September 15, 2011  -- David Sweet, M.P. for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, today announced the three recipients of the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships at McMaster University. This announcement is in line with the Government of Canada’s commitment to making our country a global centre of excellence in research, innovation and higher learning. These awards are given to top post-doctoral researchers from across the country and around the globe whose work contributes to Canada’s economic and social growth.

“Research powers Canada’s economy,” said MP David Sweet “Our government’s investment in research excellence and leadership through the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships is helping to develop, attract and retain the world’s top researchers, who will make substantial contributions to Canada’s long-term prosperity and quality of life.

“From a local perspective, this is yet another demonstration of the world-class research and researchers we have here at McMaster University,” added MP Sweet.

The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships ensure that Canadian post-doctoral researchers can succeed at home and abroad. Announced by Prime Minister Harper in July 2010, the five-year, $45‑million program will award 70 new fellowships each year, each valued at $70,000 annually for two years. The program builds on the success of the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program, the Canada Research Chairs program and the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program.

The funding is delivered through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. The fellowships are named in memory of Sir Frederick Banting, the Canadian physician, researcher, Nobel laureate and war hero who, together with his assistant Dr. Charles Best, is credited with the discovery of insulin.

“This program is allowing Canadian research institutions to attract elite researchers from across the country and around the world,” said Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, on behalf of the three federal research granting agencies. “The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships help make Canada a destination of choice for the world’s top post-doctoral researchers.”

Two of the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship recipients at McMaster will receive grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. These include Morgan Fullerton’s research into the role of Macrophage AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in regulating obesity induced-inflammation, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis and the work Meredith Lilly is doing to address research gaps in the labour supply of family/friend caregivers, including the long-term impacts, the formal/informal care trade-off, care setting, and statistical endogeneity.

The third McMaster recipient is Amelia DeFalco whose work is being recognized for this Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship under the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. DeFalco’s research is in imaging care through responsibility, dependency and subjectivity in Canadian literature.

Highly qualified post-doctoral fellows are in increasing demand at Canadian universities. The internationally competitive level of funding offered through the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships will help ensure that Canadian institutions can attract the best talent from abroad. Canadian recipients will be eligible to travel to a foreign research institution for their post-doctoral placements, helping them establish global networks early in their career and raise awareness of Canadian research excellence.