The Canadian Society for Immunology (CSI) has named McMaster University researcher Charu Kaushic the 2026 recipient of its prestigious Bernhard Cinader Award.
The CSI's highest honour, the Cinader award acknowledges exceptional scientific leadership and significant and sustained contributions to the field of immunology.
Kaushic, a professor of Medicine at McMaster and a member of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR), is being honoured for her internationally recognized research into sexually transmitted infections (STIs), particularly those caused by HIV and the herpes simplex virus.
Her work has advanced the global understanding of how these infections interact with the immune system and has generated critical insights with important implications for women's reproductive health.
"My career has spanned fundamental immunology, animal modeling, mechanistic discovery and clinical research," says Kaushic, who is completing an eight-year term as scientific director of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity this summer.
"The throughline for all of that different work has been my interest in improving women's health."
Kaushic's recognition continues a strong track record for McMaster immunologists on the national stage. She is the second IIDR member to receive the Cinader Award in just four years, following Zhou Xing in 2023 and is the fourth McMaster professor to earn the honour, joining Xing, John Bienenstock (1992), and Jack Gauldie (1998).
That history of recognized excellence in immunology is indicative of the high-impact research underway at McMaster, Kaushic says.
"McMaster is home to some truly amazing translational immunologists," she says.
"The university's focus on real-world impact allows us to anchor our research in one simple question: How can we use immunology to make peoples' lives better? The different ways our immunologists have answered that question is inspiring."
For Kaushic, the answer lies in balancing fundamental research with community-centred studies, so that insights from the lab can better support ?and be informed by the people they are meant to benefit most. She is keenly focused on working with marginalized women, and has built close collaborative ties with African, Caribbean, and Black communities, in Canada and abroad.
She is proud that, as a fundamental immunologist, she has branched out and led important clinical studies, including a recent Phase 1 human trial on vaginal health. She anticipates that, with her CIHR appointment drawing to a close, Phase 2 trial planning will commence soon.
Kaushic is a longstanding advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion in science, and has maintained a strong commitment to mentoring young women and individuals from underrepresented groups.
She says her passion for championing change stems from her own lived experiences as a woman from India working in predominantly male environments across North America.
"For 26 years, I lived and completed my education in India, so I did not grow up as a racial minority or as someone who experienced discrimination," she says. "But coming to North America changed my perspective. I've seen how the system can treat people differently, and it has helped me embrace a responsibility for speaking up, ensuring different perspectives are heard, and making positive change."
Kaushic says being named this year's Cinader Award recipient is a deeply meaningful career achievement, but one that reflects far more than her individual research and advocacy accomplishments.
"When people find success, it's likely that they have surrounded themselves with very smart people," she says. "I'm no different. There have been so many amazing postdocs, research associates, students, staff, and collaborators over the years who have contributed to my journey. I'm so grateful to everyone who has helped shape my lab into what it is today."
Kaushic will receive the award on April 29 at the CSI's Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
