$17M supports five genomic application projects

Victoria, BC – Five projects are being awarded a total of $16.9 million under Round 5 of Genome Canada’s Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP). The total includes $5.3 million through Genome Canada, and the remaining $11.6 million is being provided by partners including provinces, private and public sector organizations.

Dr. Casey Hubert, from the University of Calgary, is working with the Nova Scotia Department of Energy to de-risk offshore oil and gas exploration in the province using innovative genomic approaches.

Dr. Christoph Borchers from the University of Victoria and Dr. Gerald Batist from McGill University, are working with the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to validate new technology that will help healthcare professionals match the right cancer treatment to the right patient.

Dr. Charles Goulet from Université Laval, is working with Vineland Research and Innovation Centre to use variation in aroma-related genes to develop more flavourful tomatoes.

Dr. Elizabeth Edwards from the University of Toronto, is working with SiREM to use specific microbes to accelerate the rate of biodegradation and enable less expensive cleanup of contaminated industrial sites.

Dr. Xiao-Yan Wen from St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, is working with Edge Therapeutics Inc. the develop the best drugs for preventing intracerebral hemorrhage – a form of brain hemorrhage responsible for 10 per cent of all strokes.

GAPP partners academic researchers with users in the private and public sectors to promote genomics-derived solutions to address challenges or opportunities facing users. In addition, through a Genome Canada and Mitacs partnership, GAPP supports training the next generation of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Several of the projects here involve research internships, which will prepare Canada’s next entrepreneurs through hands-on experience.

“Genomics is a powerful enabling technology that cuts-across many sectors that are of critical importance to Canada as these projects illustrate,” said Marc LePage, president and CEO, Genome Canada. “Congratulations to the new teams, whose work has the potential to transform industries and create social and economic benefits for Canadians.”