Gairdner Science Week 2026 Brings World-Leading Scientists to Toronto for Free Public Lectures
TORONTO, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- From October 19 to 23, the Gairdner Foundation presents Gairdner Science Week 2026, bringing together scientists, students, healthcare professionals and the public to celebrate the 2026 Canada Gairdner Award laureates and explore discoveries advancing biomedical research and global health.
This year's award-winning research includes breakthroughs in visualizing molecular structures inside cells, the development of treatments for amyloid disease, establishing the foundations of modern systems proteomics, the development of oral cholera vaccines, new approaches to combating antibiotic-resistant infections, and restoring blood pressure control after spinal cord injury.
Held in Toronto and streamed online, Gairdner Science Week features lectures, symposia and public discussions that connect Canadians with leading scientists and the research addressing some of today's most pressing health challenges. The annual event builds on the Gairdner Foundation's longstanding commitment to recognizing scientific excellence and sharing the discoveries behind it with audiences across Canada and around the world.
"Gairdner Science Week is an opportunity to bring the world's leading scientists together in cities across Canada and open conversations about the discoveries shaping human health. By sharing their work with audiences in Canada and around the world, we help make cutting-edge science more accessible and give students, researchers and the public a chance to engage directly with the people advancing it."
- Dr. Morag Park, President & Scientific Director of the Gairdner Foundation.
"I started attending Gairdner Science Week as a graduate student, and it has been a source of inspiration throughout my career. To now be recognized as a Peter Gilgan Canada Gairdner Momentum Award laureate is an incredible honour."
-Dr. Karen Maxwell, 2026 Peter Gilgan Canada Gairdner Momentum Award laureate
Program Highlights
- Laureate Lectures (Oct 21): The public's opportunity to hear directly from 2026 Gairdner Award recipients about their scientific journeys and transformative discoveries.
- After the Gairdner Award—Where Next? (Oct 22): 2026 Gairdner Laureates and leading researchers explore how breakthrough discoveries evolve into transformative therapies and shape the future of medicine
- Research and Response: Lessons for the future (Oct 22): 2026 Gairdner Laureates and leading researchers explore the challenges of urgent health crises, building capacity for research and production, and the emerging threats facing the next generation of researchers.
- Women of Gairdner Panel (Oct 22): A powerful dialogue on equity and leadership in science featuring prominent women in biomedical research.
- Student & Early Career Programming: Includes a dedicated Lunch with Laureates and outreach across Canadian universities.
The week concludes with the Canada Gairdner Awards Gala, hosted by Anthony Morgan of The Nature of Things. The evening will honour the 2026 laureates and their significant contributions to biomedical research and global health.
Most events are free to attend and open to the public, with in-person and virtual options available. Full schedule and registration: https://bit.ly/GSW2026-EN
About the Gairdner Foundation
The mission of the Gairdner Foundation is to celebrate, inform, and inspire scientific excellence around the globe.
Established in 1957, the Gairdner Foundation is dedicated to fulfilling James A. Gairdner's vision to recognize major research contributions to the treatment of disease and alleviation of human suffering. Through the prestigious annual Canada Gairdner Awards, the Foundation celebrates the world's most creative and accomplished researchers whose work is improving the health and wellbeing of people around the world. Since its inception, 443 awards have been bestowed on laureates from over 40 countries, and of those awardees, 105 have gone on to receive Nobel Prizes.
The Gairdner Foundation brings people together to openly discuss science in order to better engage the public, understand the problems we face, and work together to find solutions. Through Gairdner Connects, our national outreach program, we bring science to communities across Canada to inspire future innovators and spark public dialogue about the role of research in addressing the world's most pressing health challenges.
SOURCE Gairdner Foundation
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