The Honourable David L. Emerson, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Genome Canada, and Dr. Cal Stiller, Chairman of the Board of Genome Canada, today announced 33 new genomics and proteomics research projects totalling $346 million. Of this, $167.2 million is provided by Genome Canada and $179.3 million by Canadian and international partners.

“These large-scale projects have tremendous potential to improve the health of Canadians and build the competitiveness and prosperity of the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sectors of our economy,” said Minister Emerson. “Today's funding announcement reinforces the important scientific advances that can be achieved for all Canadians and indeed the world through Genome Canada’s funding model. Stretching government dollars through collaborations with other governments and partners maximizes our research capacity.”

The projects announced today will ensure Canada’s leadership in aquaculture and forestry research, bolstering the economic strength of these sectors. They will also provide Canada with new ways to fight against infectious diseases, including a nanotechnology-based system to diagnose infectious agents within minutes and at the location of the health care provider.

“All 33 projects were reviewed by an international panel of scientific experts and all of them were rigorously evaluated for scientific excellence,” said Dr. Stiller. “The willingness of international experts to devote considerable time to reviewing the proposals speaks to the high regard in which Canadian genomics and proteomics researchers are held throughout the world.”

With up to 50 per cent of project funding being provided by the Government of Canada, the remaining funds are leveraged from various sectors. More than 80 per cent of leveraged funds are raised from the public sector in Canada, while another nine per cent comes from international public and private sector partners. Overall private-sector contributions amount to 11 per cent in this competition. Given the scale of the projects being funded, Genome Canada has put in place a set of rigorous principles governing the accountability of funds provided by the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Sound management practices are built into each project team.

All projects will take place at research institutions across Canada. Manitoba’s first funded project, conducted by Dr. Geoff Hicks, Senior Investigator at the Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology, a joint institute between CancerCare Manitoba and the University of Manitoba, together with Dr. Janet Rossant of The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, will allow researchers throughout the world to address the exact role of genetic changes in the development of specific diseases.

“We congratulate the team at the Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology who conduct cutting-edge research that has the potential to save the lives of people throughout the world,” said Dave Chomiak, Minister of Energy Science and Technology for the province of Manitoba. “We applaud Genome Canada for recognizing the excellence of this work by investing in made-in-Manitoba research and will provide additional support to this project and additional initiatives by providing $960,000 in provincial funding to the Manitoba Centre for Mammalian Functional Genomics.”

Researchers John Mackay and Jean Bousquet of Université Laval will identify genes linked to the growth and yield of spruce trees in order to generate tools and protocols to select high-performance trees with better-quality wood, resulting in social, ecological and economic benefits for the Canadian forest product industry.

Today’s announcement also highlighted other projects being funded across Canada that will bring benefits to various sectors, including:
· efforts to improve cod aquaculture in the Atlantic provinces;
· an examination of the socio-ethical and legal aspects of genomics and public health;
· identifying novel traits in spruce trees to enhance their pest resistance and ability to adapt to changing climate.

Complete list of the 33 projects funded in this competition:
http://www.genomecanada.ca/GCprogrammesRecherche/projets/index.asp?lst=co&dis=c3&l=e

AG-RELATED PROJECTS

Use of Genomic Tools for Crop Improvements in Temperate Climates  
 

University of Saskatchewan	D. Brian Fowler

The total value of this project, as approved by the Board of Directors of Genome Canada, is:	$ 6,024,564
Genome Canada's maximum total contribution for this project is:	$ 3,012,282

Canada has long been one of the world's leading grain producers, despite its relatively short growing season. Harsh winters and cool summers can lead to devastating crop losses. A key to maintaining and improving Canada's competitive position lies in crop improvement, a field of research that increasingly uses genomic approaches to identify genetic factors involved in the climatic adaptation of particular crops.

Dr. D. B. Fowler, a researcher on crop development at the University of Saskatchewan, is principal investigator of Use of Genomic Tools for Crop Improvements in Temperate Climates.

The project will focus on three economically important crops - wheat, barley and rye. Drawing on extensive genetic data and tools within the wheat and barley species and close relatives, the research team will seek to better understand the low-temperature responses of these crops. Rye is the most low-temperature tolerant winter cereal and provides a natural candidate for gene identification, characterization and exploitation.

The team expects to improve our understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying low-temperature responses opening the way to more effective crop development for a wide range of species.. The immediate goal of the project is to learn from the low-temperature adaptation of hardy species like rye in order to reduce the production risks of more commercially important crops like wheat and barley.

Research findings will be broadly disseminated, which in turn will give rise to technology transfer opportunities. Benefits are anticipated in several different areas. For example, robust crops better able to withstand low temperatures will lead to development of more sustainable and environmentally friendly production systems. It will take less herbicides and energy to grow crops that are more cold resistant. Crop moisture will be utilized more efficiently and productivity will be improved as well.
 

Designing Oilseeds for Tomorrow’s Markets 
 

University of Alberta	Randall Weselake
NRC Plant Biotechnology Institute	Wilf Keller

The total value of this project, as approved by the Board of Directors of Genome Canada, is:	$ 13,414,541
Genome Canada's maximum total contribution for this project is:	$ 5,241,929

Canola is a Canadian invention. Along with closely related crops such as condiment mustard, this nutritionally superior oilseed accounts for $2.5 billion of economic activity, and is found in 70% of all Canadian vegetable oil products, from salad oil to mayonnaise and margarine. But canola is something more: a crop low in saturated fats that is healthy for human and animal consumption, a source of meal for animal feed applications and can be used for a wide range of environmentally friendly industrial applications.

Dr. Randall J. Weselake, Canada Research Chair in Agricultural Lipid Biotechnology at the University of Alberta’s Agricultural Genomics and Proteomics Centre, and Dr. Wilf Keller, Research Director at the National Research Council of Canada’s Plant Biotechnology Institute (NRC-PBI) in Saskatoon, are project leaders of Designing Oilseeds for Tomorrow’s Markets.

This research project aims to use genomic technologies in order to develop canola with desired seed coat characteristics and decreased levels of anti-nutritional factors. It is anticipated that the results of this research will enhance the overall usefulness of canola seed leading to improved meal for new food and feed applications, and increased seed oil content.

A major focus of the project involves a detailed assessment of the molecular events in the developing seed coat. In addition, the project will develop and implement strategies to decrease levels of undesirable compounds known to reduce the value of animal feed. Studies aimed at modifying seed coat characteristics and levels of anti-nutritional factors, however, will take other processes affecting overall seed quality into consideration. Therefore, the project will decipher the regulatory networks governing the partitioning of carbon between the seed coat and other seed components, including oil.

The project involves a team of researchers with combined expertise in biochemistry, molecular genetics, bioinformatics, plant breeding and biotechnology. The impact of this research is expected to be maximized through an international collaboration with Germany, creation of a bioinformatics platform and commercialization of prototype germplasm. An important component of the project is research into the social, ethical and economic implications of oilseed design.

Genome Canada is the primary funding and information resource relating to genomics and proteomics in Canada. Dedicated to developing and implementing a national strategy in genomics and proteomics research for the benefit of all Canadians, it has received $600 million from the Government of Canada to date.

Since 2000, Genome Canada has committed more than $560 million in genomics and proteomics research across Canada, which, when combined with funding from other partners, totals $1.2 billion in 112 innovative research projects and sophisticated science and technology platforms.