UPDATE - Canadian research shaping a healthier future on Earth and in space

Please note bullet list details have been updated

LONGUEUIL, QC, Nov. 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Science and research drive innovation and strengthen Canada's global competitiveness. For decades, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has championed scientific excellence through groundbreaking research conducted both in space and on Earth. The microgravity environment aboard the International Space Station (ISS) accelerates medical conditions commonly seen in aging and inactive populations. What could take 10 to 20 years to study on Earth can be observed in as little as six months in space.

Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, announced over $2.2 million in funding to support 16 cutting-edge research projects led by 12 Canadian institutions on the effects of spaceflight on human health. After a few months in space, astronauts may experience anemia, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, cataracts, and loss of muscle mass or bone density. These conditions mirror those affecting nearly half of Canadian adults living with chronic diseases (high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, etc.).

Funded projects will either analyze data collected during previous space-related experiments to explore new hypotheses or will conduct ground-based studies that mimic spaceflight conditions, like microgravity, isolation and confinement. Insights from these studies have the potential to transform how we understand chronic conditions that impact the everyday lives of thousands of Canadians.

Through these investments, Canada is preparing the future of human space exploration while empowering Canadian researchers to lead breakthroughs in prevailing scientific and health-related fields.

Quote

"Canada is a global leader in space medicine. These investments will advance bold, mission-driven medical research, strengthening our capacity to support human health in the harshest environments, like deep space, and on Earth, including remote regions like the Arctic. By investing in health innovation, we not only prepare astronauts for longer, more ambitious missions, but also unlock solutions to pressing medical challenges at home. This positions Canada to remain at the forefront of global scientific leadership."

The Honourable Mélanie Joly , Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

Quick facts

• The ISS provides a unique environment for studying the impact of space on the human body. Human space exploration is expected to extend to the Moon, and ultimately Mars. This will require longer periods of exposure to weightlessness and space radiation, as well as confinement and isolation in the extreme environment of space, all of which are linked to substantial health and performance risks.
• The need for increased medical autonomy is not unique to space travellers. Remote and medically isolated populations – including certain northern and Indigenous communities – experience many of the same challenges found in space.
• Institutions receiving funding to advance knowledge in fields that support long-duration human spaceflights, mitigate health risks and develop countermeasures are:
  • Bruyère Health Research Institute – Ontario: $75,000
  • McGill University – Quebec: $180,000
  • Ottawa Hospital Research Institute – Ontario: $74,700
  • Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging – Ontario: $75,000
  • Simon Fraser University – British Columbia: $224,500 (for two projects)
  • Université de Montréal – Quebec: $225,000 (for two projects)
  • Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières – Quebec: $74,475
  • University of Alberta – Alberta: $359,000 (for two projects)
  • University of British Columbia – British Columbia: $204,000
  • University of Ottawa – Ontario: $255,000 (for two projects)
  • University of Toronto – Ontario: $174,500
  • University of Waterloo – Ontario: $297,600

Links

International Space Station | Canadian Space Agency
Health in space | Canadian Space Agency
Human analogue studies to prepare for deep-space missions | Canadian Space Agency

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SOURCE Canadian Space Agency

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