Ontario steps to world stage with genomics research funding

Marseille, France – The Ontario government is providing $200,000 to the International Regulome Consortium (IRC) to help create a world-class biotechnology research consortium. Economic Development and Trade Minister Joseph Cordiano made the announcement yesterday at the European Biotechnology Crossroads Show in Marseille, France.

“Collaboration between scientists, research institutions, companies and governments will unlock new discoveries and lead to improved health and quality of life for all people,” he says. “We have had extremely productive discussions with the government of France and French researchers that will advance partnership work on this groundbreaking research.”

The IRC is an ambitious project that is being led by Canada along with scientists and institutes from eight other countries, including top researchers from Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, the UK and the US.

“The IRC is an exciting endeavor that will answer some of the most important questions in genomics research: How are our genes controlled? How are diseases caused when this control goes awry?”, says Dr Rudnicki, director of the Molecular Medicine Program at the Ottawa Health Research Institute. “The funding from the Ontario government will help the IRC begin the process of planning the project and securing funding from our international partners. We are confident that the IRC will generate new insights into the regulation of cell function that will be critical to developing new therapies and will lead to improved health benefits for society.”

The announcement is being applauded by the Ontario Genomics Institute.

“By partnering with other global leaders in this field, our scientists will be able to do work on a scale and at a pace that would otherwise be impossible. The framework of knowledge and tools developed will provide a basis for development by biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies of novel, more effective diagnostic tools and therapeutic medicines for cancer and other diseases”, says Dr Christian Burks, the organization’s newly appointed president & CEO. “Additionally, the IRC will be, as it develops, an excellent example of Ontario and Canada’s growing, strategic position as a world leader in genomics and proteomics research.”