Congratulations to Dr. Zachary Pennington, an Assistant Professor in UBC’s Department of Psychology and researcher at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, who is the recipient of the 2026 William & Nona Heaslip–Banting Discovery Award.
This award recognizes outstanding early-career scientists at Canadian universities and research institutes whose innovative health and biomedical research has the potential to improve lives. By providing critical support at an important stage in their careers, the award helps recipients advance research that could lead to transformative discoveries and future health breakthroughs.
Dr. Pennington received this award for his work analyzing the brain’s emotion‑related circuits.
“I am tremendously grateful to the Banting Discovery Foundation for their support. This award will be instrumental in allowing my lab to take its first steps towards better understanding the cells in the brain that regulate anxiety and fear,” says Dr. Pennington. “The whole lab is very excited to begin this work.”
Dr. Pennington is currently studying newly discovered types of cells in the hypothalamus – a part of the brain that helps keep the body in balance – to see whether they could lead to new treatments for anxiety and post‑traumatic stress. He will use this support towards his research to identify novel treatment targets for anxiety disorders.
Anxiety disorders are common and debilitating conditions for which improved treatments are greatly needed,” he notes. “The research supported by this award will begin to identify how different cell types in a region of the brain called the hypothalamus regulate fear and anxiety. The long-term goal is to identify novel treatment targets for anxiety disorders.
The Banting Discovery Foundation provides feasibility and pilot grants that help early-career scientists establish their independence and launch their research programs. These funds support the day-to-day realities of running a research program—from hiring trainees to acquiring essential equipment—empowering researchers to pursue bold ideas that push the boundaries of health and biomedical science.
