Backgrounder

August 13, 2007

ONTARIO RESEARCH FUND – RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM

The McGuinty government is helping researchers obtain the tools they need to stay on the forefront of innovation, including lab space, equipment and computer software through the Research Infrastructure program of the Ontario Research Fund. This round of funding under the program will provide $175,706 to support four world-class projects in Windsor.

University of Windsor

Universal Micro Materials Tester
Designing wear-resistant engine parts

Lead researcher: Afsaneh Edrisy
Total project cost: $125,000
Provincial funding: $50,000

The failure of materials due to friction and wear costs Canadian manufacturing, automotive and environmental sectors more than $5 billion each year. This process, known as tribological failure, is the focus of a new study directed by Dr. Afsaneh Edrisy of the University of Windsor. Utilizing a new Universal Micro Materials Tester (UMT), the researchers will investigate the mechanical properties and wear resistance of light alloys made of aluminium castings. This will lead to the development of more wear-resistant, lightweight aluminium engines and coatings to prevent icing of propellers during harsh Canadian winters. The research will ensure, for example, that wind turbines can be effectively used in our Canadian climate.

Facility to Study the Geochemical Controls on Contaminant Transport and Molecular Scale Processes
Studying the chemistry of toxins to protect our water and soil

Lead researcher: Christopher Weisener
Total project cost: $125,000
Provincial funding: $50,000

Safeguarding water and soil ecosystems is becoming an increasingly vital component in maintaining the health and economic viability of our communities. Researchers led by Dr. Christopher Weisener of the University of Windsor are studying the biological and geochemical makeup of various pollutants to measure their role in soil and water contamination. The researchers are focusing on identifying specific chemical properties of contaminants that may be more significant in defining their toxicity than the measurement of their total bulk concentration. By developing more effective procedures to measure contamination in landfills, mining activities and industrial processing, Ontario businesses can save on expensive environmental cleanup and our communities’ health can be better safeguarded for the future.

The Bioinformatics Laboratory
Managing a growing surplus of data

Lead researcher: Robin Gras
Total project cost: $89,524
Provincial funding: $25,706

Improvements in automation have led to an exponential growth in the amount of information being generated by biochemical laboratories. Handling this output efficiently is a matter of necessity, since major insights and discoveries are often to be found in these growing mountains of data. University of Windsor researcher Robin Gras, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Heuristics for Bioinformatics, is designing software systems that can identify the subtle physical interactions revealed in such data. By constructing a complex mathematical model that incorporates our existing knowledge of biochemistry, he and his team are making it possible to sort out new details pertaining to human diseases or environmental processes. The resulting search tool will prove useful information for researchers working in all parts of this field, including those in Ontario’s many hospitals, universities, and biotechnology firms.

The Chemical Tracer Laboratory
Taking a new perspective on the Great Lakes

Lead researcher: Aaron T. Fisk
Total project cost: $189,300
Provincial funding: $50,000

New technology can measure precise changes in the chemical makeup of large bodies of water, making it possible to assess the health of these aquatic ecosystems with unprecedented accuracy. Such instrumentation is the centrepiece of a new facility at the University of Windsor, where researchers with the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research will be able to track the movement of particular compounds throughout a complex underwater food web. Led by Aaron Fisk, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Trophic Ecology, this laboratory will provide valuable new insights on the Great Lakes, which contain more than half of Canada’s freshwater supplies and are home to the world’s largest freshwater commercial fisheries. By understanding how pollutants or invasive species are affecting this resource, more appropriate and effective action can be taken to address such threats.

Ontario Research Fund

The McGuinty government is investing $527 million over five years through the Ontario Research Fund. 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 fund also helps researchers move new ideas from Ontario’s labs to the global marketplace.

The fund provides one window for research funding. Proposals for funding are evaluated through a competitive, peer-review process.

The province matches funding commitments made by the Canada Foundation for Innovation through the Research Infrastructure program. Project funding is shared among the Canada 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.