2026-08-30 from digitaljournal.com

Canada’s next generation of microbiologists and immunologists are already helping to shape the future of medicine, public health and food production. Three young researchers, Krithika Muthuraman, Salma Sheikh-Mohamed and Maxine Ty, have been recognised as recipients of the 2026 EPIC Future Leaders Prize for doctoral research that addresses some of the most pressing biological challenges facing society.

Awarded annually by the University of Toronto’s Emerging and Pandemic Infections Consortium (EPIC), the prizes recognise exceptional PhD graduates whose work advances infectious disease research and demonstrates the potential for significant societal impact. The 2026 awards highlighted research spanning antibody engineering, vaccine immunity and microbiome science. Collectively, the projects point toward a future of more effective treatments, better pandemic preparedness, safer food systems and reduced dependence on antibiotics. 

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