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News Release:
Ontario Investing In Leading-Edge Research
Backgrounder:
Projects Funded In Toronto
Backgrounder:
Building An Innovation Economy For The 21^st Century
Latest Recipients

“We want to see this economy turn around. We want to create a platform for tomorrow. And we are in partnership with the Province of Ontario, and the federal government and many private-sector concerns to try and achieve that important transformation.”
David Naylor, President, University of Toronto

“Our researchers are creating hope with their groundbreaking ideas and discoveries. And they’re creating new possibilities… that are already leading to healthier lives for people around the world; and better jobs, a stronger economy and brighter future for our people right here in Ontario.”
John Wilkinson, Minister of Research and Innovation

“With this new funding… we can go one step further and work with directly with medicinal chemists… to launch on this project which is open access, trying to match which of these proteins interact with which drug-like molecules and provide that information to the worldwide research community, so that we can more quickly identify potential new drugs and have them out into both the academic community but drug companies where the real drugs are made, and get more medicines to more people.”
Cheryl Arrowsmith, Chief Scientist, Structural Genomics Consortium, Toronto

Remarks made during event on June 23, 2009 to announce investment of $42 million to support the work of 15 Toronto-based research projects and more than 100 researchers.

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
June 23, 2009

ONTARIO INVESTING IN LEADING-EDGE RESEARCH

McGuinty Government Advances Research In Toronto

NEWS

Ontario is taking a new step in the battle against cancer and creating the jobs of the future, by supporting groundbreaking research in Toronto.

The province is investing $42 million to support the work of 15 Toronto-based research projects and more than 100 researchers. This is part of the government’s $94 million province-wide investment to support 31 world-class research projects and more than 300 researchers in seven communities across Ontario. Some of Toronto research recipients include:

Dr. Cheryl Arrowsmith , who is receiving more than $4.6 million to develop chemical probes – special cell proteins that are central to new drug discovery at the University of Toronto
Dr. Michael Sefton, who is receiving $6.4 million to develop new biological materials that can repair and regenerate damaged tissues at the University of Toronto
Dr. Stuart Foster, who is receiving $7.3 million to lead a new imaging consortium that will advance non-invasive imaging therapies to treat disease development at the genetic level.

Today’s funding comes from the Ontario Research Fund and the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research.

QUOTES

“Ontario is prepared to compete on our talent, our skilled workforce, and our ability to turn research into reality. Today we are saying once again that we’re proud of the work that our researchers do and the wealth and jobs that they create in Ontario.”
John Wilkinson, Minister of Research and Innovation

“Now is not the time to take our foot off the gas when it comes to investing in our research talent. We are more committed than ever to our vision of making Ontario one of the most innovative places, and economies, in the world.”
Willowdale MPP David Zimmer

“This investment reaffirms the world-leading research taking place in Toronto, a global centre where researchers are making new discoveries on a daily basis.”
York Centre MPP Monte Kwinter

“Innovation is an essential component in the drive to lead Ontario into a strong and prosperous future. This marvellous investment from the government of Ontario in university and hospital research is a powerful expression that our scientists and scholars play a critical role in building our capacity to innovate.”
University of Toronto President David Naylor

QUICK FACTS

In Ontario, the life sciences sector employs 43,000 people at more than 800 companies and generates annual revenues of more than $14 billion.
Ontario’s Innovation Agenda is a $3.2 billion strategy to make Ontario one of the best places in the world to turn new knowledge and ideas into new companies and jobs.