Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Honoree
2026
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences
McMaster University
Dr. Jonathan Stokes is reinventing how medicines are discovered. An Assistant Professor at McMaster University, he leads the Stokes Lab, where he uses AI to discover antibiotics that human scientists could never have found in time. His team has used leading-edge machine learning to discover new antibiotics against the world’s deadliest bacterial pathogens, and pioneered SyntheMol, a generative AI engine that designs never-before-seen antibiotics from scratch, earning a New York Times Good Tech Award. As antibiotic resistance threatens to kill millions, Jon has become a leading voice on the frontline.
His breakthroughs have been featured by the BBC, CNN, CBC, and The New York Times, and he is a sought-after expert helping the world understand how AI will transform medicine. As a biotech co-founder in addition to his role as a university professor, Jon is working to ensure that his discoveries get to patients, improving health on a global scale.
Please note: Company names and biographical information here may reflect the role and activity held at the time of receiving the award.
