Wood-boring beetles, bacteria division and the effects of disease on our genetic systems were all featured in a $1.2 million funding announcement for research grants Thursday, awarded to eight Ottawa projects.

The scientists behind each project will each receive Ontario Early Researcher awards, given to researchers at the dawn of their respective careers. Sixty-six researchers across Ontario received the awards for a total of $9.24 million.

Researchers include:

Jamie Brehaut at the Ottawa Health Research Institute, who will use new research knowledge from psychological studies to improve how patients and practitioners make health-care decisions.

Natalie Kazumi Goto at the University of Ottawa, who will study how bacteria divide to help in the development of new, more powerful antibiotics.

Mads Kaern, at the University of Ottawa, who will identify how disease affects our genetic systems so that new treatments can be developed to create better patient outcomes and ensure healthy gene function.

Hanan Anis, who is developing imaging technology to allow real-time scoping of deep human tissue.

John E. Lewis, who's examining brain sensory systems and how they encode information.

Robert Joseph Smith, who is developing new ways of studying the impact of the human papillomavirus vaccine.

Dr. Ramesh Balasubramaniam, who has recently migrated from the University of Ottawa to McMaster University, who is trying to understand the relationship between the brain and various movement disorders.

Dr. Jayne Elizabeth Yack, at Carleton University, who is exploring how wood-boring beetles use sounds and vibrations in an effort to improve pest management strategies and help protect forests and urban landscapes throughout North America.