McMaster professor recognized as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40

A McMaster researcher and entrepreneur has been named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 for 2026.

It’s one of the country’s most prestigious recognitions for emerging business leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs.

Jon Stokes is an assistant professor in McMaster’s Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences.

The Hamilton native is also the founder of a Hamilton-based biotechnology start-up called, Stoked Bio.

Stokes’ research uses AI to discover new antibiotics and combat antimicrobial resistance.

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He says technology has made the process much faster and cheaper.

“This past long weekend, we have an AI model access chemicals in the computer predict which ones might or might not be antibacterial,” Stokes says.

“What the computer was able to access in four days, would’ve taken a human experientialist and graduate student 60 years to do.”

Stokes says discovering an antibacterial molecule is just the first step. Researchers still need to do a lot of experimental work, before they can invent a novel antibiotic that’s safe for humans.

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