Please join me in congratulating Dr. Linda Horianopoulos for winning a 2026 Banting Discovery Award.

The Banting Discovery Foundation provides feasibility and pilot grants that help early-career scientists establish their independence and launch their research programs. These funds support the day-to-day realities of running a research program—from hiring trainees to acquiring essential equipment—empowering researchers to pursue bold ideas that push the boundaries of health and biomedical science.

Harmful yeast strains can cause serious infections, yet treatment options remain limited. Dr. Horianopoulos studies the genetics of these fungi to better understand how they cause disease. Using insights from the body’s natural defenses, she is working toward developing improved antifungal treatments. Dr. Horianopoulos brings her work home and into the kitchen, using safe strains of yeast to bake bread and pizza dough.

Left to Right: Laura Delage, Dr. Horianopoulos, Sarah Lapolla