Agriculture and health sectors receiving $17 million for genomics research

May 26, 2017, Guelph, Ont. – Today, Parliamentary Secretary for Science, Kate Young, on behalf of the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, announced $6 million in federal funding for five applied genomics projects, including one geared towards the turkey industry.

The Parliamentary Secretary made the announcement at the University of Guelph, where several of the projects’ academic partners are based.

With a total $17 million being invested, including $11 million in funds from the private sector and provincial governments, these projects will have a direct impact on Canada’s agriculture, agri-food and health-care sectors.

Four of the projects receiving funding will result in significant competitive advantages to the Canadian dairy, canola, pork and turkey industries, while the fifth project will address the problem of adverse drug reactions in the health-care system.

One of the projects being funded at the University of Guelph is Dr. Peter Pauls’ work with Benson Hill Biosystems. His research is exploring ways to significantly enhance crop productivity of canola, an important Canadian crop.

This is a perfect example of the power of genomics research, which is the field of science that studies the full set of genes in an organism and their functions. Dr. Pauls’ work will have a direct benefit on the growers, processors and others along the value chain.

These projects are supported through Genome Canada’s Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP). GAPP projects translate Canadian knowledge and expertise in genomics into valuable applications that support a strong economy and a growing middle class.