Canada and the Netherlands Ink Agreement to Conduct Joint Genomics Research

NEW YORK, Oct. 16 - Genome Canadaand the Netherlands Genomics Initiative said they have signed an agreement to work together on large-scale genomics projects.

The two-and-a-half year initial collaboration will seek to promote exchanges between the countries' academic scientists as well as build bridges between biotech and pharmaceutical companies and venture capital firms, according to the organizations.

The agreement "will help build on both countries' existing strengths as well as increase cooperation on larger and more difficult genomics projects," Peter Harder, deputy minister of Industry Canada, said in a statement.

The first approximately year-long phase of the collaboration will include the organizations spending approximately $100,000 each to bring scientists together and foster discussion of projects to focus on, Anie Perrault, vice president of communications at Genome Canada, told GenomeWeb.

The next step will include choosing one to three large-scale genomics programs to fund, said Perrault. The genomics research will most likely be in the fields of health, forestry, agriculture, or fisheries, and may include proteomics, bioinformatics, or functional genomics. Each country will contribute approximately $10 million per project, according to Perrault.

Genome Canada, a non profit organization, has invested approximately $290 million in genomics research throughout Canada, according to the organization.

The Netherlands Genomics Initiative has a €189 million budget for financing genomics centers and projects over five years.

Click here for more information.