Genome Canada funding supports cutting-edge genomics research and development projects with real-world impact for Canadians
Genomics technologies and innovations are crucial to finding solutions to global challenges such as climate change, environmental protection, precision health, and food and energy security.
Today, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, announced more than $17 million in federal support to eight new genomics research projects and four technology platforms funded through Genome Canada. Provincial governments, businesses and research partners are investing almost $24 million in co-funding, for a total investment of over $41 million.
The eight projects announced today, part of Genome Canada’s Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP), will harness cutting-edge genomics science and innovative technologies and tools to deliver real-world impacts for Canadians and drive healthier, more sustainable and prosperous communities across Canada. GAPP leverages world-leading expertise and diversified public-private partnerships to accelerate the adoption of genomics solutions to generate broad economic and societal benefits for Canada.
These public-private partnerships will generate solutions for:
Health, by:
- reducing transplant patients’ risk of organ rejection by better matching donors and recipients;
- accelerating fungal drug discovery;
- improving diagnosis times and accuracy for sarcoma patients and for those with inherited mismatch repair disorder who have an increased risk of developing advanced cancers;
- using therapeutic cord blood-derived natural killer cells for hard-to-treat cancers; and
- improving IVF outcomes through whole-genome sequencing of embryos.
The environment, by integrating citizen science into video games to enhance understanding of biodiversity and antimicrobial resistance genes.
Resilient agriculture, by providing a sustainable secure domestic supply of bees for honey production and pollination of agricultural crops.
The four technology platform investments support genomics technology infrastructure at facilities and networks across Canada to provide researchers access to leading-edge genomics technologies. In collaboration with the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Major Science Initiative (MSI) 2023-29 competition, Genome Canada is investing in four facilities: CGEn, The Metabolomics Innovation Centre, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics and GlycoNet.
Quotes
“Canadian researchers, entrepreneurs, and companies are the driving force of progress that brings scientific discovery to the market. Investments in programs like Genome Canada’s Genomic Application Partnership Program boost research and innovation to strengthen Canada’s genomics capacity. It also ensures that Canadian researchers and businesses continue to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges and remain world leaders in science and new technologies.”
– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“Genome Canada and the Government of Canada continue to work together to drive and deliver high-impact genomics research and innovation collaborations that accelerate the translation of scientific knowledge into broad economic and societal benefits for Canada. We also continue to strategically invest federal funds in advanced technology and research services development. By invigorating and enhancing research services and commercial applications, these facilities ensure a robust pipeline of innovative, made-in-Canada solutions.”
– Dr. Rob Annan, President and CEO, Genome Canada
Learn more about the 12 projects announced today:
GENOMIC APPLICATIONS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
- A synthetic biology platform to support fungal drug discovery
In partnership with Ontario Genomics - Advancing patient care in oncology: Integrating multiscale transcriptomics for sarcoma classification, and beyond
In partnership with Ontario Genomics - ApiOmic, honeybee breeding using genomics
In partnership with Génome Québec - Crowdsourcing the analysis of environmental metagenomic data for biodiversity and antimicrobial resistance genes through a AAA video game
In partnership with Génome Québec - Establishing therapeutic cord blood-derived NK cells for hard-to-treat cancers through omics based and pharmacological activators
In partnership with Génome Québec - Prospective epitope matching for renal transplant patients in BC as a test bed for national implementation
In partnership with Genome BC - Streamlined care for Canadians with mismatch repair deficient cancers through full-service genetic and epigenetic DNA sequencing
In partnership with Ontario Genomics - Whole-genome embryo sequencing for improved IVF outcomes
In partnership with Génome Québec
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS
- Investment in Centre for Biodiversity Genomics
In partnership with Ontario Genomics - Investment in CGEn
In partnership with Ontario Genomics - Investment in ClycoNet Integrated Services (GIS)
In partnership with Genome Alberta - Investment in The Metabolomics Innovation Centre (TMIC)
In partnership with Genome Alberta