Caitlin Maikawa wins John Charles Polanyi Prize

Assistant Professor Caitlin Maikawa of the University of Toronto’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) has been awarded the 2024 John Charles Polanyi Prize in Chemistry, recognizing her innovative research into biomaterials that could transform the way chronic diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are monitored and managed.

Maikawa was one of five early-career researchers across Ontario to receive the award, which honours outstanding researchers who are building on the work of Nobel Laureate John C. Polanyi. The recipients were recognized during a ceremony held at Queen’s Park on June 10, 2025.

An alumna of U of T’s Chemical Engineering program, Maikawa earned her PhD at Stanford University under Professor Eric Appel, where she developed advanced insulin formulations aimed at achieving autonomous insulin delivery. Her work sought to improve global access to insulin therapies, particularly in resource-limited regions. She later completed postdoctoral training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where she collaborated with Professors Jeffrey Karp and Yuhan Lee on biologically derived materials for inflammation tracking technologies.

Since joining BME in July 2023, Maikawa has launched an independent research program focused on developing next-generation biomaterials for personalized, at-home health monitoring. Her team is exploring ways to use responsive polymers that interact with inflammation-related molecules to signal changes in disease activity.

Current IBD monitoring often relies on stool-based tests, which are inconvenient and lead to low patient compliance. Maikawa’s research proposes an alternative: swallowable or orally administered devices containing polymer materials that dissolve in the presence of inflammation biomarkers, releasing a visible signal such as a colour change. These systems could offer a user-friendly and non-invasive way for patients and clinicians to catch flare-ups early and adjust treatment accordingly.

Her work has been published in leading scientific journals, including Science Translational Medicine, Nature Biomedical Engineering and Advanced Science. In addition to the Polanyi Prize, Maikawa has received a string of competitive research grants over the past year, including an NSERC Discovery Grant, the Connaught New Researcher Fund, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund, and the 2024–2026 XSeed Grant.

The John Charles Polanyi Prizes are awarded annually by the Government of Ontario to support outstanding researchers in the early stages of their careers in the fields of chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, literature, and economic science.