NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – The Ontario Genomics Institute announced yesterday that it is launching a program aimed at supporting genomics platform technology service facilities and increasing access to genomics and proteomics technology and expertise in the province.
The Ontario Genomics Platform Affiliates (OGPA) program is intended to support large-scale, systematic tools — such as DNA sequencing platforms, arrays, and mass spectrometry technology.
OGI has highlighted several key benefits for facilities designated OGPA program affiliates. It says the program will not only increase the visibility of — and access to — genomics technologies in the research community but will also provide affiliates with branding and marketing support from OGI, along with the opportunity to participate in OGI-led training events.
OGI also is touting OGPA affiliation as a way to access and share genomics technology, reagents, and information and a means for leveraging scale vendor discounts on such technology or reagents.
Six platform affiliates are on board with OGPA so far: the University of Guelph's Advanced Analysis Centre, the University Health Network's Analytical Genetics Technology Centre, the UHN's Microarray Centre, the University of Toronto's Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, the University of Western Ontario's London Regional Genomics Centre, and the Ottawa Hospital Research Insitute/University of Ottawa StemCore Laboratories.
In the future, applicants for funding through OGI's Technology Seeding Program will have to either be OGPA affiliates or working closely with an affiliate.
"By facilitating closer working relationships and the sharing of capacity and information, and looking for opportunities to make available key innovative technology platforms and tools, we can continue to build on Ontario's reputation as a center for globally competitive genomics research excellence," OGI President and CEO Christian Burks said in a statement.
Information about, and an application form for, the OGPA is available through the OGI website.