Project links cell biology research to industrial technology centre

Winnipeg, MB – Newly announced funding for advanced visualization technology is aimed at improving biomedical research in Manitoba by creating three-dimensional virtual images of cell structures.

The project, supported by $125,000 in funding from Manitoba’s government, will provide a link from the province’s Industrial Technology Centre’s Virtual Reality Centre with cell biology researchers and the international research community. This will partner laboratory researchers at the Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology with advanced visualization and imaging techniques, reducing the cost of medical research and expanding research capabilities.

“This pilot project is great news for researchers at the Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology,” says Dr Joanne Keselman, vice-president, research, at the University of Manitoba. “The Virtual Reality Centre is a powerful investigative tool and remote access to its advanced visualization capabilities will be a very welcome addition to the institute’s research programs.”

The Institute of Cell Biology is a joint institute of the University of Manitoba and CancerCare Manitoba. Supported by $125,000 from the Manitoba Innovation Fund, the pilot project will increase the volume and speed of data manipulation to develop and display three-dimensional cell data remotely at the VRC.

The centre provides opportunities to analyze and test multi-faceted environments and products before they are created. The Virtual Reality Centre works with clients including Manitoba Hydro, the Manitoba Floodway Authority and local manufacturers.