Fundamental Discovery Week
Celebrating the groundwork of innovation
May 12 - May 18
Welcome to Fundamental Discovery Week – a celebration of curiosity, exploration, and the pursuit of knowledge. From May 12 - May 18 we pay tribute to the foundational research that propels us towards a brighter future. This week-long initiative is dedicated to recognizing the invaluable contributions of basic science to society. From unravelling the secrets of the cosmos to deciphering the complexities of the microscopic world, basic science forms the base upon which all other branches of research grow.
What is basic science?
Basic science research—often called fundamental or bench research—provides the foundation of knowledge for the applied science that follows. It includes activities like the discovery and analysis of single genes or genetic markers of diseases, biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, and more. Through the discoveries made in basic science, researchers are able to understand causes and treatments more effectively.
Why celebrate basic science?
Basic science lays the groundwork for transformative breakthroughs in every field imaginable – from medicine and technology to environmental science and beyond. By fostering a deeper understanding of the natural world, fundamental research fuels innovation, inspires creativity, and drives progress.
Featured
Yipp Lab
The Yipp Lab actively investigates a broad spectrum of lung infections including viral, bacterial and fungal, and the broad mechanisms that dictate host resistance,susceptibility and immunopathology. They are particularly fascinated by the crosstalk between myeloid (neutrophils) and lymphoid cells (B cells) and between neuronal circuits, pain pathways and immunity.
View the feature on Dr. Bryan Yipp
View the lab feature (Bella, Grace, Carlos)
View the lab feature (Angela, Luke, Idaira)
Cone Lab
The Cone Lab is a group of systems and computational neuroscientists. They are broadly interested in understanding how neuronal activity in sensory brain areas is decoded by the brain to generate perception and guide our interactions with the world.
Dr. Milène Vandal, PhD
Milène Vandal, postdoctoral researcher at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, explores the role of the CD2AP protein in brain blood flow and its connection to Alzheimer’s disease.
Anamika Choudhary
Anamika Choudhary is a PhD candidate in Neuroscience at the University of Calgary, supervised by Morris Scantlebury and Cezar Gavrilovici. Her passion for neuroscience is rooted in lived experience, fueling more than just research papers.
See her feature
Dr. Jing Zheng, PhD
Jing Zheng is a postdoctoral fellow at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute. His research investigates how prenatal exposures, like BPA and maternal gut microbiome imbalances, shape early brain development and behaviour.
Help us shine a spotlight on the importance of basic science by sharing your experiences, insights, and enthusiasm on social media using #FundamentalDiscoveryWeek. Together, let's celebrate the unsung heroes of research and inspire future generations to pursue their curiosity fearlessly.
Follow HBI @hotchkiss.brain to see features all week long!