the University second among 15 doctoral schools for mental‑health services, third for sexual‑assault prevention, and third for Indigenous visibility.

Anne Lindsay’s 2022 Distinguished Dissertation Award for her work on slavery in Canada’s fur‑trade era sparked campus‑wide conversations about historical accountability, reinforcing the University’s commitment to socially relevant scholarship.

Future Outlook: Scaling Up Impact

Looking ahead, the University plans to expand its Indigenous research network, targeting 15 new community‑based projects by 2026. The Gates‑funded maternal‑health program will roll out a mobile‑data platform across three additional Indian states next year.

On the innovation side, the Mitacs pipeline is set to double again, with a new focus on clean‑tech spin‑outs. And if Dergousoff’s tick test reaches commercial readiness, Manitoba’s cattle industry could shave weeks off disease‑diagnosis times, bolstering export competitiveness.

All told, 2022 was a watershed year that turned research dollars into concrete community benefits, while positioning the University of Manitoba as a hub where Indigenous knowledge, global health, and cutting‑edge science intersect.

Key Facts

• Seven Canada Research Chairs funded for $102 M (announced March 2022).
• $87 M Gates Foundation grant for maternal‑newborn health in India.
• NCTR‑SSHRC partnership supports Indigenous‑led reconciliation research.
• Mastercard Foundation commits $30 M to Indigenous education transformation.
• Over 1,300 Mitacs internships generated $21.5 M private‑sector investment.