Camille Leclerc is completing his PhD in engineering at UBC Okanagan.
Antibiotics save lives, but with antibiotic resistance on the rise, traces left behind in water and food are a growing environmental concern—one that can be difficult to detect and monitor.
UBC Okanagan School of Engineering doctoral student Camille Leclerc is developing a potential solution, small enough to fit on a microchip. His research uses microfluidic systems to separate and detect individual antibiotic residues in water samples measuring only a few hundred picolitres—approximately 10,000 times smaller than a human tear.
Now, that promising work has earned Leclerc a 2026–27 Wall Research Award, one of UBC’s most prestigious graduate research awards.
Made possible through the Peter Wall Legacy Fund, the awards support outstanding UBC graduate students whose research advances sustainability in areas including urban development, water, energy, transportation infrastructure, environmental protection and resource-intensive industries.
Leclerc will receive $30,000 to support the continued development of his microfluidic system. Ultimately, the technology could help improve how pharmaceutical and other environmental pollutants are identified and monitored.
“Antibiotic resistance is rising and it’s incredibly important that we are able to detect these pollutants in our water sources,” explains Leclerc. “Current detection methods can be expensive and time intensive, requiring transporting samples and testing them off-site. My research is focusing on developing sensors that allow for testing and detecting these threats in the field, using very small samples.”
Leclerc said the Wall Research Award will provide important support as he completes his doctoral degree, while creating new opportunities for academic collaboration.
“This award brings tremendous motivation and financial support as I continue this work,” says Leclerc.
Dr. Will Hughes, Director of the School of Engineering, congratulated Leclerc on the recognition.
“Camille’s work reflects the thoughtful, solutions-focused research we are proud to see emerging from our graduate student community,” said Dr. Hughes. “This award recognizes the quality of his scholarship and the potential of his research to make an impact in an area of great importance to human health and our environment. On behalf of the School of Engineering, we proudly congratulate Camille on this well-deserved achievement.”
Originally from Tiny, Ontario, Leclerc was drawn to graduate studies in engineering at UBC Okanagan by a desire to apply and expand upon the theory he encountered during his undergraduate studies at the University of Guelph.
“I met my supervisor, Dr. Chris Collier, there and joined the Collier Research Group at UBC Okanagan to complete my graduate studies,” explains Leclerc. His research was subsequently supported through an NSERC Alliance grant.
“Congratulations to Camille on this impressive accomplishment and thank you to the Peter Wall Legacy Fund,” said Dr. Collier, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at UBC Okanagan. “Camille’s antibiotic sensors are innovative, integrating microfluidic and electronic filtering techniques, and I am continuously impressed with Camille’s dedication and contributions to this field of research.”
The Wall Research Awards support graduate research connected to sustainable development and environmental protection in British Columbia, with potential applications across Canada and internationally. The awards are intended to help recipients focus on their research and complete their degrees.
Read about other UBC Wall Research Award 2026 awardees.