Research with societal impact

Sara Imani’s research focuses on developing a long-lasting antimicrobial coating for high-touch surfaces in hospitals and public spaces. Applied like paint, the coating forms a thin, nearly invisible film that continuously inactivates pathogens, including drug-resistant bacteria such as MRSA.

While top Google results for microneedle patches point to acne treatments and anti-aging solutions, researchers at McMaster University are proving that these tiny tools can be more than skin-deep. They see an opportunity to transform food safety and sustainability. 

Postdoctoral fellow Timothy Warner’s journey from Melbourne to McMaster began with a shared research interest, leading to diverse projects in chemical engineering.

Engineering professors and students have developed biodegradable seaweed-based tablets to make menstrual cups cleaner and more accessible, reducing its stigma and potentially detecting infections.

Postdoctoral fellow Julia Rosén recently created the RoboConsent Framework, which supports more user-centered, transparent and ethically robust consent processes.

Materials Engineering student Arianna Santos is conducting Canada’s first research on surrogate TRISO nuclear fuel, advancing clean energy innovation through work at the McMaster Nuclear Reactor and CANS facility.

The new agreement will allow researchers at both universities to access 13 leading research facilities, creating a more connected, collaborative, and resilient research ecosystem.

Professor and founder Ali Emadi has been renewed as Canada Research Chair in Transportation Electrification and Smart Mobility (Tier 1).

A team led by Tohid Didar and Zeinab Hosseinidoust have designed a product to complement an existing menstrual cup that is safer, easier to use and more environmentally sustainable than current options.

Eleven McMaster researchers, including three Engineering professors, have been awarded funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to advance their work in health and disease, autonomous vehicles and steel research.

Delina Mekonnen, a third-year Computer Engineering & Management student, is making waves with her research on using AI to advance the detection of ovarian cancer.

In the Higgins Lab at McMaster University, a team of researchers are tackling one of the planet’s most pressing challenges: how to turn harmful carbon dioxide (CO₂) into something useful; and do it affordably.