$43M supports research projects in Atlantic Canada

Halifax, NS – The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is awarding a total of $43 million to ten research and development projects across Atlantic Canada through its Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF).

The projects receiving funding are highly diverse and range from technology to improve the performance of underwater sensors and new products to mitigate pest outbreaks in the forest industry, to software solutions to make fundraising campaigns more effective and new biomaterial to enhance chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Government officials say the projects announced are also expected to leverage an additional $80 million from a variety of private and public sector sources.

Projects chosen for Atlantic Innovation Fund funding in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward include the following:

Newfoundland and Labrador

Memorial University of Newfoundland (St. John’s). AIF funding will allow Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine to undertake an initiative to connect its researchers with high performance computing capacity to develop personalized medicine tools for improved healthcare delivery. AIF Amount: $3,000,000. Contact: Dr. Patrick Parfrey MD FRCP C, OC, John Lewis Paton Distinguished University Professor, Chief Scientific Officer, Translational Personalized Medicine Initiative, 709-777-7261

Memorial University of Newfoundland (St. John’s). Memorial University of Newfoundland will undertake a project to establish a Petro and Physical Imaging Laboratory to Support Energy Development involving the use of CT imaging to better study oil recovery at the laboratory scale, which will lead to improved oil recovery from east coast reservoirs. AIF Amount: $3,000,000.

New Brunswick

Forest Protection Ltd. AIF funding will allow Forest Protection Limited to develop new products and techniques to intervene early in spruce budworm outbreaks in order to mitigate pest-related impacts on forest integrity, timber supply, and industry productivity. AIF Amount: $10,000,000. Contact: Dave Davies, managing director, 506-457-8299.

Enovex Technology Limited. Through this project, Enovex Technology Ltd. will develop an adsorbent material that produces nitrogen at lower costs compared to existing products in the industrial gas market. AIF Amount: $2,319,554. Contact: Scott Walton, chief executive officer, 506-647-2715.

Nova Scotia

Capital District Health Authority (CDHA). AIF funding will allow the Capital District Health Authority to develop push-button MRI diagnostics to ultimately improve diagnostic capabilities and aid in clinical decision making to improve patient outcomes. AIF Amount: $2,959,855. Contact: Dr. Patrick McGrath, VP of Research and Innovation, 902-470-6511

ABK Biomedical Incorporated. ABK Biomedical’s project will focus on the development and commercialization of new biomaterials that will simplify and enhance the delivery of chemotherapy and radiotherapy for patients. AIF Amount: $2,140,000. Contact: Dr. Daniel Boyd, Chief Scientific Officer, 902-877-0558

Dalhousie University. This project will help to improve the performance of underwater sensors and instrumentation by developing an innovative acoustic wireless modem that performs complex signal processing. AIF Amount: $2,321,299. Contact: Stephen Hartlen, Assistant Vice President & Executive Director, Industry Liaison and Innovation, 902-494-3237.

Metamaterial Technologies Inc. With AIF funding, Metamaterial Technologies Inc’s project will develop and commercialize a thin, transparent film that can be applied to the windscreens of airplanes in order to protect against cockpit laser illuminations. AIF Amount: $3,000,000. Contact: Dr. George Palikaras, President and CEO, 902-861-3239.

Prince Edward Island

iWave. iWave will develop and commercialize a new software solution designed to provide an efficient and effective tool for prospecting and fundraising initiatives undertaken by non-profit organizations. AIF Amount: $1,994,624. Contact: Gerry Lawless, president and CEO, 902-894-3012.

Pan-Atlantic

Springboard Atlantic. With AIF funding, Springboard will continue its focus on programs and activities that help accelerate academic innovation, push technologies to market and attract industry demand for university research. AIF Amount: $8,500,000. Contact: Chris Mathis, president and CEO, 902-476-1641.