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 $7,979,198 to support two projects at the University of Ottawa. The funding will leverage investments from five industry and other partners.

Projects

Cardiovascular PET Molecular Imaging Program

Improving a world-leading heart research program

Lead researcher: Dr. Rob Beanlands
Total project cost: $8,332,831
Provincial funding: $3,265,852

Heart disease is the number one killer of Canadians. Dr. Rob S. Beanlands and his team of researchers at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute will use high sensitivity Positron Emission Tomography equipment to improve the ability to measure biological processes associated with heart disease at the molecular and cellular levels. Among the benefits, the research will improve the understanding of heart disease and help develop more effective therapeutics and treatments.

Major industry and other partners: PMOD Switzerland, Tecniplast, TRIUMF, AMI Inc, MDS Nordion.

Development of a Canadian Cardiovascular Genetics Centre

Finding new ways to reduce the genetic risks of heart disease

Lead researcher: Dr. Robert Roberts
Total project cost: $11,783,365
Provincial funding: $4,713,346

At least 50 per cent of a person's risk of developing heart disease can be attributed to genetic causes. To help understand how specific genes lead to different heart diseases, researchers led by renowned cardiologist and geneticist Dr. Robert Roberts at the Ottawa Heart Institute will use newly acquired equipment at the Canadian Cardiovascular Genetics Centre to collect and study the DNA of more than 40,000 individuals. Their goal is to improve the accuracy of heart disease diagnostics and genetic detection and to accelerate the development of drugs "customized" to the individual's genetic make-up.

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.