Sponsored by the CIC Analytical Chemistry Division
The Fred Beamish Award is presented to an individual who demonstrates innovation in research in the field of analytical chemistry, where the research is anticipated to have significant potential for practical applications.
View the Terms of Reference and list of Past Winners
The 2026 winner of the Fred Beamish Award is:
Sara Mahshid, MCIC
McGill University
Dr. Mahshid is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering at McGill University, a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair, and an associate member of the Division of Experimental Medicine and various interdisciplinary initiatives, including the AMR Center and MI4. She has developed groundbreaking nano-biosensing diagnostic devices that integrate nanomaterials based sensing, microfluidics and artificial intelligence. Her work has revealed the untapped potential of nanomaterials to amplify detection signals of disease-driving biomolecules in complex media such as blood. These nanostructures enable real-time measurement of electrical or optical signal changes using low-cost handheld analytical instruments, creating new opportunities for point-of-need applications. With several patents, over 70 high-impact publications in top-tier journals, and leadership roles in international networks, she is at the forefront of translating fundamental research into bedside applications for cancer and infectious diseases. Her honors include the Pfizer-MI4 Early Career Investigator Award, the PerkinElmer Analytical Sciences and Spectroscopy Award and membership of the Royal Society of Canada- College of New Scholars.