About Us

The 2019 Gairdner Symposium

The Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery at McMaster University are committed to playing an integral part in eliminating the global threat of AMR to human health. Hosting the 2019 Canada Gairdner Foundation / Ontario International Symposium will provide both McMaster University and researchers across the globe with an exceptional opportunity to highlight the continued leadership in this area. The overarching vision of this Symposium is to bring together world-class leaders in bioscience innovation to both discuss the global challenge of the AMR crisis and to showcase the recent global advances in antimicrobial research and discovery.

The Gairdner Foundation

The Gairdner Foundation was established in 1957 with the main goal of recognizing and rewarding international excellence in fundamental research that impacts human health. 
Each year, the Gairdner Foundation invites Ontario Universities, Organizations and Research Institutes to submit proposals to host a partnered international symposium on the frontiers of biomedicine to be held in 2019. Drawing on the Canada Gairdner Awards’ history of recognizing the best in biomedical science, these symposia bring experts from across the world, along with leading Canadian researchers, to present on the state of their field to an audience of students, faculty, and health and science professionals. This year, the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery at McMaster University was honoured to have been selected to host a 2019 symposium entitled “Fuelling the Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance: Global Innovations in Research & Discovery”.

The Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research

The Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR) at McMaster University is a world-leading Center of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and infectious disease research. Through collaborative research that spans the lab and the clinic and using state-of- the-art technology and laboratory facilities, our 31 investigators and over 200 trainees engage in research within and across many scientific disciplines. Our multidisciplinary teams develop novel approaches to speed the discovery of new antibiotics and therapies, track and characterize resistance before it emerges in the clinic, and advance the next generation of antimicrobial strategies for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of drug-resistant infections. Since its inception in 2007, the IIDR has built an international reputation as an institute synonymous with commitment and innovation, having published in top scientific journals, invented novel technologies, and developed multiple spinout companies in the areas of drug discovery, genomics, and bioinformatics. With the vision of eliminating the threat of the global AMR crisis, the IIDR’s mission is to transform scientific discoveries into meaningful solutions that will improve the health and well-being of our global community.

The David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery

Successfully addressing the global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis requires a creative, strategic, and multifaceted approach. Through the generous support of our dedicated donors, partners, and governments, The David Braley Centre for Antibiotic Discovery will provide McMaster University’s team of distinguished scientists with the unique opportunity to translate insight into real impact. The vision of this centre is to discover and develop meaningful solutions that help eliminate the threat of AMR to Ontarians, Canadians, and individuals across the globe.