Advancing Technology Innovation Through Discovery: A New Partnership Between The Canadian Institutes Of Health Research And Genome Canada

Main Category: Genetics
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 26 Jul 2010 - 5:00 PDT

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Genome Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) are pleased to announce a partnered program called "Advancing Technology Innovation through Discovery". This program will link next generation sequencing technologies within Genome Canada-funded Science & Technology (S&T) Innovation Centres with gene discovery projects to help speed the translation to clinical medicine and to advance the adoption of new technologies. The focus of the program is on childhood diseases for which genes can be identified in a short time frame and with a small number of subjects to ensure the greatest impact.

"We are excited by this new collaboration with CIHR", said Dr. Thomas Caskey, Chair of Genome Canada's Board of Directors, "It's a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the positive impact that genomics technology can have on our individual health and the role Canada can play in this area."

CIHR and Genome Canada will each contribute up to $2 million. Additional funders will be sought to help augment the scale of the program and speed development of results.

"Genomics technologies have quickly become the tools of choice in our search for the genetic causes of disease. This collaboration will accelerate gene discovery and can lead to new therapies for debilitating childhood disorders," said Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of CIHR.

The first stage of the program will establish national disease consortia to bring together clinicians, geneticists and the S&T Innovation Centres to allow the rapid assembly of patient resources across Canada and the development of an application for the funding.

More details will be available in the formal Request for Applications scheduled to be released the week of July 26, 2010 on the Genome Canada and CIHR websites.

Source:
Genome Canada
CIHR

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