Organization: Univ of Saskatchewan

Pulse crops to benefit from $21-million R&D program

Saskatchewan’s pulse crop industry is providing core funding to help launch a $21-million, 15-year R&D agreement to support development of existing and new varieties. The agreement between the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers association and the Univ of Saskatchewan‘s Crop Development Centre follows a recent announcement of $3 million to establish a new laboratory at the U…

U of S opens first pulse crop laboratory

The Univ of Saskatchewan has opened a new $3-million laboratory dedicated to the pulse crop industry (peas, beans, lentils, chick peas, etc). The 1,200-sq-m laboratory is an addition to the university’s crop science field laboratory and is the result of efforts by the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers industry association. Pulse crops are the third most important…

VIDO receives two chairs for bacteria research

The Univ of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) is receiving two new research chairs worth $4 million over five years. Funding is provided by Science and Engineering Canada (NSERC) and Bioniche Life Sciences through NSERC’s Industrial Research Chairs program, one of several programs within the Research Partnerships Program portfolio. The chairs are being…

Saskatchewan group research program launched

The Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) has partnered with the Univ of Saskatchewan to launch its new Research Group Facilitation Grant Program to encourage the formation of research groups to tackle key health issues. The first competition is supporting five groups with $500,000 in funding ($200,000 from the SHRF and $300,000 from the U of…

NSERC backs telelearning research network

A new research network for telelearning has emerged in the wake of the defunct TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence. LORNET is a research network of six universities that has received $7.5 million in financing from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) through its Research Networks Grants Program for large-scale, multisectoral projects. Another…

Univ of Saskatchewan opens structural sciences centre

The Univ of Saskatchewan (U of S) has officially opened its $11.4-million Sask-atchewan Structural Sciences Centre (SSSC. It will conduct research that complements the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron, also located on the campus in Saskatoon. The Centre will conduct research in the areas of agricultural biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, environmental sciences, health sciences and mining. It…

Genome research project secures corporate backing

The largest project ever funded by Genome Canada — Functional Patho-genomics of Mucosal Immunity — has netted two corporate sponsors. Inimex Pharmaceuticals Inc of Vancouver and the newly created Pyxis Genomics Canada Inc (a subsidiary of Chicago-based Pyxis Genomics Inc) are contributing a total of $10.5 million for exclusive rights to commercialize discoveries arising from…

CLS passes commissioning milestone

The Canadian Light Source (CLS) has successfully completed the second of three phases of testing required by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. The CLS operated its booster ring — a key component of its synchrotron — for 6.5 hours, as well as meeting its design goals for energy and current. The next stage is to…

Canada Research Chairs program makes more awards

The Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program has announced $83 million in funding for 76 researchers, bringing the total awarded to date to 271. Tier I (experienced) researchers received 50 chairs, while Tier II (rising star) researchers received 26 chairs. The universities receiving the most chairs in this round were all from the west: Univ of…