Reprinted from...
September 9, 1999
Provincial government injects $11 million into medical funding
An
n injection of nearly $11 million from the provincial government has
researchers at the University of Manitoba smiling ear to ear.
"This allows me to do my dream research," said Andrew Halayko,
physiology/ internal medicine.
Premier Gary Filmon made the announcement on August 13 in Halayko's
up-and-coming lab, located on the Bannatyne campus. Halayko, a recent
recipient of the Canada Foundation for innovation's New Opportunities
funding, is investigating the fundamental mechanisms of asthma causes
as well as designing new therapies.
"This funding allows me to step into a new lab and do research at a level
which is competitive with labs that have been established for years,"
he said, adding that knowing about the province's decision to commit
matching dollars for New Opportunities funding played a large role in
his decision to return to the U of M.
Joanne Keselman, vice-president (research), is pleased with the province's
announcement because it means medical researchers will have access to
crucial equipment with which they can battle diseases like cancer and
Alzheimer's disease through molecular medicine and gene therapy.
"It is clear that to remain competitive in today's medical research
environment, the presence of a modern, state-of-the-art transgenic
animal facility is critical. Currently, the inadequate infrastructure
is seriously hampering the ability of these researchers to maintain
their national and international competitiveness," she said.
With matching funding from the federal government and other sources, the
provincial funding is expected to leverage a total research investment
of more than $26 million over five years. Filmon told the crowd of
researchers and other CFI recipients that the projects will create more
than 800 jobs in the province while helping Manitoba attract and retain
some of the world's most innovative and productive scientists,
particularly in the area of medical research.
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Premier Gary Filmon looks over lab plans with the U of M's Andrew
Halayko, physiology/internal medicine.
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"This is an important investment in our research infrastructure because
it supports the innovative individuals who contribute to our international
reputation for excellence and makes the province even more attractive to
medical researchers. Support for leading-edge research helps us attract
and retain the best minds in the country, which in turn attracts more
research activity and the economic benefits that go with it," he said.
Government support from the Manitoba Innovation Fund will help finance a new medical research facility and several research projects:
- A $1.83 million transgenic animal research centre will be established
at the Health Sciences Centre with equal funding of $915,000 from both
the provincial government and the U of M. The facility will focus on
research in diseases that are linked genetically, such as diabetes,
cancer and heart diseases.
- The provincial government will contribute a total of $5 million
over five years to a program that funds the work of new researchers in
the province. The program will fund worthwhile research that may not be
fully supported by traditional funding sources. Manitoba funding will
be matched by federal support through the Medical Research Council of
Canada. The funding will be administered by a new committee made up of
representatives from the Manitoba Health Research Council, the U of
M and the Manitoba departments of industry, Trade and Tourism and
Health. Projects funded by the program are expected to generate $12.8
million in economic activity and more than 300 jobs in Manitoba.
- More than $4 million wilt be provided for 10 additional research
projects to be conducted at the U of M with support from CFI. The
projects will delve into areas ranging from the genetic basis of cancer
to research into automated systems for large-scale laboratories. The
provincial and federal governments are each providing 40 per cent of the
total project funding with the remaining 20 per cent coming from other
sources, including the U of M.
ROBERTA KOSCIELNY
SCRC and Physiology WWW administrator:
www@scrc.umanitoba.ca
Reprinted from...
The University of Manitoba Bulletin, September 9, 1999
Copyright © 1999, Public Affairs Department, University of Manitoba.
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