NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Genome Canada announced today that the Canadian government, along with various Canadian provinces and private sector partners, have earmarked C$17 million ($12.6 million) to fund five research projects using genomics for healthcare and agriculture applications.
"As the science of genomics matures, its applications are becoming ever more wide-ranging," Genome Canada President and CEO Marc LePage said in a statement. "These new projects demonstrate just how cross-cutting genomics can be and how powerful it is as a tool to drive innovations in health, agriculture, and agri-food among other areas of importance to the Canadian economy."
Among the recipients of the funding are researchers from Dynacare Laboratories (a LabCorp company) and the University of British Columbia, who have been granted nearly C$3 million to clinically validate three pharmacogenomic test panels for commonly prescribed antibiotics, analgesics, and mental health drugs in pediatric patients.
Also receiving funding are a team from Genesus and the University of Alberta, which has been awarded C$3.4 million to develop a measure of the presumed genetic fitness of purebred pigs that combines genomics with standard phenotype and pedigree information; and scientists from Benson Hill Biosystems and the University of Guelph, who will receive C$3.4 million to use genomics to increase canola yield.
Collaborators from Parmalat Canada and the University of Guelph have been awarded C$1.3 million to validate and implement metagenomic, metaproteomic, and metabolomics tools for use in cheese manufacturing; while researchers from Hendrix Genetics subsidiary Hybrid Turkeys and the University of Guelph have been awarded C$6 million to use genomic selection to improve feed efficiency, body weight, yield, egg production, and livability in commercial turkeys.