April 24 , 2007

ONTARIO RESEARCH FUND – RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM

Through the Research Infrastructure program of the Ontario Research Fund, the McGuinty government helps researchers obtain the tools they need to stay on the forefront of innovation, including lab space, equipment and computer software. This round of funding under the Research Infrastructure program will provide $14,868,500 to support four projects in London. The funding will leverage investments from 13 industry and other partners.

Projects

St. Joseph's Health Care

Biomedical Multimodality Hybrid Imaging

Major collaborative project raises the international bar in medical imaging

Lead researcher: Dr. Frank Prato
Total project cost: $27,912,773
Provincial funding: $9,991,000

During the past 25 years, medical imaging technologies have improved dramatically – with Ontario researchers often leading the way. A major new drive to develop the next generation of hybrid imaging technologies has brought together many of Ontario’s leading scientists, research institutes and life sciences companies. Hybrid imaging mixes traditional silver-halide technologies with digital imaging technologies. Dr. Frank Prato of St. Joseph’s Health Care, London, works with 130 Canadian scientists and two dozen international researchers to develop new technologies that will improve treatments for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, muscular dystrophy and chronic pain.

Major industry and other partners: GE HealthCare, Siemens, GE Amersham, Oxford Instruments, Comecer, Waters.

The University of Western Ontario

Advanced Facilities for Avian Research Infrastructure for Studies of Avian Physiology, Neurobiology and Behaviour

Discovering new links between birds and their environment

Lead researcher: Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton
Total project cost: $9,226,432
Provincial funding: $3,690,573

Like watching canaries in a coal mine, studying the health and actions of birds can reveal important information about ecosystems, climate change and flu pandemics. To help expand that knowledge base, The University of Western Ontario is establishing Advanced Facilities for Avian Research (AFAR), Canada’s largest research centre focused on the physiology, neurobiology and behaviour of wild birds. Led by Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton, scientists will research bird reproduction, seasonal change, physiology during flight, eco-toxicology and disease ecology. The results of these studies will help improve our understanding of disease transmission between birds and humans and lead to better conservation and environmental management programs.

Major industry and other partners: Aiolos.

National Centre for Audiology

Expanding research to improve hearing

Lead researcher: Dr. Prudence Allen
Total project cost: $1,674,071
Provincial funding: $667,154

One in ten Canadians has some degree of hearing impairment, a ratio that rises to almost half for seniors. New auditory laboratories and improved testing facilities at The University of Western Ontario’s National Centre for Audiology will enable Dr. Prudence Allen and her team of scientists to expand their world-leading research in hearing health care and hearing technology. The centre’s research will help provide improved health care for Ontarians of all ages and help industry partners bring new hearing devices.

Major industry and other partners: Bolen Distributing Inc., MacLean Media Systems, Nikon Canada Inc. Instruments, Polytec.

Regional Facility for Research on Materials at Extreme Pressure and Temperature Conditions

Pushing materials to the extreme edges of tolerance

Lead researcher: Dr. Richard Secco
Total project cost: $1,299,558
Provincial funding: $519,823

Materials sometimes respond in unpredictable ways to extremes in pressure and temperature. New research equipment at The University of Western Ontario will help Dr. Richard A. Secco and partnering scientists better understand the effects of pressure and temperature on the structure, properties and interactions of advanced materials. This pioneering research, conducted in collaboration with international leaders in the field at institutes across the U.S., Germany and Japan, holds significant promise for producing new super-hard materials, molecular conductors, solid electrolytes for fuel cell applications and anti-wear additives for industrial lubricants – all of which could provide competitive advantages to advanced manufacturers in Ontario.

Major industry and other partners: Rockland Research, Agilent.

Ontario Research Fund

Through the Ontario Research Fund, the McGuinty government is investing $527 million over five years. The fund is a key part of the government's plan to promote scientific excellence by supporting research that can be developed into innovative goods and services that will boost Ontario's economy. The Ontario Research Fund also helps researchers move new ideas from Ontario's labs to the global marketplace.

The Ontario Research Fund is designed to provide one window for research funding. Proposals for funding are evaluated through a competitive, peer-review process.

Through the Research Infrastructure program, the province matches the funding commitment made by the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Project funding is shared among the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (up to 40 per cent), the province (up to 40 per cent), and the research institutions and industry partners (at least 20 per cent).

For more information about the Ontario Research Fund, please visit www.ontario.ca/innovation.